The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) is mourning the death of Tracey Friesen, Managing Vice-President of the BC Branch for the past five years. The production veteran passed away Monday after receiving a cancer diagnosis last fall.

After graduating from Ryerson University’s Bachelor of Applied Arts, Radio & Television program in 1990, and a Liberal Arts degree from Simon Fraser University, Friesen started her career with Vancouver-headquartered Rainmaker Digital Effects as a VFX producer and later Director of Sales & Industry Relations.

From there, she joined the National Film Board (NFB) as an Executive Producer for nearly 12 years, earning credits on nearly 40 projects, including award-winning films “Being Caribou,” “Scared Sacred” and “Shameless: The ART of Disability.” In 2014, Friesen detoured into radio, joining Vancouver’s Roundhouse Radio as Director of Programming. She concurrently founded non-profit Story Money Impact, offering mentorship and coaching for documentary development from under-represented creators.

After a stint as Director of Communications & Engagement for the David Suzuki Foundation, Friesen went on to join the CMPA in 2020 as Managing Vice -President of the CMPA BC Branch. While at the CMPA, the organization says Friesen championed many sustainability initiatives and was the inaugural staff lead on its Sustainability and Climate Action Committee.

“Tracey was a bright light for our organization. She was relentless in her belief in the power of media to drive positive social change, and as a leader, her optimism was truly infectious,” said Reynolds Mastin, President and CEO, CMPA, in a statement. “She cared deeply about people and about the planet. And this is reflected in the impact she made throughout her career – as a producer at the NFB, as the founder of Story Money Impact, and as a champion of independent producers, leading the CMPA-BC Branch. She will be deeply, deeply missed.”

“Tracey had a deep, even spiritual, connection to British Columbia – both the land and its people. Drawing on this passion, she was an inspirational leader and strong advocate for BC’s independent producers, who was deeply engaged in her work, and extremely supportive of our CMPA-BC members,” added Trevor Hodgson, Chair of the CMPA-BC Branch Council.

Story Money Impact called Friesen “a gifted community-builder and mentor – equal parts fearless, wise, and energetic – with an insatiable curiosity,” in a post to Facebook. “Her forthrightness left no doubt about where she stood when it came to fighting for social and environmental justice. She was a visionary tactician who recognized a gap in Canada’s documentary sector, so she rolled up her sleeves and researched and published her 2016 book about impact producing, Story, Money, Impact: Funding Media for Social Change. Tracey’s book became the catalyst that set this organization into motion. She was an inspiration, confidante, board member, donor, chief cheerleader and advisor to SMI, who helped our organization develop to where it is today.”

In 2013, Women in Film & Television (WIFT) Vancouver named Friesen “Woman of the Year.”