Native Women in the Arts.

Founder and Artistic Producer

As the Founder and Artistic Producer of Native Women in the Arts, Sandra Laronde is also an actress, dancer, writer, producer and Artistic Director of Red Sky. In 2006, Sandra was awarded the Ontario Good Citizenship Medal that pays special tribute to those Ontarians whose lives exemplify excellence and achievement in the finest order. In addition, she was nominated for the 2006 K.M. Hunter Artists Award in Theatre and was a recipient of the 2006 Paul D. Fleck Fellowship in the Arts from the Banff Centre for the Arts. In 2004, Sandra was one of 225 Canadians chosen to participate in the Governor-General's Canadian Leadership program that celebrates tomorrow's leaders making a significant impact on Canada. In the same year, Sandra was also the recipient of Toronto City Council's 2004 Aboriginal Affairs Award for her contribution towards improving the quality of life for the Aboriginal community of Toronto. She is also listed in the Canadian Who's Who which features notable living Canadians. Sandra hails from the Teme-Augama-Anishnaabe (People of the Deep Water) in Temagami, northern Ontario and resides in Toronto.

Sandra has been a leader in creating innovative links with Aboriginal, culturally diverse and mainstream communities. In 1993, she founded Canada's only organization for First Nations, Inuit and Metis women artists, Native Women in the Arts, and has played a significant role in fostering the careers of hundreds of Aboriginal women artists. From 1993 - 2005, she has helped to produce an immense ripple effect of artistic growth, confidence building and proliferation of performing, literary, visual and community development projects through Native Women in the Arts.

Recently, Sandra was a Guest Lecturer at Ryerson University, University of Toronto, York University, University of New Mexico, and the National Theatre School. She was one of 500 artists invited to meet HRH Prince Charles on his latest Royal Visit; serve as a spokesperson for the International Olympic Committee for Toronto‚s Olympic Bid; invited to join Team Canada's trade mission, led by Prime Minister Jean Chretien, to Russia and Germany; contribute to a national consultation with Aboriginal leaders in the area of education, training and employment at the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation; attend the World Indigenous Media Arts Festival to meet with the New Zealand High Commissioner to Canada; speak and moderate a panel at the 2002 National Gathering of Aboriginal Artistic Expression for the Department of Canadian Heritage; guest speaker at "Perspectives on Innovative Management Practices" to the Board, Officers and Staff at the Canada Council for the Arts in September 2003. Sandra has served on numerous arts juries including Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, Dora Awards, assisted in the design and launch of the First Peoples Dance and Music Program at Canada Council, and served on the Board at the Toronto Arts Council for six consecutive years.

Sandra recently performed in Caribou Song with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Roy Thomson Hall, and in the touring chamber version in Switzerland, Winnipeg, Yukon, San Diego, Toronto, Ottawa and at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C; The Rez Sisters at Winnipeg's Prairie Theatre Exchange; as Molly Brant in Chiefs on the History Channel; Dancing Americas at the National Arts Centre; as Andrea Palmer in The Poet, as Ariel in The Tempest at Lorraine Kisma Young Peoples Theatre; Red Sky's Dancing Americas at National Theatre Centre in Ottawa; Rescue Heroes for Nelvana Entertainment, and recently narrated both Veronica Tennant's Northern Light: Vision & Dreams for CBC's Opening Night, and Andrew Gregg's Locked Horns for CBC's Witness. She has worked on numerous projects in Canada, United States, Cuba, Mexico, Norway, Australia, Switzerland, Iceland and China.

Sandra is published in Cultures in Transition (McGraw-Hill-Stewart), Gatherings (Theytus Books), Crisp Blue Edges (Theytus Books), Chinook Winds (Banff Centre Press), and Aboriginal Voices. Sandra holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Toronto, and studied Spanish Language and Literature overseas for one year at the University of Granada in Spain.

Associate Producer

Melissa Chetty is the Associate Producer for Native Women in the Arts. Prior to joining NWIA, Melissa served as a media analyst and administrative coordinator with the Government of Ontario for four years. She is also the Artistic Director of out!CAST Productions, a Toronto-based theatre company and networking organization which aims to produce ethnically diverse performance art.

From a young age, Melissa pursued her interests in music and theatre through private training and study at the Royal Conservatory of Music and York University. Born and raised in Toronto, Melissa also studied ethnomusicology and language through the International Baccalaureate Programme, and in 1996, was the recipient of the Oakland Youth Foundation Scholarship for excellence in music. A graduate of the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, Melissa is a trained singer, actor and dancer.

Melissa has a strong passion for the development of Indigenous and culturally diverse artistic development in Canada. Through her work and volunteer experience, Melissa has collaborated with a number of outstanding Aboriginal artists and arts organizations. Melissa is excited to make a significant contribution to NWIA’s new vision for upcoming programming and events.

Financial Advisor & Book-keeper

Heather Young has worked in the field of arts management for twenty years. Her experience includes leadership roles with a variety of arts service organizations, producing companies, facilities, festivals and community organizations, in both professional and volunteer capacities. Heather teaches accounting and financial management to diploma and continuing education students in Humber College's Arts Administration program, and has written Canada's first textbook in this field, Finance for the Arts in Canada. She was a 2004 recipient of Humber College's Continuing Education Award of Excellence for Outstanding Academic Contribution.