Andrew (Andy) Wood, from Wasagamack Anisininew Nation, Northeastern Manitoba lives up to his traditional name, MUSKOW KAPOW - Standing Strong. He is the FARHA Inc. Director of Heritage, Healing and Culture, former Director of Regional Programs (Community Wellness, Food Security, Crisis Team), and Director of Neewin Health Care. He has held roles as the Regional Coordinator, Pandemic Response, and Anisininew liaison for the Interim Dialysis Unit in Garden Hill, a partnership between the four Anisininew communities and health staff from the UoM. The Kewkaywin facility (Living in the City Study: Impacts on health from moving reserve to the city), and Peetabun (formerly Cedar Lake Lodge) are all projects that have come from Andy's research involvement.

He is also a former Chief of Wasagamack (1974), at the time, the youngest elected First Nations Chief in Canada. He is a certified First Nations Health Manager and the 2024 Leadership in First Nations Health awardee. Andy (with Gaby Harper) initiated an Anisininew census to account for both on-reserve and off-reserve Anisininew populations. In this way, the initiative that had the four Anisininew Health Directors conceiving FARHA Inc. can provide better services to Anisininew newcomers to Winnipeg accessing health and social services, including dialysis and medical transportation. Andy loves his family and has therefore made Anisininew health and wellness (Mamow), the language, culture and tradition his professional priorities.

Grand Chief Alex McDougall is the Interim head of Anisininew Okimawin, the governance body for the four Island Lake Anisininew Nations.

He serves as the Executive Director of Four Arrows Regional Health Authority Inc. and is a former Chief of Wasagamack Anisininew Nation, Manitoba. He is a certified First Nations Health Manager whose dynamic leadership style is committed to equitable health care access and delivery for the Anisininew Nations. He has piloted the transition of FARHA Inc. from supporting the Anisininew Nations community health programming to a refined operations strategy, establishing food security, medical transportation, emergency response, research, innovation and service delivery units necessary for advocacy, technical, human and infrastructural capacity development.

He is deeply committed to regional governance, nation-rebuilding and strengthening Anisininew sovereignty, self-identity, culture, tradition and language. He champion initiatives to overcome systemic inequities that create obstacles to health access and service delivery in the Anisininew Nations region of Manitoba. He is focused towards a tripartite agreement with all levels of government to develop a memorandum of understanding that steers restorative official direction for his people. His primary objectives are a comprehensive primary health centre, mental health and substance use programming, emergency and crisis response, all-seasons road access, climate stewardship, assisted home haemodialysis and positive outcomes for the health and prosperity of the Anisininewuk.

Alex is married to his lovely wife, Linda, and they are blessed with children and grandchildren

Caleb is the Administrative Manager for the Mobile Overdose Prevention Site at Sunshine House. He has worked at Sunshine House for the past two and a half years, embracing roles as a direct service worker, sexual health outreach worker, and as a research assistant before settling in with administration for MOPS. Outside of work you may find him on stage as drag queen Moxie Cotton, or playing a tabletop RPG with friends. His passion for harm reduction comes from personal experience and a deep love for the city of Winnipeg.

Ciaran August is the Manager of the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team under the Community Housing with Supports program at the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). Ciaran has worked in the mental health field for 14 years, including roles as a clinician with the Youth Mobile Crisis Team at The Link, and as both a community mental health worker and clinician at the Crisis Response Centre with Shared Health.  Over the past four years, Ciaran has been part of the Housing First sector at CMHA, where she continue to support individuals through a recovery-oriented, person-centered lens.  The work is informed by lived experience—her sibling experienced episodic homelessness as a youth and lives with schizophrenia. This personal connection deepens my commitment to reducing barriers and advocating for compassionate, community-based mental health and housing supports.

Having worked with not-for-profit organizations in a leadership capacity for over 20 years, Cathy has experience with strategic and community planning, team building, organizational development, and service provider training. Cathy is a certified leadership coach and change management practitioner and trainer.

With a wide-range of experience in the public sector, Cathy brings a strong analytical, problem-solving focus to clients, combined with a commitment to understanding different perspectives and needs. She is a skilled facilitator, able to engage stakeholders in a process that produces results.

