Toronto-headquartered Blue Ant Media has named veteran producer and television/film executive Laura Michalchyshyn as chief creative officer and co-president of content production at Blue Ant Studios, the company’s global production arm.

In the newly-created role, Michalchyshyn (pictured) oversees creative across multiple Blue Ant Media businesses and co-manages Blue Ant Studios alongside co-president Sam Sniderman.

Based in New York, Michalchyshyn is tasked with growing the company’s unscripted and scripted production slate in North America. The appointment comes a year after she was first brought into the Blue Ant fold as an original programming consultant/producer.

“Her key role symbolizes our commitment to growing our production footprint within North America, which is critical to our success in creating and owning more content,” Michael MacMillan, CEO and co-founder of Blue Ant Media, said in a statement.

The appointment gives Blue Ant Studios a foothold in New York and allows the studio to bring more projects to the U.S. from the company’s international production houses.

Jennifer Harkness, the recently appointed SVP of unscripted content, will report directly to Michalchyshyn.

Throughout her career, Michalchyshyn has led programming and production teams and run cable channels. Most recently, she served as president of Sundance Productions, which she co-founded with actor Robert Redford.

She has produced fiction and non-fiction programming for networks and platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, CNN, Showtime, AMC, Discovery and BBC, to name a few.

In addition to Blue Ant Media, Michalchyshyn has also provided consulting to myriad content companies, SVOD and OTT platforms, Kew Media, EPIX, Lionsgate and ParamountTV.

She is currently producing a CNN feature documentary on Congressman John Lewis with director and producing partner Dawn Porter, Color Farm Media and AGC.

Michalchyshyn has also held senior executive roles at Sundance Channel, Alliance Atlantis, and Discovery, where she commissioned scripted and non-scripted content.