Karen Ancheta is a multifaceted Filipina Canadian artist, distinguished for her contributions as a director, actor, writer and mentor. She is A.D of Porch Light Theatre Hamilton, Co-founder of The Garden Project an initiative celebrating Indigenous Black, racialized artists through mentorship in Hamilton. Karen has worked w/  Hamilton 7, Kwentong Bayan, Little Pear Garden Dance Company, Open Heart, Red Beti, YPT, Carousel Players, fu-GEN, Stratford Festival, Factory, Cahoots, Light Echo. As a director she has worked with Carlos Bulosan Theatre, Lighthouse Festival and Capitol Theatre and Tethered the Ghost. Karen was a recipient of a Hamilton Arts Award 2021.  Karen was nominated for YWCA's Women of Distinction Award in 2022 and is nominated for a Johanna Metcalf Award Prize 2025.  Karen completed a Metcalf Internship 2023 in Artistic Direction at Theatre Aquarius, where she co-curated Brave New Works 2023/24. Karen is currently writing a play with Anna Chatterton called O.A.