Bio / Background
Hello, bonjour, kwaï,
Je suis un Abénaki, membre de la bande d’Odanak, Quebec, et j’habite dans la région d’Ottawa. J’apprends à connaître ma culture et autres cultures traditionnelles par l’entremise des enseignements des aînés de plusieurs communautés et d’organisme autochtones. I am Abenaki, a member of the Odanak First Nation in Quebec. I am actively engaging in cultural exploration, delving into my own heritage as well as traditional cultures alongside Elders from various Indigenous communities and organizations across Canada. Born and raised in Northern Ontario, I am fluent in both official languages, English and French, and currently operate my business and work for the Toronto Catholic District School Board while living in two of Canada’s greatest metropolitan cites, Ottawa and Toronto.
With over 20 years of extensive business operations and active involvement in various committees and boards, I have demonstrated my commitment to offering comprehensive support to individuals across diverse capacities. This breadth of experience has endowed me with a multifaceted perspective, rendering my knowledge-driven insights invaluable in providing leadership.
My background centers on fostering relationships and promoting reconciliation to support educational institutions in comprehending the needs of First Nations communities. This involves addressing systemic barriers, analyzing data related to Indigenous student achievement, and advising on culturally relevant assessments and reporting, benefiting both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. Guided by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, these efforts serve as a framework for my work.
My dedication to inclusivity and cultural understanding is evident in my involvement in reviewing, updating, and implementing policies that incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing into educational settings. Collaborating with Indigenous communities nationwide, I contribute to developing K-12 educational programs, emphasizing the importance of accessible education pathways. My work extends beyond Indigenous communities to support non-Indigenous institutions, organizations, and businesses in fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion in their workplaces. This holistic approach aims to create a more inclusive and harmonious society for all.
As the Indigenous Affairs Advisor for the Toronto Catholic District School Board, the largest Catholic school board in Canada, my role is pivotal in promoting understanding and reconciliation within the educational system. My primary contribution lies in educating staff on Truth and Reconciliation’s Calls to Action, which is crucial in fostering awareness and change within the Catholic school system.
My efforts in educating staff members not only raise awareness but also empower them to be allies. By equipping them with knowledge about the historical injustices faced by Indigenous communities, as well as the ongoing impacts of colonialism, I am fostering a more empathetic and informed approach towards Indigenous issues. This work helps create a path towards reconciliation. In providing culturally sensitive guidance and resources, I am helping to create an environment where Indigenous students feel valued, supported, and respected.
In my past role with Actua as the Director of a National Indigenous Youth in STEM, a non-profit organization youth in Science, Technology, Math and Science (STEM) across Canada, this work enabled me to connect with Indigenous communities, industry partners and post-secondary institutions nation-wide to support, to be a voice, and to empower Indigenous youth in both education and life skills. My role was to lead all Indigenous initiatives, liaise with Indigenous communities, and build and support relationships between institutions STEM divisions with Indigenous communities, school boards and other Indigenous organizations to increase Indigenous high school participation and graduation rates.
I have experience in working with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and organizations across Canada. I have worked with many education offices, economic development offices, and area management offices. The work I do is for all Indigenous Peoples. Having that knowledge, that way of knowing, and way of working, helps me balance “Corporate” and “Indigenous” in finding ways to work together respectfully.
Algonquin College has recently contracted my consulting services to work closely with Indigenous communities, students and organizations for the College’s new Academic Plan. They want to engage all stakeholders in ensuring the plan will support Indigenous learners and communities.
Previously, I was working at Algonquin College in Ottawa as Director of Indigenous Initiatives. My role was to collaborate with Indigenous communities to better understand community and students’ needs to support them in their post-secondary journey. My responsibilities were to embed Indigenous ways of knowing throughout the fabric of the institution and implement strategic initiatives that supported various college stakeholders and Indigenous community partners. Over the years, I have collected a significant amount of data on Indigenous student academic performance. This data helped to improve student recruitment and retention, to better understand why students are withdrawing, and low graduation rates. My scope of work included, but was not limited to, manage the staff in the Indigenous Student Centre and the Truth and Reconciliation Indigenization office; develop and implement strategic and business plans in both areas; lead and support Indigenous meetings, events and lead Indigenous presentations to the College Leadership Team; promote high-demand programs to Indigenous youth; develop Indigenous empowerment programming; develop Indigenous entrepreneurship training; and lead Indigenous initiatives in the college, engage with Government representatives at Federal and Provincial levels, and develop relationships with external partners. This work allowed me to be part of, and to serve on many committees, including the Indigenous Peoples Education Circle which represents all 24 colleges in Ontario including the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and Colleges Ontario. I was also a Governor on the College’s Board of Governors from 2020 to 2022.
I have recently developed and delivered an Indigenous Tourism Entrepreneurship program in partnership with Ottawa Tourism funded by the Ministry of Tourism - Canadian Experience Fund. The program prepares Indigenous people who are interested in starting a business or developing their business idea. The educational initiative provides business start-up skills training, market-readiness tools, and access to Ottawa’s tourism ecosystem with the objective of supporting local Indigenous tourism businesses and motivating visitors and locals in Ottawa to engage with Indigenous culture.
It was an honour to support and lead Algonquin College as part of the team tasked with the renovation and addition to the main campus Library. This project is now known as the DARE District (Discovery, Applied Research, and Entrepreneurship). The renovation and addition resulted in a 100,000 square foot facility deemed the first of its kind for a college campus in Ontario. DARE features facilities for testing and development, simulations, competitions, collaborative project development, as well as entrepreneurial support in the growing field of cyber security. It was also designed in consultation with Indigenous communities to create an Institute for Indigenous Innovation and Entrepreneurship based on Indigenous business principles. The new facility features an Indigenous student commons and related support spaces (Nawapon, The Lodge, Iskodewan, Pidaban and Kejeyàdizidjigwogamig). Our office, Truth, Reconciliation and Indigenization, worked closely with lead architects and Indigenous Design consultants in the creation of the Indigenous Commons and courtyard, and in weaving Indigenous spaces and themes throughout the spaces of the DARE District. These spaces are meaningfully designed in a way that reflects engagement with local Indigenous communities as well as staff and students. The College and Indigenous partners valued my consultative approach and ability to build trust through an interactive and engaged design process. We worked closely with staff, faculty, student stakeholder groups, and local communities to define space needs, cultural ideas and narratives, which the team then expressed through design.
I have worked on multiple initiatives at Algonquin College to engage Indigenous youth in the construction and technical trades and high-demand programs. I served on many external steering committees to help break down the barriers that prevent them from entering post-secondary programs. I also worked closely with academics across the province, Ministry of Labour, Government of Canada (Public Services - Procurement), non-profit employment agencies, employers and organizations who are invested in working with Indigenous communities and their youth. I have also co-developed an International Award-Winning program to help Indigenous learners gain job skills by aligning mentorship and employer coaching. This program was designed to coach the employer on how to engage and work with Indigenous student/employees.
Through active participation in thoughtful debate and collaboration with colleagues, I tackle pressing issues such as social justice, environmental sustainability, economic prosperity, and equal education effectively. With dedication, integrity, and a commitment to the common good, my experiences enable me to champion causes and enact meaningful change for the benefit of all individuals I engage with.