Cathy’s experience managing program planning, delivery and evaluation include over 10 years in sexual health; participating at the provincial and national level in an advisory capacity. Her board involvement includes the Manitoba Law Foundation, Brandon University Board of Governors and the Winnipeg Folk Festival. As Chair of the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health, she led the merger of three national organizations into Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights.

With considerable experience facilitating research and evaluation projects in the non-profit and public sector, Cassandra is passionate about helping community organizations tell their story and document success through evaluation and planning. Her ability to listen and reflect ensures that different perspectives are heard.

Cassandra's experience includes policy analysis and evaluation with the provincial government, research and data analysis with the Human Rights & Health Equity Office at Mount Sinai Hospital and clinical practice social work.

She brings strong skills in qualitative and mixed methods research, and facilitation and engagement. Cassandra holds a Master of Social Work from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Winnipeg. She is a certified leadership coach and change management practitioner.

Christen Rachul, PhD is the Director of Research for the Office of Innovation and Scholarship in Medical Education in the Max Rady College of Medicine at the University of Manitoba.

Crow Hart, pronouns are He/They and is a 2Spirited Cree person born in Thompson and raised in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation in Treaty 5 Territory of Manitoba.Crow has held a variety of positions within Sunshine House and he is currently the Program Assistant and Systems Liaison for Zaagi-Too-Wad Housing. In their role they support case managers, employees, funders, and participants access the information they need for all three housing teams. Crow has lived experience within the CFS system during his crucial development year. They experienced a very forceful exit including misappropriation of resources by the CFS worker and no support or aftercare provided after case closure. Crow has used this experience to motivate himself and the support received from Sunshine House prevented him from experiencing homelessness.

Chantel Large is Cree from Saddle Lake, Alberta although she has been a visitor in Mohkinstsis (Calgary) for most of her life. Chantel graduated from the University of Calgary with a Masters in Social Work in 2015. She currently works as the Cultural Services Manager at Miskanawah and she’s a Sessional Instructor at the University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work. Chantel has a lot of diverse experience in the field of social work including working as a child, youth and family support worker; a mental health therapist; and in chronic kidney disease research. She has been invited to present as a keynote speaker and in panels and forums across the country on a variety of topics. She is the recipient of the 2023 Students’ Union Teaching Excellence Award, the recipient of the 2023 Faculty of Social Work Undergraduate Teaching Award, and the recipient of the 2023 University of Calgary Teaching Award for Indigenous Ways of Knowing. Chantel has been described as an “Edgewalker” due to her ability to walk in two worlds and build bridges between western and traditional knowledge systems. In her role as Cultural Services Manager, Chantel has had the privilege to learn from many Elders and she takes her role as an Elder’s helper very seriously.  In Chantel’s family, the three generations that came before her attended residential school so she describes her greatest accomplishment to be raising her four children alongside her husband.

Deanna Garand has a background of 18 years working in the community in various capacities. Having strong connections to agencies and organizations that serve our relatives, it was an easy choice to pursue street medicine coming out of an undergraduate nursing degree, where meaningful work could be translated in her new endeavour. Deanna is passionate about bridging health care gaps, and providing positive care experiences for those who have obstructed or challenged access to health care. Cultural safety and relevance as a top priority for methods of care, Deanna places a strong emphasis on her role as an Indigenous nurse, and her practice within an Indigenous run organization.

Delaphine Bittern joins us as a person with lived-experienced homelessness. From an early age Delaphine experienced discrimination, homelessness and racism. At 50 years old she is still deeply affected by her past experiences but through them has found strength and learned a lot about who she is.

Erin Stranger is a proud member of the Sagkeeng First Nation. She currently resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  She is a caregiver, a mother, grandmother, sister and daughter.  She has been working in the grassroots community throughout her career.  Her passion has always been to work with her people, to help where she can and to support those who are vulnerable.  Her culture and traditional teachings have been integral to her leadership role in the community. Erin has heartfelt gratitude for her many relatives and teachers that took the opportunity to mentor, guide and pass down ancestral knowledge and honors those gifts by sharing them with the community she works closely with. She models the concept of ‘being a good relative’ by the care and support she provides.

