Michaela Washburn hails from Alberta and is a proud Métis artist of Cree, French, Irish, and English ancestry. Now based in North Bay, Ontario, she feels blessed to be grounded in ceremony and community-based arts in her work with Aanmitaagzi and Big Medicine Studio. An award-winning actor and writer, Washburn also has multiple award nominations, including the 2023 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize, the Ontario Arts Council Indigenous Arts Award (2021 and 2018), and the K.M. Hunter Artist Award for Theatre (2011). A published poet, Michaela’s performance and written work has been shared internationally at festivals and theatres in Wales, Aruba, and across Canada and the United States. Her practice spans theatre, film, television, writing, spoken word, clown, improvisation, hosting, workshop facilitation, and stand-up. Michaela is honoured to be continuing to serve as an Associate Artist with the Stratford Festival.