Michele Austin Named President and Managing Director of Motion Picture Association – Canada
Media Executive Brings More Than Two Decades of Public Policy Experience to Leadership Role in Key Region
TORONTO – The Motion Picture Association (MPA) today announced Michele Austin will become the new President and Managing Director for MPA-Canada, effective Jan. 19, 2026. She will succeed Wendy Noss, who is departing after leading the MPA-Canada for 15 years.
Austin most recently served as Vice President of Public Affairs for Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE), one of the country’s leading communications companies, where she oversaw strategy and engagement in all government jurisdictions and areas of public policy. At the MPA-Canada, Austin will lead strategic advocacy across Canada on all priority issues, including copyright law, production incentives, digital media policy, and content protection.
“Michele’s deep knowledge of Canada’s policy landscape and political dynamics will make her a powerful voice for our member studios and our creative community,” said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the MPA. “Her vast skillset and experience make her the perfect person to lead our team in Canada, advance our core objectives, engage with key domestic partners and stakeholders, and navigate a complex legislative and regulatory environment across the country.”
Based in Ottawa, Austin will report to Gail MacKinnon, MPA Senior Executive Vice President, Global Policy & Government Affairs.
“Michele is a superb addition to our team. Her political acumen and record of achievement will make her a tremendous asset to the MPA, our member studios, and the entire industry,” said MacKinnon. “I know that our operation in Canada will be in capable hands and accomplish a great deal in this next chapter – building on the transformative impact and strong legacy built by Wendy over her 15 years leading MPA-Canada.”
Before BCE, Austin was Director of Public Policy at X (formerly Twitter), tasked with managing the development and execution of public policy and platform activation efforts in the U.S. and Canada. She previously served as a Senior Advisor at Summa Strategies and provided operational support as Vice President of Operations for the Public Policy Forum. Austin also served as Chief of Staff for several government departments, including Innovation, Science and Economic Development; Public Works and Government Services; Shared Services; and Status of Women.
“I’ve witnessed firsthand the importance of cross-sector coordination – which fuels the film and television industry’s invaluable impact across Canada’s economy and local communities,” said Austin. “At the MPA, I look forward to leveraging more than 25 years in the public and private space to sustain the creative community’s success, address regulatory issues, and ensure growth and development in this key market.”
Austin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Waterloo and a Master’s of Public Administration degree from Dalhousie University.
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About The Motion Picture Association
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) serves as the leading voice and advocate of the motion picture, home video, and television industries. It works in every corner of the globe to advance the creative industry, protect its members’ content across all screens, defend the creative and artistic freedoms of storytellers, and support innovative distribution models that bring an expansion of viewing choices to audiences around the world. Its member studios are: Netflix, Paramount Pictures, Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, The Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Charles Rivkin is Chairman and CEO.
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