CBC News Toronto: Our Team

Anne-Marie Mediwake | Contact

News anchor Anne-Marie Mediwake is the co-host of CBC News Toronto at 5, 5:30 and 6 p.m. weeknights on CBC Television.

In 2011, Anne-Marie was named the GTA's Woman of the Year at the Consumer's Choice Awards, recognizing the trust she has earned from viewers for her commitment to journalistic excellence and her active community involvement.

Mediwake's portfolio includes prominent roles in CBC's local, national and international news coverage; from Jack Layton's state funeral to The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton from London and their Canadian tour. Recently, Mediwake has brought viewers insightful interviews with former governor general Michaëlle Jean, humanitarian Stephen Lewis, feminist pioneer Gloria Steinem and Bollywood superstar Bipasha Basu. More...

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Dwight Drummond | Contact

News anchor Dwight Drummond is the co-host of CBC News Toronto at 5, 5:30 and 6 p.m. weeknights on CBC Television. Dwight has been covering news in Toronto as an anchor and reporter for over two decades, previously as the crime specialist for CityNews and co-host of Citynews@Five on CityTV.

An Ontario Scholar and graduate of Ryerson University's Radio and Television Arts program, Dwight has done "just about every job there is to do in a newsroom" as he worked his way up through the industry. Known for his exclusives, he's broken local stories that have gone national and has reported from the U.S., Caribbean and Africa. He had the lead story on CityNews' Gemini win for best newscast, and a top story for City's Edward R. Murrow win for best newscast. More...

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Nil Köksal | Contact

Nil Köksal is the weekend news anchor and host of CBC News Toronto, Saturdays at 6 pm and Sundays at 10:55 pm on CBC Television. With more than a decade in the industry, Nil has built a name in breaking news and skilled storytelling.

She started at CBC in 2001 as an intern, working her way up in the newsroom from writer to producer to videojournalist, telling Toronto's stories.

She has covered some of the biggest stories in Ontario and the United States. Nil brought viewers the stories of Egyptian Canadians watching the Mubarak government collapse. She was part of the CBC News Team bringing viewers breaking news coverage from the turbulent G20 Summit in Toronto. Nil has also reported abroad, covering international stories developing in Turkey and Washington, DC. More...

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Mike Wise | Contact

Mike Wise is the anchor of CBC News Toronto Late Night, weeknights at 10:55 p.m. Mike's covered every beat including seven years as the Ontario Legislative reporter for CBC Television.

While there he created "Queen's Park: Making the Grade", an award winning series that followed several high school students as they developed their own private member's bills.

It was a unique experiment that saw the teens through the political process right up having their bills introduced and debated in the Ontario Legislature. More...

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Charlsie Agro | Contact

Charlsie Agro is a videojournalist with CBC Toronto's weekend team. She was born and raised in Burlington, Ontario. Her academic and athletic pursuits eventually took her to Philadelphia and St. Joseph's University to play NCAA division one field hockey.

Off the turf, Charlsie pursued her passion for storytelling, interning with both ESPN and NBC. After graduating with a degree in English, History and Performing Arts, Charlsie got her start in local news at CHCH in Hamilton. Soon after she completed her graduate certificate in Journalism and New Media from Sheridan College. Charlsie then headed west to Victoria BC and then to Edmonton, AB where she worked as a videographer for CityTV.

When CBC Windsor came calling Charlsie jumped at the chance to head back to Ontario. While in Windsor Charlsie covered some of southwestern Ontario's biggest stories locally and for the network. She is looking forward to doing the same back home in the GTA.

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Ivy Cuervo | Contact

Ivy Cuervo is a videojournalist for CBC News Toronto. Ivy began her journalism career in Sault Ste. Marie, working as a VJ for CTV. In less than two years she moved to CBC radio in Thunder Bay where she was a reporter. During her time there, Ivy travelled to several remote communities, including Keewaywin First Nation to cover the burial of Kyle Morrisseau, grandson of the famous Aboriginal-Canadian artist Norval Morrisseau.

