Many Voices, One Table.

Elmer Eashappie (Manager, Indigenous Partnerships and First Nations Protocols, Indigenous Collaborative Engagement, Traditional Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers | Indigenous Health, Vancouver Coastal Health )

Elmer Eashappie Jr. is an Indigenous executive leader, advisor, and community advocate from Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation in Treaty Four Territory, southern Saskatchewan. With more than 30 years of leadership experience across health, government, media, sport, and community development sectors, he is recognized nationally for advancing Indigenous engagement, reconciliation, cultural safety, and collaborative systems transformation.

Elmer currently serves with Indigenous Health at Vancouver Coastal Health as Manager, Indigenous Partnerships and First Nations Protocols, Indigenous Collaborative Engagement, Traditional Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers. In this role, he works closely with First Nations communities, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and health partners to strengthen culturally informed systems of care and Indigenous health priorities across the region.

A proud member of Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation and a fourth-generation survivor of the Indian Residential School system, Elmer brings both professional expertise and lived experience to his work. Since 1996, he has collaborated with Traditional Elders and Knowledge Keepers across North America and has organized more than 75 Indigenous Cultural Awareness Workshops, land-based cultural camps, and reconciliation-focused learning gatherings.

Throughout his career, Elmer has held leadership roles with the Government of Saskatchewan, the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society, the 2005 Canada Summer Games, and the 2014 Regina North American Indigenous Games. His work has contributed to major Indigenous engagement initiatives, including the raising of the Treaty Four flag at Regina City Hall and advancing Indigenous inclusion at Canadian Western Agribition.

Elmer is a recipient of the 2008 Canada's National Diversity Award in Media and the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for Reconciliation. He has been invited to speak nationally on Indigenous leadership, cultural safety, reconciliation, mental health, homelessness, and community wellness. Guided by traditional teachings and a lifelong commitment to service, he continues to champion healing, relationship-building, and Indigenous wellness across Canada.

Emina Dervisevic (Manager, Community Engagement | Vancouver Coastal Health)

Emina Dervisevic is an award-winning health system leader and Manager of Community Engagement at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), one of five British Columbia's health authorities. She leads organization-wide strategies that integrate patient/client, family and community perspectives into health-care planning, capital development, and service redesign, advancing person- and family-centred care at scale.

With more than 15 years of experience across federal, provincial and municipal contexts, Emina specializes in designing and leading engagement processes in complex, high-sensitivity environments, where public expectations, system constraints and diverse lived experiences must be carefully navigated. Her work sits at the intersection of engagement, quality and planning, with a strong focus on ensuring that community input meaningfully informs decision-making and system transformation.

A defining aspect of Emina's leadership is her commitment to advancing more equitable, culturally safe and relationship-based approaches to engagement. As a settler of Croatian and Bosnian descent and a first-generation immigrant who came to Canada from a war-affected region, she brings a deeply personal understanding of the impacts of conflict, displacement and the importance of trust, dignity and peace in public institutions. This lived experience shapes her approach, grounded in empathy, respect and a commitment to creating spaces where all voices are heard, particularly those who have been historically marginalized.

At VCH, she works in close partnership with Indigenous Health teams to evolve engagement practices beyond transactional consultation toward approaches grounded in trust, reciprocity and respect for Indigenous rights, knowledge systems and governance. This includes supporting early and sustained engagement with Nations, co-developing engagement processes and strengthening internal capacity to work in ways that are responsive to Indigenous priorities and aligned with reconciliation commitments.

Emina is known for facilitating complex and often difficult conversations, bringing together diverse perspectives, and building consensus in environments where trust must be actively earned. She serves as an engagement advisor to teams across VCH, translating engagement insights into clear, actionable recommendations that strengthen decision-making, advance equity and build public confidence in the health system.

Her contributions to the field have been recognized through the OneVCH Leadership Award (2023), as well as the Gold Quill Award (2022) and the IAP2 Core Values Award (2021) for Translation & Interpretation Engagement, which reflects her commitment to inclusive engagement and excellence in practice.

She holds a Master of Arts and is currently completing a Master of Health Administration at the University of British Columbia.

Carleen Thomas (Elder/Knowledge Holder for Tsleil-Waututh Nation)

Carleen Thomas is a member of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and is the Special Projects Manager for the Treaty Lands, and Resources Department of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. Ms. Thomas’ main file is the Indigenous Advisory & Monitoring Committee for the Trans Mountain project; and she also supports the many teams in TLR, as an advisor/knowledge holder concerning impacts on the environment, and Tsleil-Waututh rights and interests.

In 2003, Ms. Thomas obtained her Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia, through the Native Indian Teacher Education Program. She went on to become a District Aboriginal Education Resource teacher for Burnaby School District, and then later, an Aboriginal Literacy/Numeracy Resource teacher for North Vancouver District #44.

Ms. Thomas then spent several years in TWN Education Department, as coordinator, teacher, and eventually, as the Manager of Education, before secondment to work with the Sacred Trust Initiative. She also spent one & half years on the Capilano Senate as an Indigenous representative.

Carleen Thomas achieved 16 years as an elected Council member for the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, in which she held the portfolio of Community Development. She continues to support her community as a member of TWN’s Lands Advisory Committee and the Climate Change Advisory Committee.

Ms. Thomas currently sits on the Indigenous Education Committees for North Vancouver, Vancouver, and Burnaby School Districts, Carnegie Centre Indigenous Advisory Committee, appointed Chancellor at the Emily Carr University of Art & Design in 2021. Serves as Elder in Residence for BCIT and Capilano University. Recently appointed to the Providence Health Care Board of Directors at St. Paul’s Hospital.

Carleen is most proud of being married to Dave Thomas Sr. for 36 years, until his untimely, but peaceful passing September 2019. She is also a proud mother of three, and grandmother of seven granddaughters and one grandson.

Cara Lenoir (President of IAP2 Canada)

Cara Lenoir is a descendant of the Dene Nation in Northwest Territories and a proud member of the Liidlii Kue First Nation -- a remote northern community located by the mighty Mackenzie River and now calls North Vancouver home.

An independent Indigenous Relations Strategist, Cara works with clients across Canada to foster relationships between Indigenous Peoples, governments, and industry. Her passion is bringing people together to build reconciliation pathways, and contributing to the enhanced cultural competency, knowledge and capacity of all those in partnership. She has over 20 years experience supporting and leading the creation of Indigenous Initiatives in the public and private sectors with a focus on procurement, training and employment strategy development and implementation.

