Laura Michalchyshyn

Laura Michalchyshyn is responsible for all aspects of the creative and business strategy for Planet Green, Discovery Communications’ multi-platform businesses including the 24-hour television network. As chief editorial executive, she manages the overall direction of the network, including programming, operations and content development, as well as interfacing with ad sales and affiliate sales to further develop the brand and its appeal to advertisers, operators and viewers.

Prior to Discovery, Michalchyshyn served as executive vice president and general manager of Sundance Channel where she was responsible for day-to-day operations, including program development, creative strategy scheduling and marketing both on- and off-channel. Since joining Sundance Channel in 1995, Michalchyshyn doubled original programming hours and tripled the number of programming hours on the network overall. Under her leadership Sundance Channel was the largest aggregator of independent films on television acquiring as many as 250 films in a given year.

During her tenure at Sundance Channel, Michalchyshyn supervised the transition of the channel to an on-air sponsorship model, increased website traffic three times over, and supervised the production of original programs such as “Big Ideas for a Small Planet,” “Iconoclasts,” “Nimrod Nation,” “Sin City Law,” “Live from Abbey Road,” “Architecture School” and “Spectacle: Elvis Costello with…,” as well as numerous documentary features. Michalchyshyn was responsible for the acquisition of television series including “Slings & Arrows,” “City of Men” “Signé Chanel,” “Kath & Kim,” and “Terminal City” and films such as Body of War, Lagerfeld Confidential, Crazy Love, Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton. Under her direction the network also launched new destinations such as Asia Extreme, Hangover Theater, Sonic Screen and The Green.

Prior to Sundance Channel, Michalchyshyn served for more than seven years as senior vice president of dramatic programming for Alliance Atlantis, where she achieved international recognition and acclaim for her programming and film production contributions. Her responsibilities included all programming at Showcase Television, a Canadian dramatic cable channel that broadcasts dramatic series, mini-series, television movies and feature films, as well as leading the launch of three Canadian digital specialty channels including Showcase Action, Showcase Diva and IFC Canada. At Showcase, Michalchyshyn developed and commissioned “Trailer Park Boys,” which has sold to more than 15 countries including the UK via BBC America.

In 1995, Michalchyshyn was part of the management team that launched the first Canadian women’s cable channel, WTN, where she worked as program manager responsible for scheduling and acquiring movies, series and documentaries. For three years at WTN she also produced an ongoing half hour short film series which launched the careers of many emerging Canadian filmmakers.

Michalchyshyn has also worked as a programmer, broadcast executive, mentor, marketing and development consultant and industry advisor for numerous organizations such as the Toronto International Film Festival, Norman Jewison’s Canadian Film Centre, National Film Board of Canada, Telefilm Canada, Cinematheque Ontario, Canadian Women In Communications, Ontario Media Development Corporation, Women In Film and Television (WIFT), the Winnipeg Film Group, Harbourfront Centre, York University, City of Toronto Arts and Cultural Advisory Council, and the National Screen Institute Canada. She created and managed the first Revisions Film and Video Festival for Women in Winnipeg and produced the award-winning and internationally distributed one-hour documentary Guy Maddin: Waiting For Twilight and feature film Hey, Happy! Michalchyshyn is a member of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, is on the Advisory Committee for Hot Docs, and most recently joined the board of Ensemble Studio Theater Inc. in New York.

Michalchyshyn has received many awards and accolades during her career in programming, including: 2007 Cable World Top 100 Women’s Power list, WIFT’s Excellence in Mentoring and Professional Development, Best Documentary by Hot Docs and Blizzard Awards, E.M.A Awards (“Big Ideas for a Small Planet”), 2006 Multichannel News Woman to Watch, 2006 GLAAD Media Award for outstanding documentary (“TransGeneration”), Best New Canadian Film (Inside Out), 2003 and 2004 Showcase-Best Specialty Cable Channel (Eye and X-tra).