Speakers

BIO

Award winning Guyanese-Canadian actress on the big and small screen, Melinda Shankar started her full time career in Show Business back in 2008. Best known for her portrayal of Alli Bhandari on the international hit series Degrassi, for eight seasons and starring role as Indie Mehta in the YTV sitcom How to be Indie, Melinda was nominated for a Gemini award and won a Canadian Screen Award for best Children’s program in 2013.

Melinda received another Best Actress win for the role of Reshma in the Festival of Lights at the Ibiza Film Festival shot in Guyana and in NYC.

As well rounded athlete, Melinda has studied martial arts and classical ballet since the age of three. She holds a black belt in competitive Karate specializing in kata, fighting, stunts and weaponry in addition to years of competitive Hip hop and Pointe dance.

While growing up in the public eye alternating between filming Degrassi and How to be Indie, the French speaking Ottawa native also juggled other productions such as Disney’s remake of Harriet the Spy, Alive, Trigger, Bookaboo, Excuses inc, and most recently, Melinda finished two films (Filth City & Darker than Night) set to release in 2017.

A big believer in giving back, Melinda has worked with Free The Children in Ecuador, Ghana and Haiti as well as hosted their recent “We Day” youth event in Seattle with over 20,000 guests.
Shankar is the founder of the Miss Conception Society– promoting “The Art of You!” Self-confidence through self-development youth programs est. in 2013. The Miss C recipe is perseverance, passion and a plan.

PHOTO CREDIT