Founders, Executive Directors & Board Leaders:

"At the end of 2020, Shivani approached me, and others, with the idea of creating Alberta’s first non-profit collective specifically for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, working in film, television, media and the arts. The idea was absolutely trailblazing and immediately resonated with every fiber of my being; as visible minorities in Alberta’s screen-based industries over the past 3 decades, there has never been such an organization and resource dedicated to the unique needs and interests of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour. Shivani is truly the architect of Creatives Empowered (CE), and the design of this groundbreaking organization has become, and continues to be, a living model of social innovation. Her extensive experience as an award-winning producer, consultant, strategist and skillful communicator informed the creation of CE, and the empowered manner in which it serves its membership. In 2021, Shivani was recognized with a Reelworld Trailblazer Award, for her contribution as an innovator and change-maker in Canada’s entertainment industry."

"We had the opportunity to hire Shivani as our consultant to sharpen our messaging and help us with our sponsorship packages. She was amazing. She did great research for us and delivered in a timely manner. She brings that perfect balance of her creativity and her business acumen. She knows the Canadian entertainment industry inside out and that knowledge was invaluable to us. Using the sponsorship decks she created for us we were able to increase our sponsorship dollars 35%, and that was during COVID! Atelier Culturati is the best investment we could have made. We will definitely be working with her again in the future."

"The Documentary Organization of Canada worked with Shivani Saini to develop a three-year Strategic Plan infused with equity, diversity and inclusion. Shivani did an exceptional job moderating our discussions and condensing all our collective ideas into a clear, action-oriented Strategic Plan. By providing DOC with actionable items within each of our stated Goals, the Plan sets DOC up for successfully fulfilling our mandate by laying out a clear path for how each Goal can be achieved. As Executive Director of DOC, I find the Strategic Plan to be an incredibly useful guide for my advocacy work, programs, projects and collaborations over the next three years."

"In 2022 the Racial Equity Screen Office engaged Shivani Saini to work with our young organization in developing our first strategic plan. Shivani, through her experience, met us where we were in adapting her methodology and process to work with our national board located across various regions in Canada, and our differing experiences in developing a strategic plan. She excelled at facilitating and leading discussions as needed, along with the collating of our ideas and thoughts through different reviews to create a final document that synthesized our aspirations into clear goals - which can easily be achieved through our work in the coming years.  This document provides RESO with the road map for its work going forward, and as it continues to grow.  Considering our organization is focused on racial equity, it was additionally beneficial to have someone who has this focus as core to their work when designing our strategic plan."

"A huge thanks to Shivani for the terrific job she did in facilitating our virtual strategic planning sessions for AMPIA. They were positive and productive. She kept us on course, while also giving everyone a chance to express themselves. It also provided an opportunity for Board members to share in a way that might not have happened, if we would have been together in actual physical board meetings. Thank you for bringing us together in such a unifying way."

"The Alberta Media Arts Alliance Society hired Shivani Saini and Atelier Culturati for our Strategic Planning in May of 2020, and although restricted to online meetings during COVID-19, her exceptional organizational skills ensured the process was manageable and productive. Her online facilitation capabilities provided context and inclusion for everyone to contribute. It was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with Shivani on this important governance work. She is a thorough and clear communicator and we now have a comprehensive and accessible strategic plan for our next three years. I hope to work with Shivani again in the future."

"Shivani was an outstanding producer to work with! Her abilities to tackle any complication with thoughtfulness, grace and understanding were critical to completing the Royal Alberta Museum project. She is an invaluable asset to have on your team, and I was lucky to work with her."

"Shivani is a skilled Producer who empowers creative talent to tell challenging stories with insight and vision. As Producer and Project Manager of Aboriginal Media for the Royal Alberta Museum, her flexible process, commitment to collaboration and timely communication kept the work moving at pace through every production challenge. She is an asset to any team."

"Shivani was the Producer & Project Manager for WorldViews 360: What Makes Us Strong, an immersive 360 degree film installed at the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton. She worked closely with our team at Victory Social Club in Toronto making sure all the lines of communication were open and available with the various team members including the executive producers and directors, to those involved with more technical aspects of the project. Her professionalism, positivity and drive were a key part of the success of it all."

"Azimuth Theatre’s staff and its board of directors had the pleasure of working with Shivani and Atelier Culturati as the facilitator for our Strategic Planning work in 2019 / 2020, resulting in the assembly of a 5-year Strategic Plan. Shivani’s vast skill set as a producer, a facilitator, and Atelier Culturati’s focus on projects that elevate the social conscious made her the perfect fit with Azimuth’s social mandate. She is organized, driven, flexible, and is able to offer detailed observations and suggestions that make each project she undertakes unique and specific to her clients’ needs. We look forward to the next opportunity to work with Shivani and would recommend Atelier Culturati to any organization looking to deepen their community outreach, and to think outside the box in their public relations and engagement."

"Shivani brilliantly balances an ability to lead with that of being a part of the team. Her work on our Chinook Series was outstanding and always professional. Our event is extremely challenging as it combines numerous programming streams that all have their own expectations which then need to be communicated out to the public in a cohesive and united way. The execution of this was exemplary."

"Atelier Culturati engages outreach with an aesthetic that invites audiences to be part of the conversation. Akpik Theatre first worked with Shivani on the workshop production of Pawakân Macbeth. Atelier Culturati documented the creative process as well as promotion. The media we received filled our theatre for its entire run. We are continuing our work with Atelier Culturati as we move forward with the tour in 2020."

"Shivani cultivated relationships that garnered an award and gave us presence in the conversation at the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest arts market in the world. We couldn't have been successful without her skill and tirelessness."

"Shivani is a team leader and player, an initiator, and is skilled at seeing a project through to its completion. She has a precise eye for detail, and is an absolute joy to work with. Because of Shivani, the projects we have done together shine. She gets the job done like no other!"

"Shivani is trustworthy, reliable, creative and professional, and with her extensive network and background as a producer and consultant, she has lent tremendous capacity to what we do. She’s able to grasp our vision and guide us in ways to achieve it, and her records and reports make my reporting so much easier. I like working with her year after year because she also helps us see and measure our growth and impact. As our organization evolves, we look forward to working with Atelier Culturati."

“Shivani has an unwavering commitment to excellence in every project she takes on. She is dedicated, organized and challenges each team she works with to strive for their best.”