Cara earned a Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurial Management from Royal Roads University, as well as a Management Studies diploma from Grant MacEwan University.

In her volunteer hours, she serves as the Chair of the Indigenous Engagement Community of Practice and Learning Partner with the Indigenous Awareness Leaning Program with the International Association of Public Participation Canada (IAP2). On her time off, she loves taking road trips and exploring new hiking trails.

Dr. Gladys Rowe, PHD (Founder & Director | Indigenous Insights Collective)

Dr. Gladys Rowe (she/her) is Muskego Inninew (Swampy Cree) with membership in Fox Lake Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba, Canada. She holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies (Social Work, Indigenous Studies, and English, Film & Theatre) and is the Director of Indigenous Insights Collective.

Gladys is a community facilitator, program designer, educator, researcher, and evaluator with approaches rooted in Indigenous, decolonial, and anti-colonial frameworks. She integrates arts-based methods including poetry, collage, zine-making, and visual storytelling to support reflection, storytelling, and collective meaning-making. Her practice recognizes that systems transformation happens through relationships, dialogue, and creativity—holding space for complexity, healing, and emergence.

Gladys hosts Indigenous Insights: An Evaluation Podcast, launched in 2022, which has released over 50 episodes and received more than 31,000 global listens. Through this platform, she uplifts stories of Indigenous and decolonial evaluators, artists, and community leaders who are reimagining what evaluation can be when grounded in values, stories, and shared humanity.

Martina Battistone (Practice Lead, Open Point)

As North America Practice Lead at Open Point, Martina supports public and nonprofit organizations in advancing best practices in community engagement. Before joining Open Point, she served as Principal Environmental Planner at the City of Pittsburgh, which received the 2024 IAP2 USA Core Values Award for Organization of the Year. As part of the City’s Sustainability and Resilience Division, Martina led park planning initiatives across Pittsburgh, working with communities to shape long-term visions and investment strategies that reflected resident priorities. Her experience spans both the practice and evolution of public engagement, with a focus on creating meaningful, inclusive opportunities for communities to help shape the places where they live.

Sophia Robison (Practice Lead, Open Point)

As North America Practice Lead at Open Point, Sophia Robison supports and builds a community of best practice in public engagement within the public and non-profit sectors, particularly as it relates to the use of digital technology. Previously, Sophia worked in local government with the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of City Planning and as an Economic Development Planner for the Town of Brookline, MA. She graduated from Cornell University, where she received a Master of City and Regional Planning in 2017, and continued her training with the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2).

Fiona Rayher (Public Engagement Specialist, District of Squamish)

Fiona is the Public Engagement Specialist at the District of Squamish where she leads cross-departmental civic engagement to ensure community voices are heard and integrated into Council decisions. With a background in community engagement, policy innovation, strategic communications, and arts/culture, she brings a creative and heart centred approach to engagement that emphasizes connection, inclusivity, and fresh ways for inspiring participation. Fiona studied political science and communications at Simon Fraser University, social innovation at the University of Waterloo, and is certified in public participation through the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2). She is also a Director at Large at Squamish Arts where she lends a strategic hand to elevating arts and culture in Squamish.

Sue Weare (Community Engagement Consultant, City of Kitchener)

As the City of Kitchener's Community Engagement Consultant, Sue Weare leads corporate public engagement strategy and supports staff in creating meaningful opportunities for residents to shape decisions that affect them. Known for her vitality and an ability to turn complex ideas into practical approaches, she will share insights from 15 years working in public, post-secondary, and non-profit sectors. Sue is passionate about helping to build stronger connections, foster trust, and amplify the voices of those often left out of the conversation.

Ron Neff (Engage Planner, City of Calgary)

Ron Neff is a public engagement and community relations professional with extensive experience supporting municipal initiatives, stakeholder collaboration, and strategic planning. Through his work with The City of Calgary and community-focused organizations, he has led engagement strategies, facilitated dialogue, developed clear reporting processes, and built partnerships across diverse groups. Ron brings strong communication, facilitation, project coordination, and political acumen to his work, with a focus on creating meaningful public input, strengthening relationships, and supporting effective decision-making.

Elmer Eashappie (Manager, Indigenous Partnerships and First Nations Protocols, Indigenous Collaborative Engagement, Traditional Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers | Indigenous Health, Vancouver Coastal Health )

Elmer Eashappie Jr. is an Indigenous executive leader, advisor, and community advocate from Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation in Treaty Four Territory, southern Saskatchewan. With more than 30 years of leadership experience across health, government, media, sport, and community development sectors, he is recognized nationally for advancing Indigenous engagement, reconciliation, cultural safety, and collaborative systems transformation.

Elmer currently serves with Indigenous Health at Vancouver Coastal Health as Manager, Indigenous Partnerships and First Nations Protocols, Indigenous Collaborative Engagement, Traditional Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers. In this role, he works closely with First Nations communities, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and health partners to strengthen culturally informed systems of care and Indigenous health priorities across the region.

A proud member of Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation and a fourth-generation survivor of the Indian Residential School system, Elmer brings both professional expertise and lived experience to his work. Since 1996, he has collaborated with Traditional Elders and Knowledge Keepers across North America and has organized more than 75 Indigenous Cultural Awareness Workshops, land-based cultural camps, and reconciliation-focused learning gatherings.

Throughout his career, Elmer has held leadership roles with the Government of Saskatchewan, the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society, the 2005 Canada Summer Games, and the 2014 Regina North American Indigenous Games. His work has contributed to major Indigenous engagement initiatives, including the raising of the Treaty Four flag at Regina City Hall and advancing Indigenous inclusion at Canadian Western Agribition.

Elmer is a recipient of the 2008 Canada’s National Diversity Award in Media and the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for Reconciliation. He has been invited to speak nationally on Indigenous leadership, cultural safety, reconciliation, mental health, homelessness, and community wellness. Guided by traditional teachings and a lifelong commitment to service, he continues to champion healing, relationship-building, and Indigenous wellness across Canada.

Emina Dervisevic (Manager, Community Engagement | Vancouver Coastal Health)

Emina Dervisevic is an award-winning health system leader and Manager of Community Engagement at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), one of five British Columbia’s health authorities. She leads organization-wide strategies that integrate patient/client, family and community perspectives into health-care planning, capital development, and service redesign, advancing person- and family-centred care at scale.

