Reversing the trend: Women who lead in male-dominated fields

Stefanie Bitton joined TONIC DNA in 2005 and is co-owner and executive producer heading the advertising/branded content division.

Over the years, her passion for animation has influenced the studio’s growth and mission: to keep inspiring people through the power of animation and great storytelling.

Stefanie has overseen the studio’s evolution by discovering talented directors and innovative styles and techniques of animation. Her achievements include expanding the studio’s presence and producing renowned campaigns for agencies and clients worldwide.

Before she retired from the federal public service, Corinne Charette was senior assistant deputy minister for the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), leading the Spectrum and Information Technology and Telecommunications sector. She was also ISED’s chief digital officer. She has held many senior roles in government and the private sector, including as the Chief Information Officer of the Government of Canada, a position she held for six years. Corinne was also the chief information officer of FINTRAC, Canada’s financial intelligence unit.

Corinne’s private sector experience included being the CIO for Transat A.T., a partner in KPMG Consulting’s e-Business practice and a senior vice-president for Internet retail banking at CIBC. Corinne is an engineering graduate from Concordia and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the university in 2011. 

Corinne currently serves on two boards: the Fondation du Grand Montréal and the SAAQ (Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec), where she chair’s the IT committee and is also a member of the Elections Canada Departmental Audit Committee.

In addition her work with Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP, Monique Jérôme-Forget has served on the board of directors of the Bank of Canada since 2013. She is also an invited fellow at the Center for Interuniversity Research and Analysis of Organizations. 

She has held several key positions in her career, including as Quebec’s Minister of Finance, president of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Government Services; Assistant Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare in Ottawa; vice-rector of finance at Concordia; president of the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail and chair of its related research institute; and president of the Institute for Research on Public Policy. In 2010, Finance Minister James Flaherty appointed her to his Economic Advisory Council.

In 2012, Monique was appointed Officer of the Ordre national du Québec and named “Woman of Outstanding Achievement” by the Women’s Y Foundation in 2013. 

She is the author of several publications, including Les Femmes au secours de l’économie : Pour en finir avec le plafond de verre.

Born in Montreal, Monique completed a doctorate in psychology at McGill University after studying economics at the University of London and history at Johns Hopkins University.

Sudha Krishnan is the host of CBC Montreal News at 11.

Born and raised in Montreal, Sudha worked as a local reporter at CBC Montreal before heading west for 10 years, covering Alberta and Saskatchewan for Global News, Citytv and Omni News.

Sudha returned to her hometown in 2012 as the late lineup editor for CBC Montreal News at 11. She took on other roles as a host, radio newsreader and reporter, covering the floods of 2017, the Indigenous blockades and the COVID-19 crisis in long-term care homes.

Sudha has won numerous awards for her reporting and is a proud alumna of the Concordia's Department of Journalism.

Outside journalism, Sudha is an Indian classical dancer and teacher and loves power walking in and around Montreal’s vibrant neighbourhoods.