Feather Wolfe (She/Her) is Saulteaux from Muskowekwan First Nations, who now resides in Winnipeg Manitoba. She has been an active member of Sunshine House for over 6 years, from working as a Drop In Support, Cook, to now becoming the Director of Community Support Services. With Feathers Position, she runs successful programs like Zaagi-Too-Wad, a housing program catered to persons who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ and like Bimosedaa, a Navigation Program where they help journey 2SLGBTQIA+ through Detox/ Treatment.

Feather has been a big part of community work in her freetime, with Drag, Fundraising and much more. Her activism has been noticed twice, by the Manitoba legislature. Feather Wolfe has had the chance to travel the world, sharing her life experiences and advocating for indigenous rights through performances and story telling.

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Gerri-Lee Pangman (McPherson) is a proud member of Peguis First Nation, mother, wife, and Kohkum. Motivated by the tragic losses of her sister and aunt to violence, she co-founded J.D.M Indigenous Designs to raise awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) through art. A Sundancer, Buffalo dancer, and pipe carrier, Gerri-Lee uses her artistry and storytelling to educate communities across Canada, lead beading workshops, and honor MMIWG. Her work has earned the Oscar Lathlin Memorial Award and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal, reflecting her resilience, leadership, and commitment to meaningful change.

Helina Zegeye (They/ Them) is a Queer, Disabled, African artist born to two Ethiopian public school teachers. In 2003 they eventually gained family sponsorship and immigrated to Winnipeg from Nairobi, since then they have been privileged to call Treaty 1 Territory home. Helina has worked with Sunshine House since 2022 as the Director for Gizhiwenimin Initiatives. This program seeks to increase community health education with a focus on sexually transmitted blood borne infections with built in clinical access and advocacy. Additionally, Gizhiwenimin provides cultural exchange and social integration for queer refugee claimants resettling in Winnipeg. Helina holds operational principles that are informed through an Afrosocialist decolonizing lens, with the ultimate goal of improving community connections and opportunities for Black diaspora. Before their current role, they worked in the cannabis industry since legalization, advocating for harm reduction, amnesty and social inclusion and diversity.

Jamie Pfau is a passionate advocate for children in care, with over a decade of experience driving policy change and system reform. As a PhD Candidate in Community Health Sciences, Jamie’s research focuses on creating safer, more inclusive child welfare practices across Manitoba and Canada. For the past 14+ years, Jamie has also been a treatment foster parent, helping to raise eight children with complex needs.

Alongside this caregiving role, Jamie and her partner of 20 years founded Peace For All of Us, a non-profit dedicated to providing affordable housing and community support for children, survivors of violence, and newcomers. Together, they also run a social enterprise that reinvests its proceeds to strengthen community well-being and inclusion.

Jamil is the Executive Director at Main Street Project and was previously the Executive Director at the Spence Neighbourhood Association. Jamil studied at the University of Winnipeg where he received a bachelor's degree in International Development studies and was active in grass root activism like food not bombs. This was largely informed by their work in Pakistan with landless peoples setting up non-formal education schools and in Ecuador running a shelter for street youth.

At Main Street Project Jamil has led the creation of a 5 year strategic plan and is a tireless advocate for meeting people where they are at, harm reduction and ending homelessness. Jamil believes strongly in community led development, social justice, harm reduction and empowerment.

Joanne Simard Mason is a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is a member of Peguis First Nation and also has Metis heritage. As a retired Social Worker with a BSW degree, she has been actively engaged in her community. She has been serving as Co-Chair of the Board of Indigenous Resource Centre and Co-Chair of the Indigenous Research Advisory Committee. As an Indigenous Elder of both Métis and First Nations heritage, Joanne has assumed a knowledge-keeping role and participates as an Elder in various organizations.

JoLynn Parenteau is the National Indigenous Homelessness Community Pathfinder with the National Indigenous Housing Council (NIHC), joining in February 2024 to lead the PATH Process Project. She brings extensive experience in the homelessness sector, including building the Indigenous Coordinated Access (IH CE) system in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and working as an Indigenous Housing & Homelessness Advocate and Navigator, connecting individuals and families to housing and resources.