With more than 15 years of experience across federal, provincial and municipal contexts, Emina specializes in designing and leading engagement processes in complex, high-sensitivity environments, where public expectations, system constraints and diverse lived experiences must be carefully navigated. Her work sits at the intersection of engagement, quality and planning, with a strong focus on ensuring that community input meaningfully informs decision-making and system transformation.

A defining aspect of Emina’s leadership is her commitment to advancing more equitable, culturally safe and relationship-based approaches to engagement. As a settler of Croatian and Bosnian descent and a first-generation immigrant who came to Canada from a war-affected region, she brings a deeply personal understanding of the impacts of conflict, displacement and the importance of trust, dignity and peace in public institutions. This lived experience shapes her approach, grounded in empathy, respect and a commitment to creating spaces where all voices are heard, particularly those who have been historically marginalized.

At VCH, she works in close partnership with Indigenous Health teams to evolve engagement practices beyond transactional consultation toward approaches grounded in trust, reciprocity and respect for Indigenous rights, knowledge systems and governance. This includes supporting early and sustained engagement with Nations, co-developing engagement processes and strengthening internal capacity to work in ways that are responsive to Indigenous priorities and aligned with reconciliation commitments.

Emina is known for facilitating complex and often difficult conversations, bringing together diverse perspectives, and building consensus in environments where trust must be actively earned. She serves as an engagement advisor to teams across VCH, translating engagement insights into clear, actionable recommendations that strengthen decision-making, advance equity and build public confidence in the health system.

Her contributions to the field have been recognized through the OneVCH Leadership Award (2023), as well as the Gold Quill Award (2022) and the IAP2 Core Values Award (2021) for Translation & Interpretation Engagement, which reflects her commitment to inclusive engagement and excellence in practice.

She holds a Master of Arts and is currently completing a Master of Health Administration at the University of British Columbia.

Judy Carlick Pearson (IAP2 Canada Training & Development)

Judy Carlick Pearson is an Indigenous facilitator, communications and engagement professional, entrepreneur, and former municipal elected official whose work focuses on strengthening understanding and relationships between Indigenous Peoples, governments, organizations and communities.

Judy is Ts’msyen, Tahltan and Tlingit. Her traditional name is Gatgyedm Hana’am Neełx — Strong Killerwhale Woman. She is of the Gisbutwada (Killerwhale) Crest and Gitwilgyoots Tribe, with family connections throughout northern British Columbia, Alaska and the Yukon.

Judy brings together lived experience and professional practice in her approach to Indigenous awareness and engagement. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Interdisciplinary Studies from Royal Roads University, with honours, and has completed IAP2 Level 1 Fundamentals of Public Participation and Engagement. Her career has included work in Indigenous business strategy, environmental operations, communications and public affairs. She has also served as a City Councillor for the City of Prince Rupert, providing firsthand experience at the intersection of Indigenous communities, local government, policy and public decision-making.

Chief Frank Antoine (Chief of the Bonaparte First Nation)

Frank Antoine is from the Bonaparte First Nation which is part of the Shuswap Nation of the Interior Salish. He is also the co-founder of Moccasin Trails Inc. which is based out of Kamloops & Kelowna, B.C.

His lifetime experiences and cultural practices have given him a platform to work on many levels within the tourism industry. "Wanting to grow Indigenous tourism is to learn how to trust and how to share our indigenous values in a respectful business format. If done right, tourism will educate our guests & visitors the authentic ways of our ancestors."

Frank has sat on a variety of tourism boards in his province of British Columbia & Canada from grassroots, regional, provincial & national. He also currently sits on the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance as the current Chair.

He is a sought-after presenter who is well-versed in a multitude of Indigenous topics including his own inspiring journey, relationship / partnership building, authentic Indigenous tourism development, Indigenous empowerment and much more. Frank is a strong cultural ambassador and proud to share the traditional values he carries today.

Lyndsay Ward (Lead Strategist, Corporate Public Engagement | City of Edmonton)

Lyndsay Ward has over 16 years of experience in public participation and engagement. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, a Diploma in Public Relations and a Certificate in Facilitative Mediation, and has completed numerous IAP2 courses. For the past 12 years, Lyndsay has worked with the City of Edmonton, where she provides leadership in public engagement and has played a key role in building and transforming the City’s engagement capacity, supporting consistent practices and advancing public engagement across the organization.

Maral Hamayeli (Senior Strategic Engagement Advisor, Corporate Public Engagement | City of Edmonton)

Maral Hamayeli is a Senior Strategic Engagement Advisor with the City of Edmonton, bringing over ten years of international and Canadian experience in participatory planning and digital engagement. She holds an MA in Digital Humanities from the University of Alberta and focuses on equity-driven, trauma-informed, and data-informed practices. Maral supports major City initiatives and helps strengthen organizational engagement capacity across the public service.

Robyn Braun (Methods & Practice Lead, Corporate Public Engagement | City of Edmonton) — Virtual Panelist

Robyn Braun, PhD, is the Methods and Practices Lead for Public Engagement at the City of Edmonton, where she works to strengthen the quality, consistency, and accessibility of public engagement across the organization. A researcher, writer, educator, and facilitator, Robyn has more than 15 years of experience translating complex ideas into practical approaches for public, professional, and academic audiences. Her work spans public engagement, communications, research, professional education, and knowledge design, with a particular interest in how people make sense of complex information and participate meaningfully in public life.

Jason Timmons (Senior Public Engagement Advisor | City of Edmonton) — Virtual Panelist

Jason Timmons is a public policy researcher and public engagement professional with nearly 10 years of experience across different government sectors. In his current role as the Senior Public Engagement Advisor for City Operations at the City of Edmonton, Jason leads a small team of engagement staff to support Safe Mobility, Parks & Roads, Transit, and Waste projects. He holds a Masters of Arts in Policy Studies and is passionate about leveraging a data-driven approach to ensure the public's seat at the table in participatory decision-making.

Graeme Matichuk (Public Engagement Advisor | City of Edmonton) — Virtual Panelist

Graeme Matichuk (he/him) is a public engagement advisor at the City of Edmonton supporting climate, environment, and open space projects. He is an experienced facilitator and community engagement practitioner with nine years of practice in the field. Graeme believes that there are always opportunities to improve our approaches with inclusion, accessibility, and creativity in mind. Building on his accessibility and Indigenous engagement training, he advocates for strengthening Indigenous involvement and perspectives of people with disabilities in municipal engagement.

