Michelle Smith is a Red River Michif educator and filmmaker born and raised in St. James, Manitoba, Treaty One territory, where her family had scrip.  She is a citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation and member of the Bison local and independent Métis Thinkers Network where she co-chairs the Mentorship Committee. Her Métis kin include McMillan, Bruce, Dease, Perrault and Desrocher families. She lives in Tiohtiá:ke/Mooniyang (Montreal), with her partner and son.

She has worked in Indigenous education for over a decade as a teacher, advocate, researcher, mentor and program and curriculum developer in community, colleges and universities. She is a Vanier scholar and recently earned her PhD at McGill University, collaborating with Inuit youth on action research to develop a self-determined college program in Nunavik. She draws from Métis values in relationship-building across nations and continues to learn about our ancestral ways of collaboration and engagement with First Nation and Inuit relatives.  Michelle is Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill University.