Ms. Lepine is a member of the Mikisew Cree First Nation and was raised in the beautiful community of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta. Her family and community traditional teachings in
environmental stewardship at a young age motivated her to advance studies in environmental conservation sciences at the University of Alberta. Melody is now currently enrolled in the
Masters of Science program at Royal Roads University. This balance of teachings in both traditional environmental knowledge and western science has become Melody’s key strength in
her professional career. Melody has worked for her community and First Nation for the past fourteen years. As the Director of the Mikisew Cree First Nation Government and Industry
Relations department, she is responsible for overseeing all government and industryconsultation pertaining to resource development that impacts the Mikisew Cree. During her time with the GIR, she has been managing hundreds of government and industry consultation files some of which include oil sands regulatory interventions and judicial reviews. Melody has led the development of consultation protocols and guidelines, numerous traditional land use studies and is one of the key negotiators of impact benefit agreements. Ms. Lepine is also quite
proud to have initiated a community based environmental monitoring program, cultural impact assessments, land use plans and indigenous knowledge studies. Ms. Lepine serves as a board
member for the Cumulative Environment Management Association, appointed co-chair on the Oil Sands Advisory Group by Minister Phillips and serves as a panel member on the Indigenous
Wisdom Advisory Panel that will advise Alberta’s Chief Scientist on how to incorporate Indigenous perspectives and traditional ecological knowledge into environmental monitoring.