Loretta Todd

The IM4 Lab was created by Loretta Todd, the IM4 Lab Creative Director. She first acknowledges the IM4 Lab is on the lands and territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Nations. 

Ms. Todd envisioned the values of her people, the Nehiyaw, guiding the IM4 Lab, including Pimatisiwin – living a life fully and completely and Wahkohtowin – everything is related. And she envisioned the IM4 Lab’s based on respect, reciprocity and redistribution of wealth. 

In this envisioning, she also knew it was important to respect the values and traditions, protocols and philosophies and knowledge that flow from all Indigenous Nations of these lands, especially those of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Nations. For Ms. Todd this means the governance of the IM4 Labshould reflect Indigenous governance systems, which acknowledge the strengths of Indigenous women. This is the basis of the role of matriarchs in the guiding of the IM4 Lab. 

“We are inheritors of great cultural wealth, and with that wealth, great responsibilities. As storytellers we are part of a continuum of thousands of generations of storytellers. As such, we are called upon to serve our Indigenous Nations by contributing to healthy, productive societies….

I created the IM4 Lab as a means to serve the stories and knowledge of our ancestors and to affirm our cultural ways in these emerging technologies and industries. I wanted to create an environment that encourages the development of Indigenous media that acknowledges ancestral obligations while upholding cultural expression that reflects the diversity of Indigenous experience, art practice, freedom of expression and social relationships to community and one another. And for the first time in contemporary media history, we can shape these systems to reflect who we are in our beautiful complexity and experiences and knowledge. I am also committed to critical mass – the more of us with these skills and tools, the more influence and transformation of these technologies we will have.”

She is thankful for the support of Emily Carr University of Art and Design for providing support the IM4 Lab and all the funding sources. And, first and foremost we are all grateful to the Grandmothers and Grandfathers.

Alannah Mandamin

Alannah Mandamin-Shawanda is Anishnabee from Wikwemikong First Nation situated on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. She was primarily raised near Maskwacis First Nation on Treaty 6 Territory. Alannah is one of the scriptwriters and film presenters for the massive open online course Indigenous Canada offered through Faculty of Native Studies, and provided on Coursera. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Native Studies at the University of Alberta, and Certificate in the Indigenous Independent Filmmaking Program at Capilano University. Alannah has worked on Loretta Todd’s Coyote’s Crazy Smart Science Show II to be aired on APTN. Alannah currently works as the Project Coordinator for the Indigenous Matriarch 4 Media Lab at Emily Carr University.

Sussan Yáñez

Sussan Yanez is a mother, multidisciplinary artist and cultural facilitator of Mapuche, Andean, German, and Spanish ancestries and a grateful guest on the unceded territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ and xwməθkwəy̓əm territories. Sussan has received training from Jolene Andrew and Cease Wyss through the Resurfacing History Project into cultural facilitation. Sussan has been working on community-participatory research with the Wixárika nation on culturally relevant processes for working with plant medicines. She is also the Founder of Visionaries Gathering, a volunteer-based event turned into a non-profit with the aim to facilitate dialogues from systemically disadvantaged peoples and cultures and allow for land-based teachings to re-emerge. Recently, Sussan made a short documentary for the Response: Resonance program at the Polygon Art Gallery which exhibited an intercultural Indigenous conversation about the psychedelic movements and cultural genocides associated with the current systemic advancements on the global scene.

Sussan currently works as the Operations Manager for the Indigenous Matriarch 4 Media Lab at Emily Carr University.

Savanna Todd

Savanna Todd is the new social media manager for the IM4 Lab. Savanna is of Métis heritage, with relationships to the St. Paul de Métis Settlement, White Fish Lake First Nation, Red River Métis Settlement and Turtle Mountain Chippewa. Savanna grew up in Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh territories AKA Vancouver B.C. She was fortunate enough to be immersed in many Indigenous cultural teachings by her family and friends.

Savanna is a graduate of ECUAD, focusing on illustration and fine art. Her work has been namely shown at the Purple Thistle Centre, the yearly Aboriginal show at ECUAD, and the Roundhouse. Savanna was honoured with the opportunity to create work for the B.C Cancer Agency in partnership with the First Nations Health Authority, the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centers, and Métis nation BC. Savanna also co-runs a clothing pop-up store called Velveteen Vintage with her mom. Savanna cares deeply about the rights and sovereignty of oppressed peoples and is grateful for the opportunity to support other Indigenous people at the IM4 Lab and to work with the IM4 Lab Matriarchs.

Leanne Rooney

Leanne Rooney is the Research Financial Analyst in the Research and Industry Department at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. In this role she provides financial management and compliance oversight of all grants and contracts with government agencies, industry partners, and other stakeholders. 

She has over 30 years of experience working as a financial controller, senior accountant, and general manager in diverse sectors such as post secondary education, manufacturing, hospitality, and law. She is entering her twelfth year at Emily Carr University after eighteen years of experience owning and managing a large-scale digital sign manufacturing business. 

Leanne takes satisfaction in helping artist, designers, media producers and researchers to successfully administer and complete their projects.

Michael Runningwolf

Michael Runningwolf has a Masters of Science in Computer Science, and is a software engineer for non-profit organization Buffalo Tongue Inc. He has been working on a project with Caroline Running Wolf on endangered Indigenous language revitalization using Virtual and Augmented Reality.

Olivier Leroux

Olivier Leroux, is an experienced VR Director and DOP originally from Quebec, Canada now living and working as a respectful uninvited guest in Vancouver BC. Olivier is a leader in the creation of new medias and also offers consulting services to other VR companies based in Canada. Olivier is also responsible for teaching a course in Immersive Journalism at UBC.

Vince McCurley

Vince McCurley has been creating award-winning immersive, interactive, digital media experiences for over 20 years. As a creative technologist at the National Film Board of Canada, he has worked on several projects with indigenous artists including Biidaaban: First Light (Lisa Jackson), God’s Lake Narrows (Kevin Lee Burton), and Ice Fishing (Jordan Bennett).

Nancy Lee

Nancy Lee is a Taiwanese-born interdisciplinary media artist, curator, filmmaker and cultural producer. Nancy is a co-producer and co-founder of CURRENT: Feminist Electronic Art Symposium, an intersectional and multidisciplinary initiative featuring artistic and educational programming for and by women, nonbinary artists and artists of colour. She co-created “Telepresence”, a VR 8-channel surround-sound live performance with Western Front, and “Tidal Traces”, an VR 360 dance film with the National Film Board of Canada. Currently, Nancy is collaborating with Kiran Bhumber on a speculative-sci fi exhibition exploring 3D scanning/printing, XR, and live performance, scheduled for 2021 at the Richmond Art Gallery.

Dallas Flett-Wapash

Dallas Flett-Wapash is an Ininew-Seaulteaux from Keeseekoose First Nations. He is currently based in Brandon, Manitoba, working in Game Design and other interactive art forms with Unity.

Quinn Brander

Quinn Brander is a graduate from the Centre for Digital Media and is a classically trained cellist whose passions reside in game design and sound in digital media. He has also scored, performed and recorded music for several independent short films, including Laura Stewart’s critically acclaimed Blobby. He is currently a game designer at Smoking Gun Interactive.