CBC Temps - Mentorship Program

Mentoring Program For Temps and Early Career Employees

Supporting CBC Temps and early career employees to achieve their career goals

MEET THE CREATORS

Jennifer Chen and Catherine Rolfsen started the Mentoring Program for Temps and Early Career Employees in 2021. The program is now offered annually to employees in BC, the North, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario Small Markets, Ottawa and the Parliamentary Bureau. We hope to keep expanding the program to other locations over time.

How does it work?

Mentees are selected based on their demonstrated commitment to the CBC and priority is given to equity-deserving groups.

Mentors are full-time staff with a minimum of seven years experience.

matched based on the goals set by the mentees
six month program
monthly meet-ups
monthly meetings with the whole group

Feedback speaks to the success of the program

Many mentees said they felt more heard, more confident, and more connected, particularly during the pandemic.
Mentors gain a new perspective and satisfaction in being able to “pay it forward”.
Mentors have helped get their mentees stretch assignments to develop skills in new areas, and they’ve supported mentees as they navigate through difficult work situations.
Several of the mentees secured full-time jobs during or shortly after the program.

We continue to build on our success

coordinators take careful notes to build the program from each cohort
participants give detailed feedback
we have created a template for other mentorship programs to build on
other regions and departments are building programs similar to ours, while adapting to their needs. For example, there are mentoring programs offered by the ERGS like Visible Women, Women in Tech and OutCBC.
In 2025, The Mentoring Program expanded to include News Network and Network Audio.
In 2026, the Mentoring Program expands to include Calgary/South Alberta, New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador.

2026 Mentoring Program Coordinators

Coordinators list

Catherine Rolfsen, BC

Joanne Stassen, CBC North

Elise Stolte, CBC Calgary

Lara Schroeder, MB

Janani Whitfield, SK

Jennifer Chen, Ontario smaller markets, Parl. bureau and CBC Ottawa

Jeffery Tam, News Network

Dawna Dingwall, Network Audio

Hannah Rudderham, NB

Shaina Luck, NS

Isabelle Gallant, PEI

Caroline Hillier, Newfoundland & Labrador

NOTE: Applications for the 2027 Mentoring Program open in November 2026. Keep an eye out for the email with the announcement or check back here.

PAST PARTICIPANTS TELL US ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE

James Chaarani, mentee, 2022

The mentorship program was incredible and I would highly recommend it to anybody new to the CBC. It allowed me to ask those stupid questions I was too afraid to ask in my day to day work life, which in turn made me better at my job. Not asking those stupid questions were holding me back in a lot of ways. It also allowed me to set goals for myself in areas that I didn't have much experience in and I got to work on them with an expert who has been at the CBC for years. My skill sets would not be where they are right now if it wasn't for this program. It was really an amazing experience, so thank you :))

Tara Carman, mentor, 2021

Being part of the mentorship program was meaningful because other journalists have been so generous in sharing their time and expertise with me in the past, and that contributed a lot to the skillset and the career I have now. It's been so incredibly fulfilling to be given an opportunity to pay that forward. The person I mentored has become a good friend and I've been fortunate to work with her now on a number of data-driven investigative projects at CBC.

Read more about the experience of the first cohort of Mentors and Mentees here.

2025: Mentor/Mentee List

CBC SASKATCHEWAN (4)

Coordinator: Janani Whitfield

Mentee - Jeffery Tram (mentee) and Dan Zakreski (mentor)
Sarah Onyango (mentee) and Sam Samson (mentor)
Halyna Mihalik (mentee) and Sean Trembath (mentor)
Darla Ponace (mentee) - with Mentor Nichole Huck (mentor)

CBC Ontario markets outside Toronto (5)

Coordinator: Jennifer Chen

Parliamentary bureau - Benjamin Steven (mentee) and Ashley Burke (mentor)
London ON - Kendra Seguin (mentee) and Amanda Pfeffer (mentor, based in Ottawa)
London ON - Tiffany Mongu (mentee) and Jennifer Chevalier - (mentor Parl. bureau)
Local Ottawa - (mentee) Wafa El-Rayes and Paul Haavardshrud (Mentor, Network Audio, Calgary)
Local Ottawa - Gabrielle Huston (mentee) and Karla Hilton (mentor, Network Audio, Ottawa)

CBC BC (4)

Coordinator: Catherine Rolfsen

Renée Lukacs (mentee) with Dan Burritt (mentor)
Dannielle Piper (mentee) with Jodie Martinson (mentor)
Melody Jacobson (mentee) with Liz Hoath (mentor)
Shivani Joshi (mentee) with Erica Johnson (mentor)

CBC NEWS NETWORK (4)

Coordinator: Jeffery Tam

Mentor: Daniela Ramirez & Mentee: Maria Jose Lopez Sotelo
Mentor: Aarti Pole & Mentee: Dana Masamra
Mentor: Sarah Lawless & Mentee: Rachael Bishop
Mentor: Nicole Williams (Ottawa) & Mentee Camilla Faragalli

CBC NORTH (4)

Coordinator: Joanne Stassen

Mentor: Julie Ireton (Ott) // Mentee: Cole Bosum (MONTREAL-CREE)
Mentor: Doug Herbert (BC - Kamloops) Mentee: Cali McTavish (YUKON)
Mentor: Michelle Ghoussoub (BC) // Mentee: Nadeer Hashmi (NWT)
Mentor: Antonia Reed (ON) // Andrew Hynes (YUK)

CBC MANITOBA (3)

Coordinator: Lara Schroeder

Mentor: Brittany Greenslade - Mentee: Santiago Arias Orozco
Mentor: Donna Carreiro - Mentee: Marshal Hodgins
INDIGENOUS/ATLANTIC (falling under Manitoba, home base for Indigenous unit)
Mentor: Shaina Luck - Mentee: Sis'moqon **Both in Halifax

NETWORK AUDIO (4)

Coordinator: Dawna Dingwall

Mentee - Magan Carty - Mentor: Chris Howden Toronto
Mentee - Leila Ahouman - Mentor: Naheed Mustafa Toronto
Mentee - Marco Luciano- Mentor: Sean Brocklehurst Toronto
Mentee - Julianna Perkins - Mentor Rachel Sanders - both Vancouver-based

2024: Mentor/Mentee List

Page updated

Report abuse