Ana Serrano

Ana Serrano, who assumed the role of President and Vice-Chancellor of OCAD Univeristy on July 1, 2020, is an award-winning visionary leader with more than 25 years of experience in transforming organizations, creating award-winning digital products and cultural experiences, and designing cutting-edge programs to strengthen cultural and creative sectors and industries.

President Serrano believes in facilitating and nurturing the growth and success of the next generation of arts and culture leaders as they tackle some of the most complex challenges of our time. As a creative and innovator producer of more than 140 digital projects, President Serrano has produced some of Canada’s critically acclaimed works in digital media, including the award-winning Body/Mind/Change starring David Cronenberg, the first transmedia experience that integrated interactive storytelling, 3D printing and virtual reality, and the award-winning transmedia experience, Prison Dancer: The Musical that won five major Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards in June 2023.

The recipient of numerous awards from the digital, media, film and theatre industries in both Canada and United States, President Serrano received the Insignia of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the Government of France in 2018. 

She is also the recipient of the 2021 Crystal Award for Digital Trailblazer Award from the Women in Film & Television Toronto, the 2015 Digital Media Trailblazer Award from the Academy of Canadian Film & Television and won the 2012 Best Canadian Feature Film Award from the International Reel Asian Film Festival for Prison Dancer: The Musical.

Before joining OCAD University, President Serrano was the Chief Digital Officer of the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) and founder of the world-renowned and award-winning CFC Media Lab. At the CFC, she launched several unique and cutting-edge Canadian start-up accelerators, including IDEABOOST, Canada’s first digital entertainment accelerator, with founding partners Corus Entertainment, Google and Shaw Media.

An engaged and active volunteer, Serrano is co-chair of the Open Democracy Project, a former trustee of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and is a member of various boards, including the National Film Board, Toronto Arts Council and Atkinson Foundation.