Experience

• Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies

  Vice President of Student Services & Academics

  Managed a $17M budget and directed the activities of over 200 employees (over 80% of SIIT’s operations) across seven program areas delivering programs at seven campuses and in First Nations communities throughout Saskatchewan. I was responsible for operations of SIIT’s seven career centres.
  
  A milestone was the unveiling of SIIT’s Seven Guiding Principles to be used to guide the design of academic and student support initiatives for learners and faculty. This work was the result of staff consultation sessions throughout 2008.
  
  SIIT was in year two of a five year project that consisted of four stages of an initiative development process. The stages include: assessment, make choices, design initiatives, build assets and competencies. As of April 2010, SIIT Academics was at the beginning of stage three.
  
  Other relevant activities:
  -Policy development and review, the review and execution of contracts
  -Financial planning – development of department budgets
  -Consultation/collaboration with stakeholders both internal & external-First Nation, Metis, education, government, and industry sector stakeholders, as well as actively engage multiple departments and functional areas
  -Developed short and long range work plans
  
  Board participation: Northern Career Quest (Aboriginal Skills & 
Employment Partnership (ASEP)) project, Regina Trades & Skills Centre, Saskatoon Trades & Skills Centre, Campus Saskatchewan, SK Ministry of Education’s Learning Program Advisory Committee, SK Indian Education Training Commission (institution representation), SK Indian Board of Directors
  
  While at SIIT, I initiated organizational change. While at SIIT, I championed the establishment of a “life coaching” culture. Areas of focus were accountability and transparency, reporting and planning, communications, and building relations: establishing a corporate culture that strives for excellence, “raising the bar”, and establishing best business practices.

• First Nations University of Canada

  Sessional Lecturer

  Teach Indigenous Studies: history, colonialism, way of knowing, current challenges including the current expansion of exploitive industries across indigenous territories around the world, the devastating impacts to the land, air and waters, and the rise of the indigenous grassroots movements as they fight back.

• Cowessess First Nation

  Management Consultant

  During 2002/2003, I completed three inter-related projects for Cowessess First Nation:
  1. Cowessess First Nation’s On-reserve Resident Profile Survey Report (April 2003) was a survey of on-reserve members. The results of the survey provided feedback on general attitudes held by participants on various issues confronting Cowessess: On or off-reserve economic development, perceptions of Cowessess, education and training, entrepreneurship, and sovereignty.
  2. Establishing an Economic Development Corporation On Cowessess First Nation (April 2003) outlined key issues concerning establishment of an economic development corporation: a long-term development plan is identified as an essential first step and careful corporate financial planning key to taking advantage of opportunities. Three sources of weakness of First Nation institutions that must be addressed are 1) political interference, 2) risky investment environment of First Nations, and 3) lack of management expertise.
  3. Sustainable Development Planning (October 2003) was a compilation of the two previous projects in addition to a discussion on the application of the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development and its recommendations for establishing good governance practices on Cowessess First Nation.

• Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority

  Director of Executive Services

  SIGA is required to provide Saskatchewan Liquor & Gaming Authority (SLGA) with compliance reporting of all policy non-compliance/violations. My office was responsible for preparing timely accurate information and reporting requirements for the Board, executive, SLGA, the Internal Auditor, and the Provincial Auditor.
  
  I provided direct executive support to the President & CEO’s Office which included collaborating with the Board & senior management in determining corporate strategy, and
  establishing & maintaining long-term planning processes & practices, and reporting to the Board on progress & performance in executing strategies & achieving objectives of strategic & business plans. This also included working with the executive in the development of corporate performance indicators.
  
  Other relevant activities:
  -Performance management – Collaborated with the Crown Investment Corporation’s Strategy & Governance Division in the design of a corporate-wide performance management system for SIGA
  -Negotiation experience: 1) Gaming Framework Agreement negotiations (vs SLGA)) from January –September 2005 and 2) Casino Operating Agreement from January-September 2007 (vs SLGA).
  -Interacted with officials from FSIN, government, and other gaming sector stakeholders. I was also the change management lead for the implementation project of SIGA’s Enterprise Resource Management system.

• Ranch Ehrlo Society

  Director of Executive Services

  Coordinate executive activities in the areas of corporate strategic assessment and renewal, change management, and policy review.