Olivia Howard (Public Engagement Advisor | City of Edmonton) — Virtual Panelist

Olivia Howard is a Public Engagement Advisor in the Urban Planning and Economy Department with upwards of 5 years of experience planning and designing public engagement. She is particularly passionate about increasing awareness of public engagement's importance and building civic literacy through authentic and fun community conversations. Olivia's favorite projects to work on centre ambitiously cool engagement techniques that lean into the joy of authentic connection. Olivia is currently pursuing a Bachelor's of Psychology and is interested in bridging human behavior analysis with her engagement work at the City of Edmonton.

Joanne Jacyk (Director, Site Selection ILW | NWMO)

Joanne Jacyk is the Director, Site Selection ILW at the NWMO, bringing more than 25 years of experience in environmental monitoring, impact assessment, and participatory design and decision-making. Since joining the NWMO in 2009, she has progressed through roles including Senior Environmental Scientist, Manager – Environment Program, and Siting Director – Ignace, building on earlier consulting work across the mining, waste management, and nuclear sectors. She led the NWMO’s northwest engagement team through the final years of the site selection process, culminating in a national siting decision. Joanne holds a degree in Biosystems Engineering and a Masters in Environmental Science and is both a Professional Engineer and Certified Professional Facilitator. The granddaughter of Polish and Ukrainian immigrants, she continues her Reconciliation journey by learning more about historic and modern treaties while reconnecting with her own cultural traditions. Currently based in Toronto, she enjoys coaching her kids’ sports and contributing to her community—while staying a loyal prairie‑raised Jets fan.

Nicole Armos (Associate Director, Knowledge and Practice | SFU Centre for Dialogue)

Nicole Armos is an Associate Director, Knowledge and Practice, at Simon Fraser University’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, where she works to advance innovative and equitable approaches to dialogue and democratic participation. Since 2013, Nicole has supported over a dozen local, provincial and federal public engagement projects.

Nicole leads the Centre’s internal professional development program, as well as collaborative research projects and external knowledge exchange initiatives on democratic participation. She is the lead writer of the Beyond Inclusion: Equity in Public Engagement guide and the Maturity Model for Public Participation. She currently co-facilitates the City of New Westminster’s Community Advisory Assembly, a standing deliberative body designed to advise city staff and Council on municipal priorities.

Michelle Bested (Associate Director, Engagement and Social Enterprise | SFU Centre for Dialogue)

Michelle Bested is the Engagement and Social Enterprise Associate Director at Simon Fraser University’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue where she collaborates with partners at national, provincial and municipal levels, designing and delivering public and stakeholder engagement initiatives on diverse topics such as affordable housing, wellbeing of children and youth, job readiness, human rights and climate change. She currently co-facilitates the City of New Westminster’s Community Advisory Assembly, a standing deliberative body designed to advise city staff and Council on municipal priorities.

Michelle’s passion lies in fostering meaningful conversations to support transformative dialogue. Her projects with the Centre focus on enhancing public engagement capacity, while emphasizing inclusion, diversity and accessibility. Most importantly, Michelle loves meeting new people, developing new relationships with partners and maximizing opportunities to centre the expertise and lived experiences of participants.

Dr. Sherry Campbell, BA, CHA, MA, PhD

Sherry Campbell has over 20 years of experience as an educator, business consultant and senior leader in industry. Her business consulting has focused on complex engagement with government, regulatory bodies, professional organizations and employers across 200 industries in Canada. Her work has included over 70 projects in Canada, the US, Mexico, Europe and South Africa and she has led consultant and workplace teams in engagement planning with the public and special interest groups. Sherry is also a frequent speaker at national and international conferences such as ACMP Global, IAP2 North America, the Conference Board of Canada and Vancouver Board of Trade, and she delivers webinars and workshops on various topics such as managing change and workforce development.

Sherry has a BA degree in psychology and graduate degrees, CHA, MA and PhD, in public administration, organizational leadership and leadership and organizational psychology respectively in Canada and the US. Her certifications include ACMP Global as a Change Management Professional, Prosci Change Management Practitioner and Enterprise Change Management Practitioner, IAP2 Professional Public Participation Practitioner and IAF International Facilitator certification. She has gained her MCC (Master Coach Certification) with the International Coaching Federation and is a certified member of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants (CMC Canada).

Valérie Lehmann (ESG UQAM & Sciences Po Lyon)

Valérie Lehmann is a full professor at ESG UQAM (Montréal) and at Sciences Po Lyon (France). She is certified in Public Participation by AIP2 Canada and is a LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Facilitator. She is employed by several educational institutions and is part of the ESSEC Change Chair team. She serves on the boards of several organizations and Think Tanks, including AGECSO, La Fabrique du Futur, and The Flow Francophone. She is also an active member of the IAP2 Research Committee. Her roles in organizations and local governments, along with her training activities, research, and publications, center on participatory project management, knowledge management, change management, stakeholder engagement, and open innovation initiatives, such as Living Labs.

Valérie Lehmann has authored numerous scientific articles since 2010. She has co-edited several books, including Communication et grands projets (2013), Démocratie participative (2019), L’innovation collective (2020), Pour des parties prenantes engagées dans les projets (2022) and Traditional Knowledge in the Face of 21st-Century Challenges (2025).

As a facilitator of LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, she collaborates with public and private organizations to enhance their practices, promote collective innovation, and encourage participatory approaches.

Colin Ellis (Co-Founder, CE Canvas)

Colin Ellis is the co-founder of CE Canvas, an AI-supported engagement project management platform designed to help teams plan, deliver, and report on community engagement more consistently and effectively.

An IAP2-certified engagement professional, Colin has spent 20 years working at the intersection of public participation, government, and engagement technology. He has held senior leadership and partnership roles with organizations including Bang the Table, Granicus, Social Pinpoint, and PublicInput, supporting communities across Canada and the United States.

Through CE Canvas, Colin helps engagement teams strengthen organizational capacity, build and retain institutional knowledge, and apply AI in practical, transparent, and responsible ways. He is particularly interested in moving the conversation about AI beyond novelty and toward applications that improve the quality, consistency, and defensibility of public participation.

Charles Connell (Co-Founder, CE Canvas)

Charles Connell is a technology entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience building digital platforms that help organisations engage, communicate and work more effectively with their communities.

He is the co-founder of CE Canvas, an AI-assisted workspace designed to support the full community engagement lifecycle, from planning and delivery through to analysis and reporting.

Charles was also a founder of Social Pinpoint (Open Point), one of the early pioneers of digital community engagement, helping introduce interactive mapping and other digital participation tools that have since become commonplace across the sector.