A proud Métis woman with family ties to Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement and Peace River, JoLynn is a storyteller, facilitator, writer, planner, graphic designer, and language learner. She actively shares knowledge and fosters learning in communities, including facilitating her Métis Money Moves personal finance course and co-authoring the Indigenous stories anthology Good Moments: Indigenous Stories from Close to Home and Across Turtle Island, Volumes 1 and 2. Based remotely in Medicine Hat, Alberta, JoLynn is committed to amplifying homelessness voices and advocating for housing security nationwide.

Kathy Mallett is a member of Fisher River Cree Nation with Ojibwa, Cree and Metis background. She has been an advocate and leader in Winnipeg’s Indigenous community since the mid-1970s. Throughout her career, she has helped establish many Indigenous service organizations and economic development projects in Winnipeg. She is also a mother and grandmother.

Karen is the Director of Community Inniatives this means she oversees shelter, Housing and Van Outreach at Main Street Project. Karen has studied at the University of Manitoba, receiving undergraduate degrees in Criminology and Women's and Gender Studies, and additionally received a master's degree in gender and social justice from the University of Alberta. Studies focused on issues around gender-based violence and resistance, and harm reduction.

Additionally, Karen works as a crisis counsellor with Klinic, and has volunteered for several years with their Hummingbird Program as an advocate who supports folks who have experienced sexual assault and/or inter-partner violence.

Karen has played a vital role in the implementation of harm reduction programming at Main Street Project, including their managed alcohol and safe supply programming.

Kirsten Bernas is the Director of Policy Advocacy at West Central Women’s Resource Centre. She moved into this role after four years of leading WCWRC’s Housing First and Rapid Rehousing programs. She has been an active member of the Right to Housing coalition in Manitoba since 2009. She is the current chair of the coalition’s provincial working group and a member of its city working group. She co-coordinates the national Social Housing and Human Rights coalition out of Winnipeg. She is also co-chair of the housing stream of the Manitoba Research Alliance. Kirsten is the lead author of A Social Housing Action Plan for Manitoba.

Kyle is a Consultant at OneHoop with expertise in nonprofit growth, fundraising, community engagement, strategic planning, and media relations, impacting Indigenous relations, social services, and community development. As the son of Indian Residential and Day School Survivors from Winnipeg’s North End, he brings authenticity, empathy, and a commitment to creating inclusive spaces that support meaningful Reconciliation.

He began his career as a Christian Minister before transitioning to the nonprofit sector, decolonizing his spirituality while embracing his Indigeneity. Kyle founded and led Winnipeg’s North End Family Centre, expanding its impact, raising millions, and supporting thousands of families. He now engages Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities to foster healing and cross-cultural understanding.

A recognized leader, Kyle has received honors including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, CBC Manitoba Future 40, and the Community Hero Award. He serves on boards including Canadian Mennonite University’s Governance and Indigenous Councils, Kapabamayak Achaak Healing Forest, and St. Stephen’s University Indigenous Advisory Council, with previous roles spanning multiple community and policy organizations.

Laura Jackson is a dedicated social work professional and community advocate currently serving as the Madison Supervisor at Siloam Mission. With over a decade of experience in housing, harm reduction, and community engagement, Laura brings a strong commitment to trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and participant-led approaches to care.

Her professional journey has included leadership roles at Siloam Mission, Community Roots Resource Centre, and 1JustCity, where she developed inclusive programming, coordinated volunteer initiatives, and supported individuals facing poverty, housing instability, and mental health challenges. She is known for her collaborative care planning, crisis intervention skills, and ability to foster trust with marginalized populations.

Laura is currently completing her Bachelor of Social Work through the Inner City Social Work Program at the University of Manitoba. She has also taken Human Resources and Management courses at the University of Winnipeg. 

A lifelong learner and community builder, Laura is an active board member with WestEnd Commons and has led outreach initiatives such as Laura’s UnderThere! She is passionate about creating safe, dignified, and empowering spaces where individuals can thrive.

