Shakina Nayfack is the Founding Artistic Director of Musical Theatre Factory, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping musical theatre artists develop and present new work in a collaborative environment free from the pressures of critical or commercial success. Through MTF, Shakina has supported the development of nearly eighty new musicals. For more information, visit MTF online.

She is also the first transgender woman to be honored with a Lilly Award recognizing the remarkable contributions to the American Theatre made by women. Her autobiographical solo musical ONE WOMAN SHOW played Joe's Pub, 54 Below, Sophie's, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, and Barrington Stage Company. Her follow up show, POST-OP, premiered at Joe's Pub this September. Both projects feature collaborations with several emergent composers, including Julianne Wick Davis, Joe Iconis, Sam Salmond, Nikko Benson, Joel Waggoner, Teresa Lotz, Zoe Sarnak, Michael R. Jackson, Joey Contreras, Lauren Marcus, Ty Defoe, Tidtaya Sinutoke, and others. MFA, PhD, SDC. Follow her on Twitter: @shakeenz