Paula Ward is a proud Mi’kmaw woman from Natoaganeg (Eel Ground) First Nation and a Business Strategist with Creative Fire, an Indigenous Nation-owned consultancy. She brings more than a decade of experience supporting Indigenous communities through governance, strategic planning, and meaningful engagement with governments, industry, and organizations across Canada. 

Her portfolio includes national and regional initiatives such as Indigenous fan engagement for the NHL, reconciliation and Indigenous relations advisory work with CBRE, BWXT, and Metlen Energy & Metals, as well as First Nations–led projects in health transformation, economic development, community planning, and child and family services. 

Paula holds an MBA in Indigenous Business Leadership from Simon Fraser University and the Technician Aboriginal Economic Developer (TAED) certification from CANDO. She is passionate about advancing reconciliation through collaboration and ensuring Indigenous voices are central to decision-making