The Voices of
Forward Summit
Meet the wide selection of speakers carefully selected with the guidance of our Leadership Council. Our speakers range from industry professionals to thought-leaders in the global and national discussions around economic reconciliation.
Forward Summit | WEST 2025 Speakers
We don’t pay to play. Our speakers are carefully chosen with the guidance of our Leadership Council.
Featured Speakers:
Chief Roy Whitney
National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak
Mark Little
Geena Jackson
Bear’s Lair
speakers
Our 2025 Forward Summit | WEST Speakers:
Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi
Grand Chief
Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta
Minister Rick Wilson
Minister of Indigenous Relations
Legislative Assembly for Maskwacîs-Wetaskiwin
Elder Art Cunningham
President and Knowledge Keeper
Roundtable Consulting Inc.
Jeremy Thompson
President
Eagle Spirit Business Development
Hal Eagletail
Owner
Eaglestar Enterprises Ltd.
Livia Manywounds
Communications Specialist
TsuuT’ina Health Centre
Holly Fortier
President/Facilitator
Nisto Consulting Inc.
Billie Fortier
Partner
MLT Aikins
Deborah Green
Justice & Human Rights Advocate, & Forward Summit Leadership Council
JP Gladu
Principal
Mokwateh
Tim Laronde
National Director, Indigenous Strategies
Chandos Construction
Buffy Handel
First Nations Economic Development Specialist
Nour Private Wealth
Jorge Avilés
Senior Advisor, Cross-cultural & Indigenous Relations
AiM Land Services
Katie Kachur
Vice President Government Relations, West
Canadian Propane Association
Sarah Jacknife
Principal and Founder
Jacknife Consulting
Bobbie Racette
Founder & CEO
Virtual Gurus
Darian Kovacs
Founder & CEO
Jelly Marketing
Preston Seier
Director of Indigenous/Community/Government Relations
H2Safety Services Inc.
Kirsten Ryder
Training & Development Specialist
Stoney Nakoda Nation
Kallie Wood
President & CEO
National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food (NCIAF)
Christine Channer
Founder & Principal
Channer Consulting & Training
Mary Beth Green
Vice President, Human Resources
Fort McKay Group
Juanita Marois
CEO
Métis Crossing
Wade Griffin
National Director for Indigenous Engagement
BGIS
Ryan Robb
CEO
Chiniki First Nation
Ioana Giurca
CEO
CPHR Alberta
Pablo Listingart
Co-Founder & Executive Director
ComunidadIT
Ted Bauer
Director, Indigenous Relations
Alberta Counsel
Jeff Provost
Leader, Indigenous Relations
MCW Consultants Ltd.
Cliffton Cross
Council Member
Frog Lake First Nations
Amber Big Plume
Manager, Business Development and Projects
First Nation Power Development Inc
Geena Jackson
Executive Producer, Creator, Core Judge
Bear’s Lair
Lawrence Gervais
Director, Indigenous Relations
Phoenix Energy Services
Mario Auger
Manager – Indigenous Engagement
AIOC
Michelle Toner
Executive Director
Northeastern Aboriginal Business Association (NAABA)
Brent Sterling
Founder & CEO
Waswanay Consulting Inc.
Sophia Lebessis
Owner, Art Dealer
Transformation Fine Art
Brad Parry
President and CEO
Calgary Economic Development
Cristi Adams
Director of Minerals, Land & Environment
Indian Oil and Gas Canada, Indigenous Services Canada
Philip Ducharme
Vice President, Entrepreneurship & Procurement
CCIB
Andrea Sandmaier
President
Otipemisiwak Métis Government
Lorelei Higgins Parker
Reigning Mrs. Unity World Elite
Connor Scheu
Journeys Network Co-Chair
Suncor Energy
Kahsennénhawe Sky-Deer
CEO and President
Sky-Deer Consulting
Michelle Goodkey
Chief Sustainability Officer & VP External Relations .
