Fiona Smith, M.Ed., is a mixed-race settler; a Roma/Traveller from the UK, who wears many hats. She has lived on 3 continents and is an immigrant. A queer, neurodivergent, professional writer and artist, Fiona is sessional faculty at the University of Winnipeg (PACE), where she has been an instructor for the past 5 years. Instructing K-12 and adults, in person and online, on two continents, for over 20 years, Fiona is now a dedicated virtual instructor. She is passionate about supporting education assistant students, through accessible, dynamic & engaging online learning. A graduate of Athabasca University (Master’s of Education) and the University of Manitoba (B.A. Advanced: English/Theatre/Film), Fiona is first-in-family to complete post-secondary schooling. In 2022, she was awarded “Manitoba’s Volunteer of the Year” for teaching English as an Additional Language to newcomers to Manitoba. Complementing her work at U. of W., Fiona works part-time at Heartwood Healing Centre, as a tele-health trauma therapist, servicing adults who have experienced childhood sexual violence. She is also in private practice. Recently invited to join the United Way’s Speaker’s Bureau, with impact and engagement, she is readying to share her resilience story as a survivor of gendered violence and the justice system. Fiona makes art, writes poetry, plays, pantomimes, and has a podcast in the works. In 2024, for another season, Fiona is a lead playwright for Sick & Twisted Theatre’s annual holiday Pantomime at Prairie Theatre Exchange (PTE). Fiona has been a disability and human rights advocate for the past 15+ years. She recently retired from this (mostly) pro bono work. This bio would not be complete without full disclosure that Fiona is a shameless Trekkie (with children named after Star Trek characters). She also enjoys forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku), being a spectator of Film Noir, well-written romantic movies (ie, Casablanca; Breakfast At Tiffany’s), dance movies (ie, Singing In The Rain; Flashdance; Cabaret or anything Bob Fosse; too many Bollywood titles to list here...), Yoga, meditation, journalling, Formula 1 car racing, GP Sailing, and Sumo wrestling.