Intermediate Project Management for Indigenous Organizations - Online Fall 2023

My name is (Naashkiiyaaskigek, Pizhiw Ododem) and I am a member of the Ojibways of Onigaming in northwestern Ontario. I was born in 1941 at Anishinaabe Park on the shores of Lake of the Woods and grew up in the traditional Anishinaabe way: summers were spent picking berries, fishing and harvesting wild rice, and winters were spent on the trap line. I was one of three girls in a family of twelve children. My childhood memories were later marred by my experiences at St. Mary’s Residential school, when I was taken from my parents, my siblings and my life that I loved. I now make my life in Calgary with my three sons and my four grandchildren. I am a retired teacher and graduate from the University of Calgary (1992). Today, I work in schools and communities sharing my lived experience and traditional knowledge. This work is important for our communities to heal and seek reconciliation.

Sheila Niganobe is an Ojibway and member of Mississauga First Nation # 8, in Northern Ontario.  She lived a majority if her life on the First Nation, she also lived in the city of Toronto for 15 years.  She has had the experience of working in an Aboriginal off-reserve political organization for 10 years; during that time she had the opportunity to learn the off-reserve politics and the need to assist Aboriginal people.   She is actively involved in her community and participates in ceremony, women’s drum group and advocates for community wellness. 
   
Over the past 15 years, Sheila has returned to her community to work in management, health, social, economic development and governance.   This experience has given her the opportunity to experience firsthand the issues and barriers within the First Nation environment.     

In the spring of 2010, Sheila graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Governance from Ryerson University and First Nations Technical Institute.   Sheila has been taking on-line courses towards her Project Management Certification from Ryerson University.  She also received a Masters Certificate in Risk Management and Business Performance, York University, January 2016.    In February 2018, Sheila completed Strategic Planning: From Vision to Action from the Canadian Management Centre.  

Daryl Kootenay is a Traditional singer, dancer, artist, speaker, youth leader.

After graduating high school Daryl travelled globally to volunteer his time in countries such as Peru, Nicaragua and Africa working with Canada World Youth first as a participant, then an intern and then employee. He has been a part of CWYs Provisional Aboriginal Youth Committee where he participated in the “Aboriginal Youth and Confederation: Learning from the past, building for the future conference” in 2014, an event cohosted by CWY and the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island, as part of the PEI 2014 Charlottetown Conference sesquicentennial celebration.  He was also a delegate for his nation and CWY at the World Conference of Indigenous Peoples, The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Rights, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City (Sept 2014).

Daryl has actively volunteered in his community of Morley, Alberta in a variety of roles. This includes being a group leader for the Project Nakoda Outdoor Wilderness Experience (NOWE), in developing “youth hang-outs” for a week through the Canada Bridges organization and in co-founding the Stoney Nakoda Youth Council in 2014 which has travelled to a number of significant United Nations and North American Indian Youth Caucus events. He has the tremendous honour of being awarded the Governor General’s “Sovereignty’s Medal for Volunteers” in June 2017 for his work.

Daryl is a father to his 2-year old daughter from the Stoney Nakoda Nation of Treaty 7 in southern Alberta and a member of the Dine (Navajo) Nation in New Mexico from his father’s heritage.