Jacqueline Samuda was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and grew up in both the United States and Canada. She received a B.F.A. Degree in Performance from York University in Toronto, and has appeared on stage, radio, and big and small screens in Canada and the U.S. since her debut at the Shaw Festival at the age of 21. At 23, she received an Ontario Arts Council Grant for Individual Professional Development in theatre, in New York City. She is a Dramalogue Award winner for directing George F. Walker's play, "Zastrozzi, " at Company of Angels Theatre in Los Angeles, and a 2016 Leo Award winner for Best Guest Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series. She has six sisters and one brother, and lives in Vancouver, Canada with her husband Rob Riley and two sons, Griffin and Christian.