Prof. Wanda Gabriel, is Assistant Professor at McGill University, School of Social Work. She has worked nationally on several projects such as the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, The Canadian Aboriginal Aids Network, National Parole Board of Canada, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In her University role, she is the Co-Director for the Qualifying Year for Master of Social Work degree and the Co-Director of Indigenous Access McGill. She is presently involved with a research team composed of partners from Concordia University, Quebec Native Women and Elizabeth Fry Association. The project is to identify the rehabilitation needs of Indigenous women in Quebec’s provincial prison and to assess the institutional policies that support and constrain Indigenous women’s capacity for rehabilitation.

Nakuset, the Executive Director of the Native Women's Shelter of Montreal, is Cree from Lac la Ronge, Saskatchewan. She has three beautiful boys, Kistin, Mahkisis and Mahihkan. She was adopted by a Jewish family in Montreal and draws on her adoptee experience in her advocacy work for Indigenous children in care. Nakuset created, produced and hosted the television series Indigenous Power, she was voted “Woman of the Year 2014” by the Montreal Council of Women, and she is the Indigenous columnist for MaTV’s CityLife. Nakuset was featured in Real Talk on Race, the award-winning CBC series. In 2017, she was selected by the CKX City Series as a speaker/shift disturber due to the work she does to shift the status quo for urban Aboriginal women. In November 2017, she was a speaker for TEDxMontrealWomen. In 2018, she testified for 3 days at the Viens Commission, a public inquiry into the discrimination of Indigenous people of Quebec. She testified in June 2018 at the MMIW Inquiry in Calgary. In February 2019, she presented at WE Day. She was recently featured in the “End of 2010’s interview for Global” to discuss the past decade work with the urban Indigenous community. She is honoured to have spearhead and run the Cabot Square project since its inception and to co-found Resilience Montreal. She is dedicated to improving the lives of urban Indigenous people.

David Carrière-Acco, is a member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. He holds an MBA (International Business Concentration), as well as graduate degrees in Marketing, eCommerce and Business Analysis. Since launching Acosys in 2006, David has established himself and Acosys as a premier Indigenous-led consulting firm specializing in facilitating constructive and respectful Indigenous engagement on behalf of governments, corporate clients, and non-governmental organizations. David has worked with Indigenous communities and organizations across Canada, garnering extensive experience in the design, implementation, and facilitation of successful Indigenous engagement initiatives.

In 2008, Julie and David created an Indigenous Internship Program which provides the opportunity for Indigenous people to work and be mentored on their client projects. This has earned Acosys numerous awards and newsworthy media articles. The program has been very successful to create opportunity to Indigenous people but also bring greater workplace diversity. Both Julie and David believe that critical part of Canada’s path to reconciliation with its Indigenous people is dependent inclusion in Canadian economy and workforce within a spirit of Nation-to-Nation relationship.

Today, David is passionate about the use technology combined with Indigenous Traditional Knowledge to develop environmental protection and climate adaptation solutions for all of Canada and continues his work to build Indigenous capacity especially in STEM professions. He also is a proud member of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves as an officer in the Air Cadet program promoting development of Canada’s youth and interest in the aviation and aerospace.

A friend of the McGill School of Continuing Studies’ Indigenous Relations Initiative, Indigenous artist, Owisokon Lahache from Kahnawake is Mohawk and her art is different from Inuit and other First Nations art. Owisokon meets First Nations work at the McCord Museum’s exhibition Indigenous Voices of Today and comments on her style of art compared to other styles by showcasing some of her pieces and her interest in corporate art design.

Owisokon’s friend Candia Flynn is Nipmuc and lives in Kahnawake. She is the founder of Healingstitches and will discuss storytelling clothing. Inspired by a person's vision, she designs clothing into wearable art to help people on their healing journey, while demonstrating resilience – a prominent theme of the Indigenous Voices of Today exhibit.

