Cheryl McKenzie facts for kids

Cheryl McKenzie is a Canadian broadcast journalist. She is the Director of News and Current Affairs for APTN National News. Cheryl is from the Anishinabek and Cree peoples. She is well-known for hosting the APTN's news show, APTN National News, and the talk show, InFocus.

Early Life and Education

Cheryl McKenzie's parents are survivors of the Canadian Indian residential school system. They come from the Hollow Water and Peguis First Nations in Manitoba.

Cheryl grew up in Winnipeg, but she often visited her family on their home reserves. Her first job was as a chef. She worked in a top restaurant in Winnipeg when she was just 19. This job had a very tough schedule. It became hard to manage after she became a single mother. So, Cheryl decided to go back to school. She enrolled at the University of Winnipeg.

McKenzie first studied political science. However, she felt that the courses did not include enough about Indigenous peoples. She then changed her major. In 1998, she graduated with a degree in Philosophy.

Cheryl McKenzie's Career in Journalism

Starting at CBC Radio

In 2000, Cheryl had a short internship at CBC Radio in Winnipeg. An internship is like a temporary training job. This internship lasted for 10 months until its funding ended. Also, her bosses at CBC told her they did not think she would be a good journalist. But Cheryl did not give up!

Joining APTN

In 2001, Cheryl McKenzie got a job as a reporter at the Aboriginal People's Television Network (APTN). She worked on a weekly news show called InVision. This show was later renamed APTN National News in 2003.

In 2004, McKenzie was nominated for awards. These nominations were at the Geminis and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. She earned them for a special series of reports. These reports looked into the lives of First Nations people. They had become sick, and some even died, from asbestos. This happened after their homes were made unsafe by a government department.

Hosting APTN Daytime

In July 2005, Cheryl McKenzie was promoted. She became a Host and Producer for a new show. This show was called APTN National News: Daytime. It was a second national news program that lasted half an hour.

Hosting APTN Contact

In 2007, McKenzie took on a new role. She became the host and producer of Contact. This was a national call-in show on APTN. Viewers could call in and share their thoughts.

Leading APTN National News and InFocus

In 2009, a new talk show replaced Contact. It was called APTN InFocus. Cheryl McKenzie was the main host and producer for this show.

In 2012, McKenzie returned to the news desk. She became a co-anchor for APTN National News with Michael Hutchison. An anchor is someone who presents the news.

In the fall of 2014, InFocus became a half-hour show again.

In 2016, APTN InFocus changed its format once more. It became a one-hour show. It was interactive, like Contact, but it focused more on social media. The very first episode of this new format aired on June 3, 2016. It featured Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a guest. This was a big moment! It was the first time a sitting Prime Minister had a sit-down interview with an Indigenous media organization. Trudeau answered questions from viewers through phone calls and Twitter for an hour. Today, the show usually has three guest experts. Viewers can join the conversation using their phones, Twitter, or Facebook.

Becoming an Executive Director

On July 22, 2019, Cheryl McKenzie received another big promotion. She became the Executive Director of News and Current Affairs. This means she now leads all the news and current events programs at APTN. She took over this role from Karyn Pugliese.