Melissa Johns, Administrative Director

Melissa Johns (She/Her)

Melissa Johns (Kanien’keha:ka and French Canadian) is a new media artist, educator, and arts administrator, born and based in Tkaronto. Bringing a wealth of experience from her work with organizations such as imagineNATIVE, NIMAC, and the National Film Board of Canada, she is also a practicing artist with a passion for harnessing technology to tell powerful stories. Having completed her undergraduate degree in Fine Arts & Business at the University of Waterloo, as well as an Advanced Diploma in 3D Animation from Humber College, she is pursuing a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Art from OCAD University.

Quach George, Artistic Director

Oklahoma born, Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and Mohawk of Akwesasne, Indigenous Arts Leader – Quach George, Artistic Director of Native Women in the Arts (NWIA), oversees the curatorial vision and programming strategy for one of Canada’s leading Indigenous arts organizations. Since joining NWIA in 2016 as Programming Coordinator, she has held progressive leadership roles—being promoted to Programming Manager in 2019 and Artistic Director in 2024—spearheading initiatives that centre Indigenous women and gender-diverse artists from across nations and disciplines. Bringing a multidimensional approach bridging art and culture through preservational resurgence rooted in community and Indigenous sovereignty. 

With a career spanning over a decade of experience in creative production and programming, including key roles with several national recognized institutions and festivals. Quach’s work can be seen across Indian Country. Most recently, serving as the Indigenous Art Curator for the City of Toronto’s Moss Park/John Innes Community Centre Public Art Project and the StreetARToronto King-Liberty Pedestrian Bridge. The City of Toronto, Toronto History Museum, Indigenous Arts Festival at Fort York, as the Indigenous Production Coordinator. 

Driven by a passion for the arts, Quach is committed to delivering high-quality programming that fosters the Indigenous cultural expression through developing and supporting initiatives that nurture Indigenous creativity, affirm cultural identity, and contribute to the ongoing visibility and celebration of Indigenous arts and peoples.