Nana aba Duncan’s ability to open doors and propel positive change has been recognized in Canada and internationally. An award-winning journalist, media executive and journalism professor, her motivation has always been to enrich Canadian media by empowering diverse perspectives.
In 2021, Nana aba was appointed the Carty Chair of Journalism, Diversity and Inclusion Studies at the School of Journalism and Communications at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, where she teaches courses on journalism and belonging, podcasting, and the basics of reporting. She was cross-appointed to the Institute of African Studies in 2023. Her mandate is to reshape the fundamentals of journalism training to inspire more empathetic and inclusive coverage and to create more equitable and ethical newsrooms.
Nana aba is also the executive director of Media Girlfriends, a podcast production company led by journalists of colour which she cofounded with Garvia Bailey and Hannah Sung. Media Girlfriends production debuted with Strong and Free/Fort et Libre, a Black history podcast and video series which won several awards, including the Black Podcasting Awards, the RTDNA Canada Awards, the Digital Publishing Award and the Canadian Online Publishing Awards. Other Media Girlfriends podcasts include Signal for Help, a podcast about gender-based violence hosted by Nana aba, Humans of the House, Between Us with Wes Hall and At The End of The Day, hosted by cofounder Hannah Sung.
Ghanaian-born and Canadian-raised, Nana aba realized the power of stories—and who gets to tell them—while completing her Masters of Journalism at Western University. After graduation, she returned to her birthplace to report for the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, and later became country director for Journalists for Human Rights. She joined CBC Radio in Toronto in 2010, working as a producer. As host of the weekend morning show Fresh Air, she used her position to amplify the experiences, successes and challenges of underrepresented communities. She was a founder and co-chair of DiversifyCBC, a resource group for more than 300 CBC employees of colour.
Nana aba’s research interests lie at the intersection of journalism, race and leadership. She is currently leading the development of the Mary Ann Shadd Cary Centre for Journalism and Belonging to advocate, support and participate in inclusive and belonging-focused journalism in Canada through research, education, community-building and media production.
A recent transplant to Ottawa from Toronto, Nana aba is always on the lookout for the best local African restaurants—and in the #jollofwars, she will always vote for Ghana.
BOARDS
J-SOURCE
Editorial Board Member
ACADEMIC MATTERS
Editorial Advisory Board Member
MEDIA SMARTS
Board Member
Previously
THE OPED PROJECT
Mentor-Editor
CANADIAN JOURNALISTS FOR FREE EXPRESSION
Board Member