Module 9

She has also worked as an elementary school teacher in New York City and in Rochester, New York, where she developed a passion for culturally responsive pedagogy.
Heather is currently a fifth-year doctoral student at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education – University of Toronto, in the Social Justice Education program. She has been awarded a Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship, through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), a highly competitive national award competition. Her research centers reconciliation and reclamation of Indigenous ways of knowing in modern-day education systems.
Heather leads First Peoples Group, an Indigenous consulting firm that specializes in customized Indigenous cultural competency learning, engagement with Indigenous peoples, and reconciliation action planning.

Having lived most of her life as an immigrant, she is particularly interested in issues related to women and immigrant communities, and more specifically in the place of immigrant women in society. Prior to philanthropy, she worked in a variety of fields (including insurance, online business and non-profit fundraising). She holds a PhD in Applied Health Sciences, a specialized graduate diploma in Bioinformatics from UQÀM, as well as an MBA from HEC Montréal.

Before working with the Government of Alberta he spent five years as a service designer and team lead in the British Columbia public service.
In addition to his professional practice, he is a sessional instructor at MacEwan University where he teaches a seminar on contemporary design issues. Davis also volunteers and is a board member of the Edmonton Tool Library, a not-for-profit which provides affordable access to hand, power, and garden tools to the community.
Originally from California, Davis moved to Canada at age 13 sparking a lifelong affinity for Edmonton, the city he still calls home. Outside of work you can find Davis in Edmonton’s beautiful river valley walking his dog Caro or on the pickleball court.
Davis holds a Bachelor of Design from the University of Alberta and a Master of Arts in Digital Experience Design from Hyper Island (UK)

The KRSC operates in the municipal sector as a provider of essential services to the communities within its territory. The KRSC is mandated to offer services in land use planning, solid waste, economic development, tourism promotion, recreation planning, public safety, community development and regional transportation, which it succeeds in doing brilliantly thanks to the collaborative spirit and dynamism of its Board of Directors.
Building on her experience as a teacher, Isabelle continues her involvement with New Brunswick youth as the President of Improvisation New Brunswick. She volunteers her time as a referee and judge at high school improvisation tournaments, as well as with middle schoolers during the Jeux de l’Acadie. As a member of the LGBTQIA2+ community, she supports the development of policies promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. In her spare time, Isabelle likes to enjoy local parks and beaches, read, play video games and plan her next international trip.

Before this, Aaron worked as a Trade Commissioner at the Consulate General of Canada in New York, helping tech companies navigate international growth.
Aaron’s diverse interests have taken him across the globe, engaging in a myriad of initiatives from promoting good governance to tackling socioeconomic issues. He’s been deployed to various regions such as post-Apartheid townships in Cape Town, polling stations in Ukraine and Malawi, and remote villages in Colombia. He’s also been part of trade and development missions in Central and South America, and Canada’s Arctic.
Notably, Aaron was Canada’s Youth Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and a member of Canada’s Volunteer Awards National Advisory Committee.
After completing his Honors BA in International Relations at Western University in Canada, Aaron graduated cum laude with a Master’s in Politics and Security from the Academy of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, based in Kyrgyzstan.
Recognized as one of Canada’s Future Foreign Policymakers, Aaron also received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award from HM Queen Elizabeth II for his outstanding contributions.

Cole is a Professional Engineer, has a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA, and is happy husband with three growing sons.

Previously, Tyler was the Manager of Research and Analytics for Orenda Software Solutions, an artificial intelligence company that uses social media to measure public perception. Prior to that he worked for Membertou First Nation in Communications, and the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation in Capacity Development.
Tyler earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology from Saint Mary’s University and a Master of Arts in Sociology from the University of Guelph. In 2022, Tyler was accepted into the Governor General Canadian Leadership Conference. In 2023, he was accepted into the Indigenous Leadership Circle, a network of emerging Indigenous, Metis, and Inuit members to share, elevate, and advance their ideas.
Tyler has been a Sundancer since 2008 with the White Eagle Sundance in Elsipogtog, NB.

Prior to joining the IMF, Ziana held increasingly senior positions within the federal government at Health Canada and Finance Canada, including as Assistant Chief of Staff to the Deputy Minister of Finance. Through this experience, Ziana has had the opportunity to work on a wide range of files, including affordable housing, national pharmacare and COVID-19 response measures for businesses, and has been deeply involved in the coordination of several federal budgets.
Ziana also has experience in the non-profit sector, working as a monitoring and evaluation advisor for CARE Malawi on the Southern African Nutrition Initiative.
Ziana holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science from McMaster University and a Master of Economics from the University of Toronto.