Mr. Donald Nicholls is the Director of the Cree Nation Government (CNG), Department of Justice and Correctional Services since 2009. Prior to becoming Director, Mr. Nicholls was the Interim Director where he assisted with the establishment of the Department, and was an inaugural Member of the Cree-Quebec Judicial Advisory Committee when established in 2007. Mr. Nicholls stepped down from the Committee to become Director, and worked with the Committee and CNG. Previously, from 2005-2009, Mr. Nicholls worked as Political Attaché with the Executive Office of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) Cree Nation Government. Mr. Nicholls has a strong background in law and Indigenous issues, having served as the first Coordinator of Justice for the Cree Nation Government, worked with tribal courts, worked on Indigenous cases at mechanisms in the United Nations, Organization of American States, NAFTA, and in domestic court systems in Latin and North America.

Prof. Wanda Gabriel, is Assistant Professor at McGill University, School of Social Work. She has worked nationally on several projects such as the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, The Canadian Aboriginal Aids Network, National Parole Board of Canada, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In her University role, she is the Co-Director for the Qualifying Year for Master of Social Work degree and the Co-Director of Indigenous Access McGill. She is presently involved with a research team composed of partners from Concordia University, Quebec Native Women and Elizabeth Fry Association. The project is to identify the rehabilitation needs of Indigenous women in Quebec’s provincial prison and to assess the institutional policies that support and constrain Indigenous women’s capacity for rehabilitation.

Dr. Robert Rabin is a research meteorologist with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at the National Severe Storms Lab in Norman Oklahoma and an Honorary Fellow at the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is an active member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), serving as a volunteer and science judge at conferences, an instructor at Iiisaġvik College (Itqiaġvik,Alaska), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Water Resources Training Program, and the Native Youth Community Adaptation Leadership Congress in the U.S.. Robert has been engaged in learning the Iñupiaq language and is enrolled in the Iñupiaq Studies Program at Ilisaġvik College, Utqiaġvik (Barrow) AK.

Mr. Alex Allard-Gray is a member of the Listuguj Mi’gmaq First Nation located in the Gaspé region of Quebec. From a young age, Alex came to understand the importance of higher education in the Indigenous community and was always encouraged to be an ambitious learner. Alex’s initial exposure to post-secondary education began with his participation in the 2006 Eagle Spirit High Performance Camp hosted at McGill University. This would have a lasting effect on him, as he chose to complete his B.Sc. in Physiology and Kinesiology at McGill. Alex remained involved with the Eagle Spirit Camp throughout his undergraduate studies, while participating in other Indigenous-led initiatives. This would include acting as President of the McGill Chapter of the Canadian Indigenous Science and Engineering Society.

Mrs. Nazreen Beaulieu is a graduate of the Educational Technology and Design (ETAD) M.Ed. program at the University of Saskatchewan and has worked as an instructional designer in several capacities over the years. She later worked as an e-Instructor and course developer for a virtual school that provided distance education courses to Northern Canadian Indigenous communities and homeschooler. She worked on a SSHRC funded assignment that explored how older adults use online personal learning networks (oPLNs) to support their self-directed, lifelong learning goals. Her experiences have consolidated a passion for eLearning, self-directed learning and blended/networked learning environments that bridge the gap between formal and informal learning.

Dr. Stryker Calvez is a Metis/Michif researcher and educator from the Red River territory around Winnipeg. Over the last 20 years he has worked extensively with provincial governments, post-secondary institutions, organizations and communities to better understand how to implement and/or improve educational, social support, and health programming for Indigenous Peoples, newcomers and vulnerable populations. He has been recognized for his contributions to these communities, supporting diversity and inclusion management, facilitating effective intergroup relations, and supporting reconciliation in Canada. Currently he is the Manager of Indigenous Education Initiatives at the University of Saskatchewan

M. Pierre Picard est membre de la Nation Huronne-Wendat. Il possède une formation en approche d’intervention psycho-corporelle et une maîtrise en sexologie clinique et s’est d’abord spécialisé en matière d’agression sexuelle chez les Premières Nations du Québec. Il dirige depuis plusieurs années le Groupe de recherche et d’interventions psychosociales en milieu autochtone (GRIPMA). Conférencier, formateur, chercheur et superviseur clinique, il a conduit plusieurs travaux portant exclusivement sur les problématiques psychosociales en milieu autochtone et des moyens de guérison tenant compte des différences culturelles et identitaires propres aux Premières Nations du Québec.