Laura Funk is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Manitoba and of settler (Mennonite-English) heritage. Her research focuses on aging and care as public, societal issues requiring collective solutions.

Elder Laurie Wood Ducharme has worked as the Director of Administration and Operations for Four Arrows Regional Health Authority Inc. for about 25 years. Working in the healthcare field is tough, demanding and challenging but Laurie has tirelessly delivered critical services and supported those who are engaged in delivering these services to individuals and communities. She is instrumental in ensuring that Four Arrows staff and the communities have the resources and supports they need to serve the four Island Lake Anisininew Nations of Manitoba in health, research and innovation. She places her Anisininew heritage very highly and it is her dream to see Anisininew stories that highlight the strength and resilience of the people.

She is a certified First Nations Health Manager and continues the legacy of her father, Etienne (Ed) Wood and his supportive wife, Jean, dedicated to the betterment of the Anisininew people and other First Nations in Manitoba and Canada. She is a devoted and loving wife to George, and mother to Dallas, serves on boards including Median Credit Union and the Intertribal Christian Communication. She chairs the First Nations Community Church. Laurie is from St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation.

Leanne Wilton has 12 years of experience working with individuals who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, which has provided a strong understanding of the systemic barriers faced by many in our communities. For the past five years, Leanne have been with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), where the journey began as Manager of the Community Housing with Supports program. A couple years later, then moved into the role of Associate Director of Housing, supporting the development of CMHA’s three-tiered housing model: Rapid Rehousing, Intensive Case Management, and the Assertive Community Treatment team.  Currently serve as Director of Indigenous Initiatives and Housing Partnerships, a role that allows the ability to support culturally grounded programming while remaining actively involved in the housing sector. My work is rooted in a person-centered, inclusive approach, with a deep commitment to promoting access, dignity, and stability for all.

Lee-Ann Young has been with the Canadian Mental Health Association Manitoba and Winnipeg since December 12, 2012.  Lee-Ann began as a Skills Coach in a now-retired program and soon worked alongside the newly formed Community Housing with Supports (CHS) team, where she developed a strong passion for the Housing First model.  In the summer of 2014, Lee-Ann moved into a Rehabilitation Worker role with CHS, supporting participants through person-centered, recovery-focused care.    As CHS expanded, growing its capacity from 60 to 115 participants, Lee-Ann continued to develop professionally and in November 2024, accepted the position of Housing Services Manager for the Intensive Case Management and Rapid Rehousing programs. She now leads a committed team of 13 staff, working to provide stable, supportive housing to individuals across our community.

Levi A. Foy (Manidoogwiiwezens) is a Two-Spirit member of Couchiching First Nation who was raised in Treaty Two territories and formally educated in Winnipeg and Guelph. He co-founded the Like That program at Sunshine House in 2014 and became executive director in 2019. Levi has experience working in research, program development with a focus on social service administration, harm reduction, and homelessness. He has a background in community organizing that is rooted in Anishinaabe philosophies and practice.

Dr. Lindsay Bristow is a member of Bloodvein First Nation in Manitoba. She received her Doctor of Medicine in 2022 from the University of Manitoba and is currently in her second year of a psychiatry residency training program at the University of Manitoba. She is committed to community engagement and has received 86 awards for academic achievement and community service, including the Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Medal. She is also the author of several peer-reviewed publications. She is passionate about advocating for improving access to mental health resources for Indigenous peoples and examining ways to uproot Indigenous-specific racism in the health care system.

Lindsay Enns and Kristin Kennedy lead the Transition Services program at Siloam Mission in Winnipeg located on Treaty 1 territory.  Together, they have over 25 years experience in the homelessness sector.  They lead a team of 10 caseworkers to support folks experiencing chronic and episodic homelessness or housing insecurity to find and maintain their housing and to work on goals that are important to them including: physical health, mental health, addiction recovery supports, ID, income support, education, CFS advocacy, and more. They believe in a strengths-based, trauma informed, harm reduction, and person-centered approach and are passionate about housing as a human right.  

