For Joss Richard, storytelling has always been the goal. What started as a passion for television and pop culture grew into a dynamic career in media and, most recently, a nationally-recognized debut novel. A graduate of the Broadcast – Film, Television, Digital Media and Radio program at Centennial College, Joss has built a career across major entertainment brands. She has been a producer at The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Red Table Talk and has been formally recognized with a Daytime Emmy Award. She worked as an Editorial Director at companies such as Hello Sunshine, Paramount, Netflix, and The Walt Disney Company. That first-time novel, It’s Different This Time, was recently selected as a finalist on Canada Reads, a milestone that highlights how the practical skills and creative confidence she developed at Centennial College continue to shape her path.
Choosing a Program That Felt Right
From the start, Joss’s goal was to work in entertainment.
"I always knew that I wanted to work in television," she says. "Growing up, I looked at entertainment news as the North Star. I knew I wanted to work with pop culture and entertainment, whether it was film, TV, celebrities." As someone born and raised in Toronto, she started to look for programs that would let her stay local while building industry-ready skills.
"I was looking at different programs in Toronto, because that's where I was born and raised, and I knew I wanted to stay in Toronto for my college experience," she says. When she discovered Centennial’s broadcasting program, it stood out immediately, not just for what she would learn, but how she would learn it.
"I just remember the program really speaking to me, what it offered," she says. "And then I remember having to submit a creative video as a part of the application. I had so much fun with that. Even during the application process, I was thinking, this is definitely what I want to be doing."
Learning by Doing, Every Step of the Way
A defining part of Joss’s experience was Centennial College’s emphasis on experiential learning, building real skills through real projects.
"I remember it being incredibly hands on, and that’s something I loved about Centennial," she says. "When I was there, we did everything from working in groups for short films, working with cameras, learning how they work, even rolling cables, and editing."
From learning technical fundamentals to collaborating on productions, she says the program mirrors the realities of the industry.
"Things like that were super, super helpful, especially when I went into producing," she explains. "There was a lot of social content that I would produce, and it put me ahead of other people who didn't know how to edit, even though I didn't want to be an editor. Just having those skills and having that experience made me much more valuable, because it made people go, if Joss knows how to shoot with a camera and also edit it, then let's put her on this."
"In terms of assignments, the one that stands out the most was the end of the year short films," she says. "That that was really the opportunity to be hands on, to prove that I could produce something, to be accountable for other people, to have a deadline that felt real." Those experiences continue to shape how she works today.
"I still use the editing programs that they taught us to this day," she says. "I have a podcast, and I edit everything on Premiere. Everyone's like, oh, you should just use this instead, but I'm thinking, no, this is how I grew up." She says developing both creative and technical skills gives her an advantage early in her career.
Turning Classroom Experience into Career Opportunities
It was during a short film assignment, one of many opportunities to take on real production roles, that Joss realized producing was the right fit.
"When I was at Centennial, I felt like being a producer made the most sense," she says. "That’s where I found out I like playing a producer role. I like spearheading this."
Luckily, Centennial’s program structure, including a field placement, helped Joss make a direct transition into the industry.
"My program was for three years, and for the last semester, we needed to go to an internship," she says. "I interned at Etalk, which was at Bell Media, and I immediately got hired from that internship."
Her career continues to grow across major media organizations.
"I worked as a junior producer at Etalk," she says. "From there, I went to work on the entertainment side at Breakfast Television at CityNews. And then from there, I went to Netflix in Los Angeles, then The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where I was a producer, and since then, it's just kept going."
Looking back, she sees how the program prepares her to adapt to different roles and fast-changing platforms.
"There's so many things that a producer can do," she says. "I went from writing scripts on Etalk, to interviewing celebrities, to editing spots, and that's just for broadcast television. When I went over to the Ellen DeGeneres show, it was all of that, but for digital and social."
As the industry evolves, she’s moved into emerging areas like social media leadership, something she says her broad skillset prepared her for.
"From producing, I went on to being a social director," she says. "Over the span of 10 years, it quickly turned into, hey, if you can produce for TV, we want you to produce for social, because that's how everyone is consuming content. I ultimately had the same job, but the platform just changed."
"I think if you look at my experience, there is a through line," she says. "It all goes back to all the hats that I had to wear at Centennial.”
Taking the Leap into Writing
While her television career is thriving, Joss felt ready to explore another creative path.
"I'm a reader first," she says. "I just learned in my journey as I got older that it was something I wanted to pursue." Along with this, she encourages students to stay open to new directions and to see their skills as transferable.
"Something that is important to say to those in college is that it is always okay to pivot," she says. "For me, writing a novel, it just felt like it was time."
Drawing on her industry experience helps bring authenticity to the story of It’s Different this Time, which concerns an actress with a cancelled television show moving back to New York after her and her former roommate mysteriously inherit a million-dollar property.
"This is the first novel I ever wrote," she explains, "so what helped me was taking things from my life that I already knew. So, while the main character, June, is not a TV producer, she's an actor. I felt like I could take that world of Hollywood and working in film and TV and put that in this book, just because I'm so familiar with it. It could be very colorful, and I could make it feel very real."
"If you are writing a novel, especially for the first time, it does help to write about what you know," she adds. "Using my experience, and sprinkling it in throughout the book was definitely helpful."
A National Spotlight
Having her debut novel recognized on a national stage is especially meaningful to Joss.
"It’s the second romance novel in 25 years to make the shortlist in Canada Reads, which I think is really amazing, and such an honor," she says. "There is this stigma with romance novels, where they aren’t considered valuable literature. So, it’s very important, and I'm very proud that I made it."
"I really don't have another word other than honored," she adds.
Advice for Future Creators
Joss emphasizes that relationships and persistence are essential in creative industries like hers.
"Network, network, network," she says. "I think networking, especially in this industry, is so important." And with that comes a need for kindness.
"Treat everyone equally," she says. "An intern can one day be your boss, so treat everybody with respect. People will remember that, and will reach out to you years later, because that's how this industry works."
For aspiring writers and creators, she encourages focusing on progress over perfection.
"Just write the messy first draft," she says. "Whatever you write first will not be perfect. Everything takes many, many drafts, many versions, many edits. So just get it on the page, just get it on the screen, have something to work with, and then celebrate that."
For prospective students interested in media, storytelling, or digital content, Centennial’s Broadcast – Film, Television, Digital Media and Radio program offers the chance to gain real-world experience, develop versatile skills, and explore where your creativity can take you. Whether your goal is to work in television, create digital content, or tell stories of your own, Joss’s path shows what’s possible when you start with a strong foundation.
Meanwhile, if you want to hear of her story, Joss Richards will return to Centennial College’s Story Arts Centre campus on Tuesday, March 17, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the Story Arts Centre Library for a special talk, where she’ll share insights from her television production career, and her journey as an author.
By: Anthony Geremia