RETI – Reconciliation Energy Transition Inc
Barbara Engelbart McKenzie
Chief Executive Officer
Metis Settlements Development Corporation
Mark Little
Founder & CEO
Jotson Inc
Nicole Davies
Executive Director
Sovereign Seeds
Dr. Patricia Makokis
Indigenous Awareness Educator Corporation
Doug Dokis
Director, National InSTEM Program
Actua
Justin Bourque
Founder and President
Âsokan Generational Developments
Shannon Pestun
CEO, Pestun Consulting/ Sr Advisor, The Diversity Institute
Ralph Cardinal
Board of Directors / Consultant
MMIP
Garett Strawberry
Economic Development Manager
O’Chiese First Nation
Dean Montgomery
Chief Executive Officer Indigenous Initiatives Inc.
Patrick Dinsdale
National Director Indigenous Development
Johnston Group Inc.
Colby Delorme
President
Imagination Group of Companies
Hannah Grewal
Director
Indigenous Initiatives Inc.
Bryce Starlight
Vice President, Business Development
Taza Development Corp.
Christy Morgan
Reconciliation Strategy Manager
TELUS
Mike Dundas
Manager of Sustainable Procurement
FCC
Gillian Hynes
Director, People and Community
Enhance Energy
Hope Regimbald
Lead, Indigenous and Stakeholder Relations
LNG Canada
Doreen Bergum
Metis Elder/Knowledge Keeper
Metis Nation of Alberta Region 3
Wade Hawkins
Research Chair for the Centre for Innovation and Research in Unmanned Systems (CIRUS)
SAIT
Brent Boisvert
Vice President, Business Relations
JEN-COL
Ruhee Ismail-Teja
Vice President, Policy and External Affairs
Calgary Chamber of Commerce
Stephani Carter
President, Canada Region
Stok
Tracy Buffalo
Indigenous Relations Co-Ordinator
KDM Constructors L.P.
Valerie O’Connal
Senior Manager, Community Engagement
Rogers Communications Inc.
Wade Kerr
Manager, Indigenous Entrepreneurship
BDC
Daryl Kootenay
Co-Director
Howl
Rennie Houle
Program Manager
Whitefish Lake First Nation
Emily Black
Director, Strategic Projects & Partnerships
Enbridge
Rebecca Kragnes
Director, Indigenous Relations and Community Engagement
Bird Construction
Tirzah Swampy
Senior Manager, Digital Skills Development & Training
First Nations Technology Council
Alvin Manitopyes
Elder
Jennifer Kohlhammer
Blackfoot Tech Council
Keith Henry
President and CEO
Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC)
Tanis One Spot
Executive Director
Lands Department Tsuut’ina Nation
Teddy Manywounds
Director, Public Safety & Justice
G4 Nations
Jennifer Laewetz
CEO & Partner
Paskwâw Harbour
Aleksi Makila
Operations Manager, Civil
Chandos Construction
Jennifer Russell
Director, Indigenous Engagement
SAIT
Ethan Boyer
Manager, National InSTEM Program
Actua
Barry Morrissette
Technologist, Entertainment, Communication, Business Development
RADIANCE Digital
Kennedy Bear Robe
Partner
Gowling WLG
Mark Shilliday
Indigenous Recruitment Advisor
Enbridge
Crystal Potts
Director of Emergency Management (DEM)
Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation Public Works
Heather Wolf Ear
Indigenous Engagement Program Manager
Soogadin
Cory White
Board Member
Blackfoot Tech Council
Chelsey Quirk
CEO
Indigenous Tourism Alberta
Crystal Young
President & CEO
McKay Metis Group
John Desjarlais
Executive Director
Indigenous Resource Network
Jacob Smith
Social Work Major
Mount Royal University
Darian Milton
Heavy Equipment Technician Student
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
Ryleigh Deuel
Computer Science Major
Mount Royal University
Celine Dixon
Computer Science Major
Mount Royal University
Want to Take Part? Become a Partner!
We have three events happening across Canada this year. Learn more about the high level Indigenous and non-indigenous industry and community leaders that your brand will get exposed to.
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