Maria Ignatieva is a Professor at the Ohio State-Lima, Department of Theatre. A specialist in Russian theatre history and Russian contemporary theatre, Ignatieva has presented papers at various conferences in Finland, Australia, Germany, Poland, Great Britain, Canada, and Spain. She has over 40 essays and articles to her name in English and Russian theatre journals and magazines, such as Theatre History Studies, Slavic and East European Performances, West European Performances, Theatre Life (Russia), Stanislavsky (Russia). Her book Stanislavsky and Female Actors: Women in Stanislavsky's Life and Art was published by the University Press of America in 2008. More recently she has also published essays in the books Adapting Chekhov: The Text and Its Mutations, The Routledge Companion to Stanislavsky, International Women Stage Directors, and The Routledge Companion to Michael Chekhov. 

Ignatieva directed over 20 productions on Lima campus, and two productions at the Ohio Northern University. She is also a recipient of the Ohio State University Outreach Award.