Natasha Blackwood is the coordinator of First Light Centre for Performance and Creativity in St John’s. She is of mixed Irish, English and Mi’kmaq ancestry, and was raised by her white-identifying family in Stephenville, Newfoundland. Through many years of building friendships and cultural connections, Natasha has become an active member of the urban-Indigenous community in St. John’s, working on such projects as Eastern Owl, Spirit Song Festival, and First Light’s annual National Indigenous People’s Day Celebrations. She is also active in the Jazz community, as member of Jazz East Big Band, and on her own solo writing project, with her sophomore record scheduled for release on May 31 2024. She is the recipient of Music NL’s Volunteer of the Year Award (2019), MusicNL's Industry Professional of the Year award (2021), and was most recently nominated for Women in Music Canada’s Excellence in Live Music award, to be announced on March 5, 2024. She is the mother of three beautiful children and an adopted beagle, and has spent her life dedicated to community, family, and art.