Valerie Creighton
C.M., S.O.M.

Valerie Creighton is an industry leader in arts, culture, and media, recognized for reenergizing some of the country’s most important organizations in the sector over a period spanning close to four decades. An expert in organizational change, Valerie has been recognized as a visionary in promoting Canada’s cultural wealth.

Currently serving as President and CEO of the Canada Media Fund, Valerie positions Canadian programming at the forefront in world markets, promoting successful, innovative Canadian content and software applications for current and emerging digital platforms. Valerie has taken part in foreign trade missions, is a passionate industry advocate, and is regularly called upon to present the CMF model internationally.

Valerie was invested into the Saskatchewan Order of Merit in 2016 and the Order of Canada in 2019. She was named one of 2016’s 20 most powerful women in global television by The Hollywood Reporter, was recognized in 2017 by Women in Television and Film – Vancouver for her major contribution to promoting gender equality in media, and was bestowed the Honorary Maverick Award at the 2017 Female Eye Film Festival. She was inducted into Playback’s Hall of Fame in 2018 and received C21’s 2020 Content Canada Impact Award.

In 2022, The Hollywood Reporter named her one of the 20 most powerful women in global entertainment, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Regina, and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal by her home province of Saskatchewan. In 2024, she appeared on The Hollywood Reporter’s list of the Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment and received the Glass Ceiling Award at the inaugural Women in Entertainment Canada Summit.

In 2024, she received two honours in recognition of her advocacy and support for Indigenous creators and the establishment of the Indigenous Screen Office which honoured her with a blanket ceremony. Elder Vincent Yellow Old Woman of the Siksika Nation, part of the Blackfoot Confederacy, bestowed upon her his deceased sister’s name, Courageous Woman. This great honour was given in recognition of her contributions.

Valerie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Saskatchewan, has served on a variety of regional, national, and international juries and boards and has produced radio dramas for the CBC in Saskatchewan, where she owns and operates the Red Horse Ranch.