About the Session
This panel brings together professionals from motion picture industry to explore how health and safety is a collective responsibility. Through diverse perspectives and real-world experiences, panelists will discuss how collaboration, communication, and accountability across departments contribute to safer workplaces for everyone on set and behind the scenes.
Katharine Pavoni
Deputy Director, BC Film Commission
MODERATOR
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Katharine Pavoni is the BC Film Commission at Creative BC’s Deputy Director and is responsible for oversight and delivery of the film commission’s operations and services relevant to BC’s major strategic initiatives including, but not limited to, Reel Green, Creative Pathways and Regional Initiatives. She supports the stewardship of industry engagement and meaningful progress in green standards, inclusive practices and professionalism throughout the industry and stands in as the Acting BC Film Commissioner when required in their absence.
Katharine has more than 15 years of film and television production experience across a variety of roles and functions, and other recent roles have included Director of Industry Programs and Services with Actsafe, the entertainment industry’s health and safety association, and as a key creatives’ agent with Meridian Artists.
Dugald McLaren
Executive Producer
PANELIST
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Dugald holds a First-Class Honours degree in Linguistics, Anthropology, and Film, and graduated with an award for Outstanding Achievement in Philosophy. He is a graduate of the Producer's program at the National Screen Institute in Winnipeg. His professional career began at a young age on feature film sets and big television series where he worked in many departments including Locations, Art, and even stunts. After a few years he transitioned to primarily television and became a PM, then Producer, and eventually VP of Production at Ocean Entertainment where he worked for more than a decade. During that time Dugald was part of the development team, was a Series Director, and Produced almost 200 hours of quality television. Genres included food, ob-doc, reality, renovation, documentary, crime, travel/adventure, and recreation. He has travelled to over 50 countries and filmed in most of them. Many of his projects have won and been nominated for awards, including a Gemini nom for Dugald himself on a Food Network special that he wrote, produced, and directed called A Chateau Dinner. It was also up for a prestigious James Beard Award in New York City. In 2008 Dugald made a foray into the commercial world and enjoyed producing large and small commercials. He also directed spots for Toyota, NSGEU, Sodexo, Craft Brewers of Ontario, political parties, and more. In 2015 he moved to the mountains of British Columbia, where he continues to grow and work as a Executive Producer of the acclaimed award-winning series Highway Thru Hell for Discovery Network.
Michael Balfry
Director of Photography
PANELIST
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Michael Balfry csc is a two-time Emmy Nominee, ASC Nominee and a recipient of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC) Award with 30 years as a member of the International Cinematographers Guild, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) ICG 669 and currently serves as the Locals President. Michael brings a wealth of ‘on set’ experience to the table, both locally and internationally (North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East). Some of the projects he has been involved with are The Dead Zone, Resident Alien, SIGHT, and for the past 3 years has helmed the live action series ‘Avatar the Last Airbender’ which is currently streaming. Most recently he has returned from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where he served as the Director of Photography of the feature film BOO.
Jeff Wonnenberg
Director, Industry Education & Training, Actsafe Safety Association
PANELIST
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Jeff is a seasoned producer, business affairs specialist and occupational health & safety professional in the Canadian motion picture and performing arts industries. He has successfully delivered numerous, flagship live action productions, ranging from unscripted documentary, lifestyle and reality series, to scripted drama and comedy series. He has a strong background in production and business management, including the realms of entertainment law, contract negotiation, risk mitigation, occupational health and safety, budgeting, scheduling, financing, operations, Indigenous reconciliation and environmental sustainability, as well as the development and distribution of screen content.
Nancy Hum-Balbosa
Labour Relations Professional, Facilitator, and Screen Industry Leader
PANELIST
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Nancy Hum-Balbosa is a labour relations professional, facilitator, and screen industry leader with more than a decade of experience in British Columbia’s film and television industry. Her career combines hands-on production experience with a passion for worker safety, respectful workplaces, and leadership.
Nancy began her career in film as a Set Dresser, advancing to Buyer and Assistant Decorator on major film and television productions. Working on set gave her a firsthand understanding of the teamwork, problem-solving, and safety culture essential to successful productions.
She later served as an International Representative with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), representing five union locals and supporting more than 12,000 workers across British Columbia and Canada. In this role, she provided strategic guidance on collective bargaining, workplace investigations, governance, conflict resolution, and respectful workplace initiatives while collaborating with employers, union leaders, legal counsel, and government shareholders.
Nancy also serves as a Motion Picture Industry Orientation Facilitator with Actsafe, where she helps prepare new workers for careers in film and television by delivering training on workplace safety, labour rights, respectful workplaces, and industry best practices.
A strong advocate for leadership development, mentorship, and inclusion, Nancy is committed to helping create workplaces where every worker feels respected, supported, and empowered to contribute. She believes that the safest and most successful productions are built on collaboration, trust, and a shared commitment to looking out for one another.
Dania Chaban
Director of Production Safety & Risk, AMC Networks
PANLEIST
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Dania Chaban is Director of Production Safety & Risk at AMC Networks, where she leads health and safety strategy across film and television productions in the U.S., Canada, and internationally. With experience spanning production safety, industrial hygiene, risk management, and operational leadership, she partners with producers, crews, and business leaders to build effective safety programs that support creative work while protecting people.
Throughout her career, Dania has worked across news, television series, films, live events, and corporate environments, helping shape safety standards, manage complex production risks, and foster a proactive culture of safety. She focuses on collaboration across departments and believes the strongest safety outcomes come from shared ownership, open communication, and practical solutions that support the realities of production.
