Ryerson School of Journalism
Rene St. Gelais is a hockey mom. With her three kids in hockey, she spends most of her nights and weekends at the rink. But, this isn't unusual in the town of Stouffville, Ontario. Hockey is a lifestyle for most families in this town.
Nicole created this documentary alongside four of her classmates as part of the TV documentary course at Ryerson University. Nicole reported, wrote the script, conducted the interviews and helped shoot the video (premiered on November 27, 2018).
About
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Nicole Di Donato is a digital broadcast journalist at Global Toronto.
Growing up, Nicole never shied away from the camera or from an opportunity to ask questions. It's that curiosity that led her to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. Her favourite part of the job is connecting with people in her home community, telling their stories and learning new things.
Throughout her time at Global Toronto, Nicole has reported on a wide range of stories, including a massive house fire in Brampton, Ontario that left four people dead and a community shaken. With a desperate search underway for survivors, her live and packaged stories delivered heartbreaking news with compassion and editorial precision.
She also provided extensive coverage of the Toronto Blue Jays' historic 2025 World Series run for Global Toronto, Global National and affiliate stations across the country. Nicole had the opportunity to interview key players during their champagne-soaked celebrations after winning the American League Championship Series. She also had the difficult task of interviewing players in the clubhouse after their devastating Game 7 World Series loss.
Prior to moving back to the Greater Toronto Area, Nicole was the 11 p.m. anchor and a general assignment reporter for Global Edmonton. She played a crucial role in the station’s coverage of the 2024 Jasper wildfires. Nicole delivered major developments live from the anchor desk — starting with the evacuation order to confirming which properties were destroyed on the night the flames reached the town.
Nicole also covered the Edmonton Oilers’ 2024 and 2025 playoff runs that saw the team go to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. She anchored and reported live from Oilers watch parties, providing real-time fan reaction.
Previously, Nicole held various reporter and anchor roles at CTV News stations in Calgary, Saskatoon and Sault Ste. Marie. She also worked as a floor director for CHIN TV’s two-hour live Italian variety show in Toronto.
Born and raised in Mississauga, Ont., Nicole graduated from Ryerson University (now known as Toronto Metropolitan University) with a Bachelor of Journalism and a minor in public relations. She also completed an eight-week intensive filmmaking workshop at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, California. She directed, wrote, cast and shot her own original films.
When she’s not working, Nicole enjoys spending time with family and friends, travelling and drinking lots of cappuccinos.