Toronto JUNE-JULY 17-32_Layout 1 13-05-23 1:15 PM Page 31
FUTURE LEADER
Cristina Tenaglia By Vanessa Santilli
my professional career, it was a good lesson that if I wanted a job, if I wanted an internship, if I wanted to make it to this level, I was going to have to make a lot of sacrifices and work for it,” says Tenaglia, a remote host for CP24, where she works as a field reporter covering breaking news. The daughter of Italian immigrants – her mother is from the town of Scafa in the Abruzzo region and her father is from the northern region of Trentino-Alto Adige – Tenaglia grew up in the city of Vaughan. With hopes of being a reporter, she moved to Toronto to attend the Radio and Television Arts program at Ryerson University. Before joining CP24 in July 2012, Tenaglia had worked as a reporter, videographer and anchor for CHCH News in Hamilton as well as an associate producer and researcher for the Gemini-nominated series Silverman Helps, which aired on Citytv. “When you know you have to work hard to get somewhere, it makes you a better reporter because you're not going to give up, you're going to ask tougher questions, you're going to be driven and you're going to be relentless,” adds Tenaglia, now in her late 20s. On a daily basis, she's out in the field covering news as it happens – anything from crime to sports to a day at the CNE, she says. Recently Toronto Mayor Rob Ford took notice of her busy schedule. “He came up to me and said, ‘I see you on TV all the time, everywhere. You work too hard.’” In her journalistic work, she says she has a deeper understanding of covering various communities as both her parents and grandparents were newcomers to Canada. During her work on Silverman Helps, she recalls receiving numerous calls – often from immigrants or elderly people who couldn't speak English very well – because they were being ripped off or taken advantage of. “I'm able to relate to different different people because you understand that your parents and grandparents had to struggle in a way that some people
“In
Italo, Ester & Eligio Paris
To inspire, support and delight our customers when expressing life’s most important sentiments.
didn't have to,” says Tenaglia. “I think that's true of a lot of children of immigrants.” Throughout the many stories she's covered to date, the overarching theme of loss has made the biggest impact on her. “Sometimes, weekly even, I'll speak to families that suffer loss: the loss of a home or a pet due to a fire and – the most difficult – the loss of a child due to tragedy. I'm always amazed at the strength of these families and their resilience.” She recalls covering a fire and standing next to the homeowner who was watching his house engulfed in flames. “He said to me, 'I'm not worried. My home can be replaced. My family is fine and that's all that matters.' I'll never forget it.” As a result of her hard work over the years, in 2011, Tenaglia was the recipient of the RadioTelevision News Directors Association Canada President’s Fellowship. Her prize included attending the acclaimed Poynter Institute for Journalism in St. Petersburg, Florida, to further her training in broadcasting. But amidst the busyness of her work in breaking news, she spends lot of time with students hoping to pursue journalism; both speaking via telephone and meeting up in person. “I find when I chat with people who want to get into the business, a lot of times it's giving them as a younger person more confidence to achieve whatever it is they want to do.” Tenaglia feels this mentorship is important because it's a tough business to get into and she's aware that parents are often wary of their children entering such a challenging field. “I always tell younger people that I speak to – my parents said the same thing – and frankly, I didn't listen. You've got to do your own thing.” For Tenaglia, though, one of the best parts of the job is being able to meet people she wouldn't otherwise have access to, such as politicians or interviewing lawyers during court cases. “It's a great responsibility and a great privilege.”
Photo by Gregory Varano
Cristina Tenaglia's Italian upbringing instilled in her the importance of hard work.
Birthdays and Anniversaries Get Well and Condolences Weddings and Special Events Corporate Specialists and Certified Event Planners
Official Retail Distributor for PANORAM ITALIA Magazine
130 Westmore Dr Ste 16 & 17 Toronto ON
4585 Hwy. 7 Woodbridge ON
416-745-7045 www.italflorist.com PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M
31