Lionel Houston is an Ojibway from the Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba; he resides with his wife of 42 years and in the north end of Winnipeg. Lionel’s traditional name is White Wolf and he is from the turtle clan. He is a proud father to his daughter Amber. For the last 35 years he has dedicated his professional life to working with at-risk youth, he has also worked with agencies such as Justice and Corrections. The focus of his work is the re-integration of youth affiliated with gangs and auto theft. He strongly believes that re-connecting our youth with their cultural identity is essential to their success as productive members of society. He has been a student, as well as a teacher of his traditional culture. He has received several awards in recognition of his commitment and service to his community. Today Lionel continues to contribute his vast experience and cultural knowledge to mentor and teach youth, their families and community. 

Lise is co-founder & facilitator at Momenta: experience, discover, grow, a B-Corp based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (experiencemomenta.com). Momenta creates experiences that discover strengths and foster growth. Lise began her career at camps in Manitoba as an outdoor educator and guide. In 2006, Momenta was founded to meet a need in Manitoba to provide year-round, accessible therapeutic adventure programming that meets best practice and is research-based. Lise completed a Bachelor of Recreation in 2001, a Masters of Social Work in 2007 at the University of Manitoba., completed a Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy in 2012, and the Forest School Practitioner training in 2015. Lise combines these areas of practice to provide clinical direction, facilitate groups and counsel individuals both in urban and wilderness environments with a focus on physical and emotional safety, successful participation, meaningful activity, outdoor access and group cohesion. 

Lucille Bruce is a proud member of the Red River Metis Nation and a respected, urban Indigenous community leader and activist. Lucille’s 30+ years of transformative work and volunteerism in the Indigenous urban community led to the establishment of a continuum of culturally relevant services and housing initiatives for the most vulnerable populations in Winnipeg. Lucille has also volunteered on numerous national, regional and local boards and committees, and led the transformation of End Homelessness Winnipeg to becoming an Indigenous led organization.

Lynne Fernandez is an economist. She recently retired from her position as the Errol Black Chair in Labour Studies at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. She is a member of the Right to Housing Coalition and co-chair of the Seniors Working Group. She is the author of the Right to Housing report Thinking Inside the Box: Rediscovering How to Build Social Housing in Manitoba and co-author of A Social Housing Action Plan for Manitoba.

Mark Courtney provides direct support to participants and clinical supervision to the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team. Prior to joining CMHA, he worked as a social worker in a hospital setting. In recent years, Mark has contributed to a community housing assessment, community area health assessments, and has been actively involved in food security initiatives in Winnipeg. He is passionate about Housing First principles and feels honoured to witness the resilience and dedication of the participants he supports.

Mel is the Director of Operations for MOPS. The Mobile Overdose Prevention Site. Mel has worked in community and harm reduction for the past ten plus years. Mel's lived experience being a teen mom at 16 while growing up in the child welfare system has continued her to advocate for change. When Mel isn’t working , Mel’s caring for her ma and niece full time. Mel has a passion for pants.

Monica Ballantyne is an Indigenous Women and Lived Expert. Currently working as the Lived Experience Advisory Coordinator at Siloam Mission (Winnipeg). Once a recipient of Siloam’s services, Monica now dedicates her life to supporting others on their path to healing and stability. With a powerful personal journey through addiction and homelessness, she brings a deep well of empathy, resilience, and hope to her work—offering meaningful guidance to those navigating similar struggles.

Monica leads a council of nine individuals with living and lived experience, and the Staff Lived/Living Experience Circle, ensuring their voices shape Siloam Mission’s strategic direction and drive real, transformative change.

Beyond her role at Siloam, Monica is a passionate advocate for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S), and an active supporter of the Moose Hide Campaign. She is deeply committed to raising awareness and advancing efforts to end chronic homelessness—not only in Manitoba, but across Canada.

Paige Cairns was born and raised in in Mohkinstsis (Calgary) and has resided in Airdrie for the past 12 years. Adopted at a very young age, Paige has little information about her heritage however started her journey to understanding Indigenous ways of knowing and being over a decade ago. 