In 2009, she produced a radio documentary for the CBC's flagship show, The Current. Bringing Kyle Home tells the story of a teen who drowned after a long night of drinking. Her item was nominated for a Gabriel Award and received an honorary mention from the RTNDA.

In 2010, Ivy returned home to Toronto where she's been working for local news. In a short time she exposed illegal massage parlours as fronts for prostitution at a GTA condominium. Ivy is originally from Lima, Peru.

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Steven D'Souza | Contact

Steven D'Souza graduated from Ryerson University in 2000, joined CBC News, and soon picked up a camera to become a video journalist. He's had a chance to meet people like Wayne Gretzky, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and filmmaker Michael Moore. He's covered national and local stories that have taken him from the lawn of the White House during the 2004 State of the Union Address to inside the Confederation Bridge in PEI to the 2006 Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton.

Steven grew up in Richmond Hill and loves being back home in Toronto. "I always try to find a way to make the viewer understand what is happening and why it is important. There is so much going on in your everyday life, you need to know how things will affect you and your family. If I can inform and maybe even entertain a bit then I've done my job."

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Natalie Kalata | Contact

Natalie Kalata is a videojournalist for CBC Toronto. She shoots, writes and presents news for television, radio and online.

Born and raised in Toronto, Natalie started her career in Saskatchewan before being hired by CBC Newfoundland and Labrador in 2008. First in Labrador City and then St. John's, Natalie has covered it all, from hurricanes to hostage takings, to health care. Her work has been featured on CBC News Network, and the National.

In just three years, Natalie's stories have earned her and her newsroom, a Gemini Award, multiple Edward. R. Murrow awards and Atlantic Journalism Awards. In 2010 she was named new journalist of the year in Atlantic Canada. She has a degree in Communications from the University of Ottawa. In her free time you will find Natalie out running, playing soccer, or occasionally out acting in the theatre.

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John Lancaster | Contact

John Lancaster joined the CBC News Toronto team in the spring of 2007. For the past 12 years. John has covered almost every major news event in the Greater Toronto Area, from high profile court and crime cases, to elections and sports. His reports frequently challenge newsmakers and hold them accountable as he exposes issues of public safety, poverty and injustice. John is passionate about Toronto and the GTA. "It's not only my beat, but it's my home as well."

John's investigative work has been recognized with many awards. This past year he won an award from the Canadian Association of Journalists for his work on the high number of murders of Somali men. John was also awarded the RTNDA's 2006 National Television Award for his countinued reports on Ontario's bail system. He also won the RTNDA's 2005 Central Canada award for short features and was awarded MADD Canada's National Television Award.

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Michelle Leslie | Contact

Meteorologist Michelle Leslie has worked for CBC since 2010. Viewers can watch Michelle's weathercasts weekdays on CBC News Toronto from 5:00 to 6:30 pm.

A diversified broadcaster, Michelle has a background in both journalism and meteorology. Prior to joining CBC, Michelle served as a news and weather anchor for CTV; also filling in on Canada AM serving up morning news updates and sports highlights. At CHCH Michelle delivered breaking news updates and was a general assignment reporter. Michelle anchored morning news and sports for XM Radio and was given what she calls a "career highlight" when she was selected to cover the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals.

Michelle has appeared on national shows such as Hockey Night in Canada and Off The Record. She has hosted from Disney World and covered the 2008 Oswego New York snow storm. Michelle completed the Broadcast Meteorology program at Mississippi State University and was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi honor society for outstanding academic achievement. She also holds a degree from the University of Toronto.

Michelle's community activities include the Harry Rosen Prostate Run, Breast Cancer Run, Porridge for Parkinson's and the Ride for Heart among others. Michelle is passionate about traveling and recently had the opportunity to go to Nepal to work with NGO's.

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Debbie Lightle-Quan | Contact

Debbie Lightle-Quan was a high school and Queen's University athlete pursuing a career as a police officer when she was brought in as a ringer for CBC's The National baseball team. "The second I stepped into the newsroom, I knew CBC was the place I wanted to work."

Today, she puts her athletic skills to work as a video journalist on CBC News Toronto. She loves to play and cover sports. "I try to capture the essence of a person with my camera then tell the story of what motivates them whether they are a professional hockey player or a female kick boxer."

