Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux served as Vice Provost Indigenous Initiatives at Lakehead University for three years and was appointed as the 1st Indigenous Chair for Truth and Reconciliation for Lakehead University in 2016. 

She was inducted as a “Honourary Witness” by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada in 2014 and is Chair of the Governing Circle for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba.  

Cynthia is a faculty member at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and continues to offer public education and training on Indigenous history, governance and healing across Canada.  

She is a member and resident of the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation and has dedicated her life to building bridges of understanding. She sees endless merit in bringing people from diverse cultures, ages, and backgrounds together to engage in practical dialogue and applied research initiatives.