Anastasia Dextrene’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

We recently had the chance to connect with Anastasia Dextrene and have shared our conversation below.

Anastasia, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
In 2025, I was humbled to win my first two Telly Awards. While I’ve never been one to chase awards, the achievement marks a proud moment in my journalism career. What makes the recognition especially meaningful is that the winning features shone a light on members of my community who are facing BIPOC issues. To see the stories of a biracial woman navigating Parkinson’s disease, and the story of a Black woman offering solutions to seasonal depression celebrated on an international stage, reinforces the importance of inclusive media representation. It makes me proud to know that my Carribbean heritage and storytelling can help bring visibility.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a media and entertainment multi-hyphenate from Canada. My career has spanned my home country and the United States, though I am best known as a journalist and personality on CTV. My creative and editorial skills have led me from print editing and producing at The Los Angeles Times, to writing, shooting, reporting and presenting on air nationally at CityNews and CTV Montreal. As a performer, I have also appeared in commercials, on television shows and in films on various networks including Nickelodeon, Paramount+, Lifetime, ABC, CBC, CBS and FOX.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
As a child, I was always reserved. Those who know me now know that hasn’t changed. Creative outlets were always my tool for communicating, whether through singing, acting, dancing, writing, editing, or other forms of storytelling. I am grateful to have had parents who never shunned me for following a creative career path. I am equally thankful to have found my footing in performance and broadcast journalism – where I can apply and indulge in every aspect of my creative self everyday.

When did you last change your mind about something important?
My decision not to go to law school after getting in remains the most pivotal career move I have made to this day. It is ultimately that decision that positioned me for the career success I have now. My parents’ careers as doctors and our Carribbean heritage made it such that doctor and lawyer long seemed like the natural career options. But at 21, I turned down law school to pursue a professional conservatory program and felt right at home. I did a MFA at NYU Tisch, then a MS in journalism at Columbia University and the rest is history.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The idea that objectivity is possible is one of the industry’s greatest myths. Every story is filtered through human perspective—shaped by the journalist’s background, editorial preferences, and the power structures that decide which stories are and aren’t told. Even choices around language, images and headlines suggest values. I believe that the most responsible storytelling embraces transparency, acknowledges context, questions motive and strives for fairness.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace at home in the quiet after-moments of tying up a story or a show. It’s when the cameras stop rolling and I take a moment to process that I’m living out my dreams, and that my work has made someone feel seen – or even inspired. That’s when the noise falls away and what remains is the truth of why I do my work. Peace, for me, lives in that blend of presence and purpose.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Credit for white dress: CTV News Montreal
Credit other photos: Maison du Baroque

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