Debbie has two Gemini nominations for her work. She enjoys working and playing in Toronto with her husband and two children. She has three hobbies: "sports, sports and more sports".

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Lucy Lopez | Contact

Lucy grew up in the suburbs of the GTA, so the opportunity to be the 905 Reporter for CBC News Toronto 905 is like coming home. Establishing the 905 News Room in this fast growing region is just the type of challenge Lucy enjoys. Over the last eight years, she's worked in news markets across northern and eastern Ontario, and has done everything from reporting and anchoring to shooting, editing, and producing.

With a range of experience - everything from anchoring on 9/11 to reporting on the newest video game craze - Lucy enjoys connecting viewers to the story and the people behind the story.

"The best part about being a reporter is the people you meet every day. Each one has a unique, sometimes extraordinary story to tell. I feel very fortunate to hear their stories and to share them with our viewers."

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Stephanie Matteis | Contact

Stephanie Matteis started as a newspaper reporter almost two decades ago, earned a Masters in Journalism and has worked in television and radio ever since. She's been on-air and behind-the-scenes, as a national and local reporter, producer, director and writer.

Some highlights of Stephanie's career include an award-winning documentary about medicine for the Discovery Channel; a Gemini-nominated series for CBC; and a Gemini-award winning documentary for The National. She joined CBC News Toronto in Toronto in 2007.

She loves living in the world's most multi-cultural city and getting people to share their stories. At the end of the day, Stephanie says she simply feels lucky to be a storyteller and have an amazing outlet for that irrepressible impulse.

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Jeff Semple | Contact

Jeff Semple is a videojournalist with CBC Toronto. His reporting has taken him across Ontario, internationally to Nicaragua, and to new heights at 356 metres above ground reporting from atop the CN Tower's EdgeWalk (a story that appeared on CBC, CNN, and the BBC, allowing the whole world to hear Jeff's screams).

Jeff is an award-winning graduate of Ryerson University's journalism program and a Joan Donaldson scholar. He first joined the CBC as a TV reporter in Ottawa in 2007, covering everything from Barack Obama's first presidential visit to the criminal trial of Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien. Jeff was part of the CBC Ottawa team that won a Gemini for 'best local newscast' in 2010.

He also received an award for excellence in health reporting from the Canadian Medical Association for his series on a small town's struggle with a string of teen suicides. Jeff joined the team at CBC Toronto in the spring of 2011, and is thrilled to be back in his favourite city. Jeff strives to bring compassion, fairness, and creativity to the stories that shape our city; and he is honoured to share the stories of the everyday people who make it great.

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Marivel Taruc | Contact

Marivel Taruc is a reporter with CBC News Toronto at 5, 5:30 and 6 pm and is a familiar face to CBC viewers. Previously, she was the business anchor for CBC News: Morning. In her years as a financial and economics reporter, Taruc covered such stories as the economic aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks, the unprecedented collapse and bailout of GM and Chrysler and the 2008 global economic meltdown. She has interviewed top newsmakers of the day, including business leaders and federal cabinet ministers.

Taruc began her career as a news reporter in her hometown of Winnipeg. While working at CBC Manitoba, she covered major events, including 1997's "Flood of the Century" and various federal, provincial and municipal elections.

Taruc graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. She lives in Toronto with her husband and daughters.

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Genevieve Tomney | Contact

Genevieve Tomney joined CBC News as a reporter in 2007. She's had the opportunity to work on both the east and west coasts of Canada in Vancouver, Halifax, Fredericton and Saint John. In 2010, she jumped at the chance to move back to her hometown of Toronto and join the CBC News Toronto team.

Genevieve has covered major stories for CBC News from the Russell Williams sentencing hearings in Belleville to the Toronto leg of CBC's Gemini Award nominated coverage of the Queen's 2010 Royal Visit.

Genevieve is thrilled to live and work in downtown Toronto and get to explore every inch of the world's best city as a reporter. In her spare time, you'll catch Genevieve at the yoga studio, or a downtown dog-park.

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