Originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Carey is a proud member of Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek (Sand Point First Nation) and has called Ottawa home since 2003 where she lives with her wife Jennifer and two children. Carey holds her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Athabasca University and has spent her career supporting and serving the Indigenous community. 

With over 20 years experience as a senior administrator and operations specialist working within Indigenous organizations, communities and not-for-profit (NFP) organizations, Carey’s corporate financial and systems knowledge, combined with her understanding of organizational and community governance models, contributes to successful client collaborations, Indigenous engagement strategies and governance frameworks. 

Carey proudly launched Nakanagis Consulting, which combines trusted advisory services, governance expertise and operational resources to Indigenous communities and NFP organizations. 

Carey holds a passion for operational excellence and project management and understands the key ingredient to bringing projects to life, requires a competent, qualified, enthusiastic team. She employs progressive Human Resource (HR) management strategies and works with a network of highly regarded professionals to ensure project successes and continued business growth. 

Carey’s executive leadership includes serving as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Indigenous Financial Solutions (IFS), joining Shopify as the global lead of Indigenous Entrepreneurship, overseeing Indigenous business development in Canada, US and New Zealand, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC), leading social impact funding for urban Indigenous communities with the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) and Director with the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), where she led the creation of their Labour Market Development department. 

An important milestone in Carey’s career highlights her years as Executive Director with Makonsag Aboriginal Head Start, Carey led negotiations with multiple levels of government to secure capital funds to purchase and fully renovate a building. This resulted in stable programming and services for Indigenous families and led to expanded 2 services. Carey secured new capital revenue to lease commercial space, and carry out full renovations, for licenced Indigenous child care. 

Carey has extensive experience as a Board Director and Advisor. She is the current Board Chair of Tewewgan Housing for Aboriginal Youth, serves on the Lands Committee of Sand Point First Nation, and is on the Advisory Board for the “Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace” with Osgoode Professional Development. Carey previously served on the AntiRacism Advisory Table with the City of Ottawa and as Board Director with the Aboriginal Human Resource Council (AHRC) (now Inclusion Works) and with the Aboriginal Recruitment and Coordination Office (ARCO). 

Carey is driven to invest in meaningful projects that spark change initiatives, create social impact opportunities and result in positive successes that support community needs.