His current focus is on the next evolution of engagement technology: how AI can be responsibly applied to strengthen professional practice, reduce administrative burden and support better decision-making, while keeping human judgement and relationships at the centre of community engagement.

Paulette den Elzen (Senior Manager, Stakeholder Relations and Communications | Accenture)

For more than 25 years, Paulette has helped organizations turn complex infrastructure projects into opportunities to build trust, strengthen communities, and create lasting value. A strategic communications and community engagement leader, she brings deep expertise in strategic planning, issues and crisis management, media relations, marketing communications, and integrated engagement across transit, transportation, water, health care, justice, and sports.

Paulette’s work delivers practical results. She creates accessible communications and engagement programs, connects local businesses to economic and employment opportunities on major projects, and supports youth training, development, and post-secondary education in historically underserved communities. Internationally, she has partnered with the government of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, organizations in the U.S., and other agencies to deliver communications, engagement and public health education programs. Known for her thoughtful, practical approach, Paulette helps organizations listen with purpose, build meaningful relationships, and move ambitious projects forward.

Sarina Grewal (Stakeholder Relations and Communications Manager | Accenture)

Sarina is an engagement and communications professional with experience in the government, media, and non-profit spaces. Based in Toronto, she has developed and led communications strategies for organizations including the City of Toronto, Plan International Canada, and most recently Metrolinx. She is experienced in many different areas of communications, including digital, media relations, community engagement, crisis communications, and government relations. As someone with deep dedication to public service, she has used her skills to support work in fields such as community housing and transit.

When not at work, Sarina spends her free time reading, running, trying food spots and cafes in her home city, and finding new records to add to her collection.

Jenan Nasser (Senior Manager, Stakeholder Engagement and Communications | Accenture)

Jenan is a Senior Stakeholder Engagement and Communications strategist with Accenture’s Infrastructure & Capital Projects practice, bringing more than 10 years of experience in stakeholder engagement, internal communications, and government affairs. She works in politically sensitive environments delivering communications, stakeholder engagement, and public outreach strategies for complex transit and infrastructure initiatives. Jenan has extensive experience navigating diverse stakeholder landscapes, managing risk, and aligning the interests of government officials, communities, agencies, and project partners.

Over the past six years, Jenan has played a lead role in major transit infrastructure and urban development projects across Canada and the U.S., including the Ontario Line subway project, the Yonge North and Scarborough Subway Extension Projects, Transit-Oriented Communities, and the SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

She currently resides in Los Angeles, California, supporting the expansion of Accenture’s Infrastructure & Capital Projects practice in the U.S., bringing a cross-border perspective on infrastructure delivery and stakeholder engagement.

Hosted by IAP2 BC & Yukon Chapter

The IAP2 BC & Yukon Chapter is a provincial chapter of IAP2 Canada and provides participatory decision-making practitioners in the region with a connected community, collective learning opportunities and thought leadership and innovation.

Sponsored by Open Point

Open Point is the only platform designed for the full scope of engagement, helping organizations move from input to insight to impact.

Through its community engagement and stakeholder relationship management products, Open Point enables organizations to capture meaningful participation, manage relationships, and maintain a clear, transparent record of engagement.

The result is a clearer understanding of the people, perspectives, and priorities shaping a project, so teams can make better-informed decisions, demonstrate how input has influenced outcomes, and move projects forward with greater confidence, accountability, and trust.

Learn more at openpoint.com.

Rebecca Smith (Executive Director, IAP2 Canada)

Rebecca is a visionary leader with over 20 years of experience driving strategic growth, key interest holder engagement, and transformative change in mission-driven organizations. Her career spans executive roles in non-profits, associations, and social enterprises, where she has championed inclusive decision-making, governance modernization, and community advocacy.

Throughout her dynamic career, Rebecca has held pivotal leadership positions with organizations such as the Canadian Women Voters Congress, the Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce, and the Canadian Mental Health Association. She has a proven track record of fostering collaboration, diversifying funding models, and bridging gaps between policy and public participation—skills that align seamlessly with IAP2 Canada’s mission.

A proud Métis Citizen and dedicated community advocate, Rebecca has spearheaded initiatives in women’s rights, mental health awareness, and anti-bullying legislation, grounded in her belief that every voice matters. Her leadership blends strategic vision with hands-on experience in digital transformation, operational resilience, and equitable engagement.

At IAP2 Canada, Rebecca is excited to advance meaningful public participation nationwide, strengthening connections between communities, governments, and organizations. Outside of work, she remains an active volunteer and resides in Cloverdale, BC, where she continues to champion local advocacy and inclusion.

Aidan Eyakuze (CEO | Open Government Partnership)

Aidan Eyakuze is the Chief Executive Officer of the Open Government Partnership. As CEO, he leads OGP's efforts to support its 74 member countries and thousands of local governments and civil society partners in co-creating and implementing reforms that make governments more open, inclusive, and responsive to citizens.

He is an alumni of two Canadian universities - Trent University and Simon Fraser University. He is also the former Executive Director of Twaweza East Africa, working to enable children to learn, citizens to exercise agency, and governments to be more open and responsive in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.

In May 2016, Aidan joined the OGP Steering Committee as a civil society member. Aidan served as the civil society co-chair for 2021-2022.

In June 2017, he was appointed to the Board of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD).

Before joining OGP, Aidan was Associate Regional Director of the Society for International Development (SID) and Head of the SID Tanzania office. He has 15 years of experience as a scenario practitioner, through participation in national scenario-building projects in Kenya (2000 & 2010), Tanzania (2003), South Africa (2004), Nigeria (2007) and East Africa (2005-2008). He co-lead the publication of the State of East Africa Reports and facilitated futures thinking for private sector, civil society and public organisations.

Aidan is an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow. He is also a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN) and served on the Governing Board of the Millennium Challenge Account (Tanzania) until August 2014. He maintains a keen intellectual and professional interest in economic policy, financial markets, and the impact of trends in information and communications technologies on society.

Devon Clunis (Chief of Police (ret’d), City of Winnipeg, Inspector General of Policing (ret’d), Province of Ontario, International Police and Leadership Consultant)

Devon served 29 years with The Winnipeg Police Service, retiring as Chief in 2016.

Devon is widely respected for his professionalism, integrity, and problem-solving leadership. With extensive experience evaluating and strengthening community safety systems, he has helped inspire change and implement best practices in policing across Canada and the United States.

Skilled at building stakeholder relationships and navigating complex political environments, Devon led the development of the Inspectorate of Policing in Ontario—the first of its kind in Canada—establishing oversight and standards under the Community Safety and Policing Act.

