Born and raised in Sudbury, Judith “Judi” Straughan has dedicated her life to education, the performing arts, and the cultural vitality of her community. A proud graduate of Laurentian University, Judi began her career as an English and Drama teacher. In 1983, she joined the pioneering committee that developed Northern Ontario’s first Performing Arts Program at the secondary school level. Two years later, she was invited by Principal Joe Drago to lead the new Performing Arts Drama program at Sudbury Secondary School, where she built a curriculum that empowered young artists and inspired countless students.
Over her 13 years as program leader, Judi’s students earned top awards at the Sears Drama Festival and performed internationally at the Thespian Festival in Indiana and Nebraska. At Sudbury Secondary, Judi also oversaw the Visual Arts and Film Departments, and her excellence in teaching was recognized with the Bill Roman Teacher of the Year Award. She later contributed to the arts community as a longtime board member of Music and Film in Motion.
After retiring from teaching, Judi joined the Sudbury Theatre Centre staff, where she directed publicity, education, events, and fundraising. She co-created Black Dog: 4 vs the Wrld with playwright Matthew Heiti, a powerful mental health play that reached thousands of students. Her popular celebrity fundraiser shows brought the community together in support of local theatre and earned her the Sudbury Theatre Centre Honours Award in 2018.
Judi’s passion for arts and education continued through her service on the Board of Governors of Thorneloe University, where she also taught theatre, and in leadership roles with NOSM University, Maison McCulloch Hospice, the Sudbury Arts Council, and Jazz Sudbury. In 2022, she co-chaired Rendezvous North, a Northern Ontario arts conference.
An accomplished author and columnist, Judi published A Theatre in Five Acts: 50 Years of Sudbury Theatre Centre in 2021, and is currently writing a new book celebrating 50 people who have shaped Sudbury’s arts scene. She contributes regularly as an arts columnist for the Sudbury Star and has hosted her own Eastlink Television show for eight years.
Through her teaching, writing, and tireless advocacy, Judith Straughan has left an indelible mark on Sudbury’s cultural life, inspiring generations and strengthening the role of the arts in her community.