Paige holds a Bachelor of Child Studies and has held leadership positions in the human services sector for the past 15 years. She spent the early years of her career working with high risk, homeless youth before finding a passion for family unification. Paige has dedicated much of her career to addressing the over representation of Indigenous children in the Child Welfare system. 

Paige has worked with miskanawah for the past 12 years in varying leadership roles. Currently she is the manager of Nipsisak (cree for Willows) which encompasses miskanawah’s housing and homelessness diversion programs.  

Paige is very involved in her community of Airdrie and has organized an annual fundraiser for the Airdrie Foodbank for the last 10 years, raising over $55,000. She has been nominated for “Airdrie Woman of the year” twice for her community contributions. 

Paige is a proud single mother to an 11-year-old boy with Cree ancestry. She is committed to raising him with Indigenous values, following natural laws and belief systems. She is incredibly grateful to be able to raise her son with access to, and support from a ceremonial family. 

Dr. Polina Anang is a mother, a daughter, a friend, a sister, a cousin, a mentor, a certified child and adolescent psychiatrist, an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, and service chief, consultation-liaison/outpatient mental health services, in child and adolescent mental health, Health Sciences Centre, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. 

Dr. Anang is a community psychiatrist in Naujaat, Nunavut, with Ongomiizwin Health Services, and co-founder of Building on Strengths in Naujaat youth resilience group. Her research reflects her passion for health equity, collaboration, and youth engagement. She is interested in reflexivity, intersectionality, and relationship building between academic centres and community organizations. 

Robert Lidstone is a person with lived experience (PWLE) of homelessness as well as a community-based researcher who earned a Master of Arts in Human Geography from Simon Fraser University. Robert also lives with co-occurring bipolar disorder and substance use disorder, and his journey towards recovery is ongoing. Robert has published several articles on the subjects of addiction, mental health and homelessness and served as a volunteer and peer support worker.

Scott Turner gratefully lives as a helper and therapist in Treaty 1 Territory on the Lands of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Dakota, Dene, Métis, and Oji-Cree Nations. Scott’s great grandparents came as settlers to Turtle Island from western Europe in 1926. 

Scott seeks to help from an anti-colonial position that honours Indigenous Sovereignty through active reflection, strength-based approaches, and narrative ideas. Scott is particularly interested in understanding each person’s unique stories, acts of resistance, and meaning-making. 

Scott has an education in social work, having finished his Bachelor of Social Work in 2015 and then his Master of Social Work based in Indigenous Knowledges in 2020, both from the University of Manitoba. 

Shauna MacKinnon is Professor and Chair in the Department of Urban and Inner-City Studies and Principal Investigator of the Manitoba Research Alliance, Principal Investigator and co-lead of the Social Housing and Human Rights Coalition and a long-time member of the Right to Housing Coalition. Shauna has been involved in poverty related research and policy analysis including housing for low-income households for 20 years. She is a co-author of A Social Housing Action Plan for Manitoba.

Blue Crane Woman of the Buffalo clan also known as Shanlee Scott is a passionate and visionary leader and currently the Executive Director of Ndinawemaaganag Endaawaad Inc. She recognizes her most important role as that of life-giver and mother to her two daughters. 

Shanlee has extensive experience in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors. She serves on several boards and advisory committees focusing on advocacy and human services. Shanlee has been a guest speaker and expert panel member for numerous conferences locally, provincially, and nationally. Her personal philosophy is best reflected by John P. Kretzmann and John L. McKnight; “Every single person has capabilities, abilities, and gifts. Living a good life depends on whether those capabilities can be used, abilities expressed and gifts given. If they are, the person will be valued, feel powerful and well-connected to the people around them. And the community around the person will be more powerful because of the contribution the person is making”.

Shannon Wiebe is a registered architect with 5468796 Architecture in Winnipeg. Since joining the studio in 2008, she has contributed to a diverse range of projects, from built work and urban interventions to public engagement events and academic publications. Bridging practice and research, she pursues thoughtful design solutions that support social connection and community resilience.