He also chaired the Steering Committee for Manitoba’s Public Safety Training Strategy, a framework shaping the future of training for public safety personnel across the province.

Devon is the co-author of two children’s books on equity, diversity, and inclusion. His reflective autobiography, ONE – A Story of Hope in Our Time, explores many of today’s social challenges and calls for a more cohesive and compassionate society.

Today, Devon works across Canada and the United States supporting police services in addressing the evolving needs of community safety and well-being, while speaking widely on leadership, organizational development, and unity in diversity.

Dr. Tracey Ehl, MCP3, PhD, CPF, MCIP, RPP (Ehl Harrison Consulting)

Tracey Ehl, Ph.D, MCP3, CPF, RPP, supports people, communities and organizations across sectors locally and internationally to design and facilitate processes that build relationships, generate innovative ideas and supportable solutions. She works in the areas of sustainability, micro finance, training, public water system management, municipal planning, transportation and public transit, waste management, wastewater infrastructure, energy and community development. Tracey is an active volunteer in her community, a small business owner, and an aspiring writer and voice actor who appreciates good humour and adventures in nature.

Luis Oré, JD, MA, MA, DBA (c)

Mediator, consensus building and engagement practitioner, negotiation consultant, and conflict coach and trainer. Lawyer from the University of Lima. Master’s in communication from WKU (US) and Master in Conflict Management from the Institute for Conflict Management at Lipscomb University (US), trained in Negotiation Pedagogy from Harvard University, trained by Al Gore, former US VP in Climate Change, Consultant and Peace Builder with Mediators Beyond Borders International (USA) and International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Licensed Trainer. Former Deputy Secretary of Conflict Management with the Prime Minister Office of Peru during the transition and emergency government of Peru in 2021.

Dr. Cassie Hemphill, CP3, PhD, CVF, CM (Confluence Training)

Cassie Hemphill, Ph.D., CP3, has spent 30 years helping public agencies, nonprofits, and communities design meaningful engagement, communicate through change, and improve how decisions are made. An IAP2 Licensed Trainer and Mentor, certified mediator, and member of the Spectrum Evolution Project Team, she helps people stay in the room when everything says “run”—and turns complexity, conflict, and change into practical paths forward.

Dr. Aftab Erfan, PHD (Executive Director | SFU Centre for Dialogue)

Dr. Aftab Erfan (she|her) is the Executive Director of the Simon Fraser University (SFU) Centre for Dialogue and an Associate Member within Simon Fraser University’s School of Public Policy. Previously, she served as the City of Vancouver’s inaugural Chief Equity Officer, and as Director of Dialogue and Conflict Engagement at the University of British Columbia (UBC). She holds a PhD from the University of British Columbia, a Masters from McGill University, and a BSc from the University of British Columbia. Aftab has extensive experience as a process designer and facilitator, specializing in hosting dialogues on contentious issues with warmth and creativity. Her experience spans 15 years and five continents. She holds numerous honours, including the BC500 Most Influential Business Leaders in British Columbia (Business in Vancouver), Research for a Better Life: The Storytellers Challenge (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council), and Best Published Paper Award Shortlist (Association of European Schools of Planning).

Brittney Kroiss (Board Director | Neurodiversity Change Foundation)

Brittney Kroiss (she/they) is a multi-neurodivergent engagement and systems-change professional working at the intersection of P2, equity, accessibility, data and continuous improvement. Drawing on experience in applied sociology, community development, social services, research, analysis and public administration, Brittney translates complex information and diverse community perspectives into practical insights that strengthen decision-making, enhance public value and support more equitable systems. Her professional development includes specialized training in inclusive leadership and designing for accessibility.

Brittney co-authored an IAP2 Canada paper on neuro-inclusion in public participation with Kelly Guthrie and has led IAP2 Lunch and Learn sessions on engagement data planning, analysis, visualization and reporting. Brittney is also a recipient of the Preston Manning Award, recognizing significant capacity to promote an ethical agenda within the public service. Brittney further advances equity and accessibility through advisory work and as a Board Director with Neurodiversity Change Foundation.

Brittney’s practice is grounded in the belief that meaningful inclusion requires more than access. It requires examining power, challenging dominant assumptions, redesigning systems and creating genuine opportunities for people with lived expertise to shape decisions and lead change.

Kelly Guthrie (Community Engagement Advisor | City of Guelph)

Kelly Guthrie (she/her) has worked in municipal government since 2007 and has defined her role as a community minded, collaborative and innovative pioneer in engagement and community development. Kelly co-authored the City of Guelph’s 2013 Community Engagement Framework and policy and participated in the 2023 review and Charter. She has planned and implemented public participation strategies for over 225 projects. Breaking down barriers to participation for all people has always been top of mind and her practice and training on equity, anti-racism and Indigenous engagement has been a focus that she has found to be incredibly rewarding. She recognizes and welcomes that there remains much to learn. Recently diagnosed with ADHD her awareness has grown to include breaking down barriers towards neuro-inclusion.

Kelly became an IAP2 Certified Public Participation Practitioner (CP3) in 2022 and received, as part of a team, the 2020 Core Values award for Extending the Practice through Creativity, Contribution & Innovation in the Field and the Canadian, Project of the Year for the project “A United vision: Guelph’s Community Plan”.

Joseph Thornley (CEO; Founder | Thornley Fallis Communications; CiviCentre)

Joseph Thornley is the CEO of Thornley Fallis Communications and Founder of the CiviCentre, suite of online engagement tools, which includes the 76engage online public engagement platform, 76insights for analysis and reporting, 76communities supporting grassroots mobilization, and the 76prm participant relationship manager.

He has designed and managed sophisticated online public engagements on major issues of public interest for federal, provincial, and local governments, agencies, and associations.

Joseph has been active in IAP2 since 2013. He has spoken at almost every IAP2 North American Conference since the Portland conference in 2015. In 2018, he was the lead organizer of the IAP2 National Capital Region Chapter. He currently is a member of the IAP2 Canada Research Committee.

Joseph was an early adopter of social media. He began blogging at ProPr.ca in 2005. In 2016, he started the Inside P2 podcast, which focuses on public participation in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.

From 2006 to 2020, Joseph organized the Third Tuesday speakers series which brought people together to discuss the impact of social and digital media on society and our engagement as citizens.

He is a past Chairman of the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms.

Aaron Bernard (Founder | Spatial Media)

Aaron Bernard is a creative technology leader and founding director of Spatial Media, where he has been focused on transforming how communities understand and engage with infrastructure projects globally for over a decade.

