Helga Stephenson

Helga Stephenson is a Canadian film industry executive, who was CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television from 2011 to 2016. Following her departure from the Academy, she was made a member of the Order of Ontario.

Background Stephenson was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. before joining the Festival of Festivals in 1978. In 1980, she was coproducer with Henk Van der Kolk and Bill Marshall of Hank Williams: The Show He Never Gave.

In 1982, she was promoted to communications director of the festival.

In September 1986 she was appointed interim director of the festival after the board dismissed Leonard Schein, and she was named the permanent new director in December.

She stepped down shortly after the festival changed its name from Festival of Festivals to the Toronto International Film Festival.

Other activities She then became chair of Viacom Canada, and an on-air host of film-related programming for Showcase. She remained with Showcase until 1996, and with Viacom until 2000.

In the 2000s, Stephenson and Kate Alexander Daniels launched the public relations firm Daniels Stephenson, which handled film publicity and produced the Toronto Film Critics Association Awards, and cofounded the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival with Brenda Dinnick.

Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television Stephenson was named interim CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television in 2011, and was confirmed in the position in 2012. In the position, she implemented changes to the Academy's board structure and media relations strategies in response to widespread dissatisfaction with the Academy among members,

She stepped down as CEO of the Academy in 2016, and was succeeded by Beth Janson.