Shannon is currently spearheading Shared Ground, an affordable housing initiative funded in part by the Government of Canada. Through this work, she collaborates with non-profit and community organizations to help unlock affordable, supportive and transitional housing opportunities on social purpose land – bringing together architectural expertise, early-stage feasibility support, and systems thinking to advance locally responsive housing solutions.

President & CEO of Collaborative Housing Alliance REIT (CHAR).

Tanya Dawn McDougall, is the daughter of Mrs. Nelliane Cromarty who is an Anisininew language and knowledge keeper. She is the granddaughter of Kathleen Mason, the first female councillor in the region. Tanya's life journey employs servant leadership in the field of education.  She holds two masters degrees. Her first graduate degree is in Educational Administration from the University of Manitoba and the second in School and Applied Child Psychology from the University of Calgary. As a school mental health advocate on the St. Theresa First Nation School Second Level Services team, 

Tanya makes it her mission to contribute to the building of a trauma informed school and co-leads the research work in dialectical behavioural therapy for children living with diabetes in St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation. Fuelled by a deep love for her community and its children, her focus is always to enable the needed supports and opportunities by building the capacity of others based on the beloved values and practices of her home community of St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation. 

Tanya is the member representing the Anisininew Nations in the Health Information Research Governance Committee (HIRGC) of the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba (FNHSSM). 

Tanya is devoted to all of her students and is a loving wife, mother and daughter to her wonderful family including her husband, two sons, three grandchildren and two little girls.

As Program Manager of Outreach Services at Main Street Project, Tiago leads a responsive outreach team supporting Winnipeg’s unhoused and vulnerable populations. His team delivers harm-reduction-based support, meeting people where they are, both physically and in terms of individual needs. Tiago oversees the planning and evaluation of services, including housing assistance, health access, and harm reduction, while building strong partnerships with city services like WFPS, 311, and Public Works.

In addition to street outreach, his team supports other MSP services by transporting clients with mobility or language barriers and delivering Managed Opioid Program Services (MOPS) doses to hospitals. Tiago holds a Post-Degree Diploma in Business Management from the University of Winnipeg (2024) and certifications in Public and Safety Management. His work is grounded in empathy, aiming to create lasting pathways to stability and well-being for those who are most in need.

Zainab Mansaray, is the founder and CEO of the Canada Sierra Leone Friendship Society Incorporated (CSLFS INC.) , and the Canada-Africa Relation Enterprises Incorporated (CARE INC.), affectionately referred to as CSLFS INC. and the CARE INC., respectively. She is passionate about fostering sustainable development, cultural change, and community empowerment.

She was born in the Northern part of Sierra Leone, Port Loko district of Lunsar West Africa. 

Zainab attended my elementary school in the Southern District and gained admission to Port Loko College/University of Sierra Leone for (4) four years and was awarded a child development teaching degree and taught for (9) nine years. Zainab volunteered in interpretation with our local languages Theme, Krio to English during the civil war at the UNHCR/UN Refugee Agency in Conakry Guinea where I sought refuge from my home country Sierra Leone. She is a human rights activist, advocating for fewer privileges, a master's degree in Advancing Women’s Leadership in Conflict Transformation, Peace-Building, and Community through storytelling and implementation of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. She speaks fluent English, Theme, and Krio. Those languages are her mother’s languages in Sierra Leone. She came from a larger extended family in Sierra Leone but she has a family of three biological children in Canada and the United States of America. She immigrated to Canada in 2000 just after my second girl was born with the help of my sister through the refugee program.

Education is Zainab’s passion and she is passionate about fostering sustainable development, cultural exchange, and community empowerment with collaborative, healthy communication and inclusive ideas and helping more people experiencing homelessness, including seniors with disabilities especially those who are experiencing difficulties in their lives. In 2007 Zainab was in medical school at the University of Manitoba. While working as a health care aide/housekeeper and food production, and working in different facilities in the healthcare field both WRHA/CBHI in Winnipeg. In 2018, she studied international development, and conflict resolution as a major and political science as a minor at the University of Winnipeg and a graduate from Coady International Institute programming in Future of Work and Workers, community participatory Development, impact Research method, and development and other pilot credential programs certifications.