Throughout his career, Aaron has pushed the boundaries of digital community engagement, championing the use of interactive mapping, 3D visualization, digital twins, immersive experiences, video, analytics and emerging technologies to make complex projects easier to understand and more accessible to the public.

Aaron is helping spearhead the next evolution of engagement including how AI, data and new digital tools can help organizations better understand their audiences, communicate complex ideas and create more meaningful two-way engagement.

Aaron believes technology should enhance—not replace—the human side of community engagement, giving more people the opportunity to understand, participate in and influence the projects shaping their communities.

Justin Lagac (Account Director | Irth)

Justin Lagac is an Account Director at Irth, where he helps organizations across North America turn stakeholder engagement into a strategic advantage. He is an active listener and strategic thinker with a gift for translating his clients’ business needs into solutions, and he has expertise across the energy, retail, and healthcare industries.

Justin works closely with clients to ensure they get the most value out of Irth’s platform, guiding organizations through implementation, training, and ongoing optimization so they can manage stakeholder relationships, land access, grievances, and compliance requirements with confidence. He is based in North America and is a graduate of Bishop’s University.

Ward Ferguson (VP of Product and Operations | Jambo)

Ward Ferguson is a Co-Founder and the VP of Product and Operations at Jambo, the stakeholder relationship management (SRM) software platform built for teams managing engagement, consultation, and Indigenous relations.

As co-founder, Ward has helped shape Jambo from the ground up. He leads product direction and operations, with a focus on ensuring the platform solves real problems for the people who use it day to day. That means working closely with practitioners across government, natural resources, energy, infrastructure, and many other sectors to understand how engagement actually happens on the ground, then translating that into tools that make the work easier.

He’s a firm believer that good stakeholder engagement software should reflect the realities of practitioners, not the other way around. Under his leadership, Jambo has grown into a platform trusted by engagement teams worldwide.

Ward is a strong advocate for the role technology can play in building trust, transparency, and better relationships between organizations and the communities they work with.

Dan Keane (Director | Open Point)

Dan Keane serves as Director at Open Point, bringing nearly a decade of experience in the public engagement industry. He works closely with organizations across North America to understand their evolving engagement needs, challenges, and priorities—and helps translate those insights into the direction of Open Point’s business and technology. Throughout his career, Dan has partnered with hundreds of organizations, giving him a broad perspective on how engagement practices and public expectations are changing, as well as the role technology can play in supporting more meaningful and effective participation. A core part of his role is listening to practitioners, learning from their experiences, and ensuring their needs help shape how Open Point evolves.

Carrie McIntosh, CP3 (Senior Management Consultant | Elevate Consulting)

As an IAP2 CP3 and with over 20 years in community engagement and strategic communications, Carrie brings a unique mix of engagement experience in both the private and public sectors. Today she works as a Senior Management Consultant with Elevate Consulting, working with clients across BC and Alberta on policy development, strategic planning, and complex change management projects.

Like many engagement professionals, Carrie has been grappling with the impact of increasingly complex engagement environments on the organizations she serves. In her presentation, "Engagement Ethics in the Wild, Wild West: How do we stay true to our practice (and ourselves) when everyone just wants to duel?" Carrie will share what she’s learned about adaptive engagement practices, and the importance of her role in maintaining the ethical integrity of the engagements she designs. Carrie will invite others to bring their experiences and whole selves into the space to share ideas, grapple with the big questions we are all facing, and generate new ways of moving forward in increasingly tricky engagement spaces.

Determined to be a force for good, Carrie is an engaging speaker and a dynamic facilitator who brings passion, experience, and a genuine love for bringing people and ideas together to generate a sense of possibility, empowerment, and connection among participants.

Jodi Ball, RPP, MCIP, CPF (Director | J Consulting Group)

Jodi is a Registered Professional Planner and Certified Professional Facilitator with over 20 years of experience facilitating conversations across Canada. Her work focuses on housing, age-friendly planning, accessibility, and community health. Recognized for designing and leading inclusive, equity-centred engagement that amplifies lived experience, Jodi helps communities find clear direction and shared purpose in community planning. She brings an authentic, people-centred approach to facilitation, helping groups build clarity, connection, and trust through genuine, inclusive dialogue.

Gabrielle Peters

Gabrielle Peters is a Vancouver-based writer, policy analyst, public researcher, and consultant. Prior to the onset of her neuromuscular disease Gabrielle worked in non-profits and journalism. After an extended period as a full-time patient, she found herself in the space occupied by those who are not dead but whom society fails to include among the living. Her writing has appeared in Macleans, CBC, Policy Options, The American Journal of Bioethics, The Canadian Journal of Disability Studies and other publications. She is author of chapters in three anthologies relating to disability. Gabrielle was a member of the BC Coroner’s panel that reviewed the heat deaths following BC’s 2021 heat dome, has testified on three occasions before Parliamentary committees, and has spoken at multiple international human rights events. She is a former co-chair of the Vancouver City Planning Commission and a past member of the City of Vancouver’s Active Transportation Policy Council. Gabrielle was included in Vancouver Magazine's Power 50 list.

Shauna McGarvey, MA (Partner, Consulting and Indigenous Services | MNP)

Shauna McGarvey has spent more than 20 years designing and leading public participation and Indigenous engagement processes across Western and Northern Canada. A social science researcher and facilitator by training, she builds engagement approaches that meet people where they are — open houses, workshops, sharing circles, land-based sessions, focus groups, interviews, and surveys — and that create space for Elders, youth, leadership, and community members to be heard.

She has led Indigenous and public engagement for federal, provincial, and territorial clients, including Indigenous Services Canada, Parks Canada, the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and the First Nations Health Authority. Shauna also works directly for Nations, supporting consultation policy, comprehensive community planning, impact assessment, and regulatory and hearing processes. Her What We Heard reports and engagement summaries turn difficult, often emotional conversations into findings clients can act on.

Shauna is IAP2-trained and has completed the Banff Centre’s Indigenous Evaluation program, along with courses in trauma-informed practice and Indigenizing and Decolonizing Engagement. Before MNP, she worked in Alberta’s Indigenous Consultation Unit and conducted doctoral research with the Stoney Nakoda Nation and Banff National Park.

Dr. Clint Abbott, PhD (Senior Manager, Consulting Services | MNP)

Dr. Clint Abbott is a Senior Manager in MNP’s public sector consulting practice in Victoria, with more than 25 years of experience mobilizing research and policy networks and building trusted relationships with Indigenous nations, governments, industry, academia, and communities. He has held senior roles with the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, two Canadian policy think tanks, and several international governments, supporting work on complex policy issues and collaborative solutions.

Clint is a certified Mediator and specializes in designing culturally safe and trauma-informed engagement. He holds a PhD in Global Governance from the University of Waterloo, where his dissertation focused on networked governance, as well as an MBA and BSc from the University of Victoria. He is Vice-Chair of the Institute for Public Administration Canada (Victoria).

Clint has Dutch and English heritage and was born and raised on Vancouver Island in the traditional territories of the Snaw-Naw-As Nation and the Hul’q’umi’num’ speaking peoples. He currently resides with his family on a small farm in Saanich, BC.

Dawn Deguire (Consultant | Indigenous Relations, Stretegy, Reconciliation)

Dawn Deguire is a First Nations and Métis consultant, speaker, facilitator, and wellness practitioner dedicated to advancing healing, reconciliation, and relational transformation. Grounded in her own journey of reclaiming culture and healing the intergenerational impacts of colonization, she helps individuals, communities, and organizations build stronger relationships and create meaningful change.

Dawn specializes in organizational reconciliation strategies, Indigenous engagement, First Nations community development, and strategic communications. Integrating Indigenous perspectives, Nonviolent Communication, trauma-informed approaches, and embodied practices, she develops practical, relationship-based solutions that support lasting change. As co-founder of the Saskatchewan Indigenous Yoga Association, Dawn also creates wellness-based learning experiences that cultivate authentic leadership, connection, and well-being.

Sarah Beer (Community Engagement Strategist | ISL Engineering and Land Services)

With more than 10 years of experience leading engagement projects, including work with Indigenous communities, Sarah Beer is committed to fostering meaningful and reciprocal participation. For the past seven years, she has worked with First Nations and Métis communities in BC and across western Canada.

Starting her career with non-profit organizations, she achieved significant results in poverty reduction and Indigenous capacity building in urban areas. Currently, she works as a Community Engagement Strategist with ISL Engineering and Land Services and is the Chair of the DEI Committee. At ISL, she creates and implements engagement and facilitates processes that bring communities together for projects in city planning and infrastructure development.

Sarah is also an active member of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) and recently spoke on a panel on intercultural facilitation with other practitioners in Latin America.

Dalya Kablawi (Program Coordinator, Research Engagements | The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids))

Dalya Kablawi is an engagement professional specializing in health research engagements, with a focus on health equity. She has built her career advancing meaningful engagement with patients, families, caregivers, and communities to ensure lived and living experience informs health research, policy, service design, and system transformation. Her work is grounded in the belief that equitable engagement is essential to creating responsive, inclusive, and sustainable health systems.

Throughout her career, Dalya has designed and led engagement strategies that embed community voices in healthcare decision-making. She has developed organizational engagement frameworks, facilitated advisory councils and large-scale consultations, delivered training to researchers and clinicians, and co-designed initiatives that strengthen accessibility, trust, and inclusion across diverse populations. Her work has shaped engagement efforts at the Mental Health Commission of Canada, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), and the Thriving Minds Collaborative, where she leverages her expertise in community engagement to improve access to youth mental health services.

A passionate advocate for health equity and recipient of the 2025 Canadian Arab Institute's 30 Under 30 award, Dalya has co-developed culturally responsive resources with South Asian and African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities and champions engagement practices that address structural inequities in health systems. She brings both professional expertise and lived experience to fostering authentic partnerships that move beyond performative outreach, and toward shared leadership and lasting systems change.

Elmer Eashappie (Manager, Indigenous Partnerships and First Nations Protocols, Indigenous Collaborative Engagement, Traditional Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers | Indigenous Health, Vancouver Coastal Health)

Elmer Eashappie Jr. is an Indigenous executive leader, advisor, and community advocate from Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation in Treaty Four Territory, southern Saskatchewan. With more than 30 years of leadership experience across health, government, media, sport, and community development sectors, he is recognized nationally for advancing Indigenous engagement, reconciliation, cultural safety, and collaborative systems transformation.

Elmer currently serves with Indigenous Health at Vancouver Coastal Health as Manager, Indigenous Partnerships and First Nations Protocols, Indigenous Collaborative Engagement, Traditional Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers. In this role, he works closely with First Nations communities, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and health partners to strengthen culturally informed systems of care and Indigenous health priorities across the region.

A proud member of Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation and a fourth-generation survivor of the Indian Residential School system, Elmer brings both professional expertise and lived experience to his work. Since 1996, he has collaborated with Traditional Elders and Knowledge Keepers across North America and has organized more than 75 Indigenous Cultural Awareness Workshops, land-based cultural camps, and reconciliation-focused learning gatherings.

Throughout his career, Elmer has held leadership roles with the Government of Saskatchewan, the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society, the 2005 Canada Summer Games, and the 2014 Regina North American Indigenous Games. His work has contributed to major Indigenous engagement initiatives, including the raising of the Treaty Four flag at Regina City Hall and advancing Indigenous inclusion at Canadian Western Agribition.

Elmer is a recipient of the 2008 Canada's National Diversity Award in Media and the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for Reconciliation. He has been invited to speak nationally on Indigenous leadership, cultural safety, reconciliation, mental health, homelessness, and community wellness. Guided by traditional teachings and a lifelong commitment to service, he continues to champion healing, relationship-building, and Indigenous wellness across Canada.

Cara Lenoir (President of IAP2 Canada)

Cara Lenoir is a descendant of the Dene Nation in Northwest Territories and a proud member of the Liidlii Kue First Nation -- a remote northern community located by the mighty Mackenzie River and now calls North Vancouver home.

An independent Indigenous Relations Strategist, Cara works with clients across Canada to foster relationships between Indigenous Peoples, governments, and industry. Her passion is bringing people together to build reconciliation pathways, and contributing to the enhanced cultural competency, knowledge and capacity of all those in partnership. She has over 20 years experience supporting and leading the creation of Indigenous Initiatives in the public and private sectors with a focus on procurement, training and employment strategy development and implementation.

Cara earned a Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurial Management from Royal Roads University, as well as a Management Studies diploma from Grant MacEwan University.

In her volunteer hours, she serves as the Chair of the Indigenous Engagement Community of Practice and Learning Partner with the Indigenous Awareness Leaning Program with the International Association of Public Participation Canada (IAP2). On her time off, she loves taking road trips and exploring new hiking trails.