Edac 2015 Whitehorse Speaker Biographies
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EDAC 2015 WHITEHORSE SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES MORGAN BAMFORD CEDI PROGRAM COORDINATOR CANDO Morgan Bamford is the Program Coordinator for the First Nations – Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDO). He holds a BA (Hon.) in Native Studies and Sociology from the University of Alberta and is currently pursuing his MBA in Community Economic Development through Cape Breton University. Prior to CEDI, Morgan worked with Alberta Enterprise and Advanced Education’s Community Partnerships and Literacy branch. In this role, he supported Aboriginal adult education in the province by working on initiatives that support greater inclusion for Aboriginal post-secondary students and that support and further literacy initiatives. Morgan’s past experience also includes a decade working in various roles with urban Aboriginal children, families and youth through community agencies in Edmonton and in 2013 he and a partner founded a small research and consulting business. He is passionate about traveling, especially in Canada, and lives in his home community of Edmonton, Alberta. RT. HON. JOE CLARK CANADA’S 16TH PRIME MINISTER The Rt. Hon. Joe Clark served as a federal Member of Parliament for 30 years and held most senior Cabinet positions, including those of Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Minister of Constitutional Affairs and President of the Privy Council. He is the author of How We Lead: Canada in a Century of Change and Canada: A Nation Too Good to Lose. He continues to work with international foundations, associations, and businesses on issues of governance, democratic reform, security, and peace. Clark is now vice-chairman of the Global Leadership Foundation, and a member of the Inter-American Dialogue, and the Friends of the Inter-American Charter. He serves on the advisory boards of Save the Children Canada, SOS Children’s Villages Canada, Canada Without Poverty, and other Canadian and international organizations. He is an “Honorary Witness” of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, seeking to heal the trauma of abuse of young Aboriginals in residential schools in Canada. He co-founded the underwater forestry company CSRD in Ghana, was founding chairman of the Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers on Southern Africa, which coordinated the Commonwealth campaign against apartheid, served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Cyprus, and has led international Election and Governance teams in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Clark is a Companion of the Order of Canada, a member of the Alberta Order of Excellence and l’Ordre de la Pleiades, and the first recipient of the Vimy Award. JESSIE DAWSON Jessie – was born and raised in the Yukon and is a citizen & beneficiary of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation. She is a member of the Wolf Clan. She is the longest running leader on KDFN Council (15 years) and is a strong advocate of programs related to our youth and lifelong learning. She is very active with many programs both within and outside of Kwanlin Dun First Nation. She has worked for many years with Education and School Councils. She has always been a spokesperson for her First Nation and others see her as an ambassador. Jessie is well known throughout her first nation, Yukon and Canada. DAKWÄKÄDA DANCERS Based in Haines Junction, Yukon, the Dakwäkäda Dancers have been teaching young people in Southern Tutchone and Tlingit cultures through the tradition of song and dance for more than 20 years.The group was established by four sisters, all granddaughters of the late Annie Ned. A well- known and respected Southern Tutchone Elder, Annie Ned taught many people to dance, sing and become knowledgeable about the traditional way of life. Her songs and dances form the basis of the group’s repertoire.With a focus on youth, the Dakwäkäda Dancers include child performers who begin as young as two years of age. Audiences witness the older youth and adults demonstrate leadership and the Southern Tutchone culture alive, vibrant, and being passed down to new generations – native and non-native. Each song is introduced with its origin and story, thus the audience understands the importance of what is being shared. The Dakwäkäda Dancers are ambassadors of their culture, their community, and the Yukon Territory. Establishing and achieving a performance goal is gratifying for the children and a source of pride for the community. JENNIFER DONNELLY PROGRAM MANAGER, FCM Jennifer is a Program Manager with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) specialising in the design and development of local government programs for FCM’s international department. For close to a decade, Jennifer has facilitated the development of local level innovations in policy, management, and service delivery by connecting Canadian municipalities with their peers in other countries. Prior to FCM, Jennifer worked in business development at Canada’s National Institute for Research in Construction. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia and a M.Sc. in Program Management from the University of Quebec. CHRIS FIELDS SENIOR BRAND AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIST, TWIST MARKETING Chris has been around the marketing block a few times – the result of 23 years of marketing, communications, and economic development experience in enterprise, government, and not-for-profit settings....and a bunch of time learning things the hard way as 'fire hydrant to the corporate dogs.' Chris has spent the last 10 years in a consulting capacity as an unconventional thinker and doer who challenges his work environments to think more creatively and aspirationally about branding, marketing, strategic positioning, and community-building. Chris and his B.C., Alberta, and Ontario communities have received 24 provincial, national, and international awards. Chris has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Design from the University of Calgary. LinkedIn public profile: ca.linkedin.com/in/chrisfieldsab Background Educational and work experience background represents a convergence of collaborative governance, planning, economic development, and branding/marketing. 23 years of marketing and communications experience in government, not-for-profit, and enterprise settings. • 10 years in municipal government in planning/economic development/communications positions. • 5 years in a marketing director capacity in the information technology sector and 9 subsequent years on contract as communications advisor with TRTech (www.trtech.ca) – Canada’s largest information technology research consortium. • Last ten years as an independently entrepreneur consulting in a breadth of strategic marketing and communications activity: o Has led collaboration-based strategic branding/communications/marketing initiatives with 10 B.C. communities, 19 Alberta communities, one Ontario community, and five regional economic development organizations since 2006. o Has led collaboration-based strategic branding/communications/marketing initiatives with more than a dozen enterprise clients in areas including land development, architecture, wind energy, promotional products, oil and gas, packaging, equipment rentals, and ICT. • Professional speaker at 35+ conference events in the last 5 years on the subject of branding and destination marketing. “Energetic…made me think out of the box in marketing.” “Great sense of humour and able to explain marketing in a unique way.” Travel Alberta Conference Comments, 2013. PHIL FONTAINE SPECIAL ADVISOR, ROYAL BANK OF CANADA Mr. Fontaine serves as a director for numerous private and public companies including Chieftain Metals and Avalon Rare Metals. Mr. Fontaine served as National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations for an unprecedented three terms. He is a Member of Order of Manitoba and has received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, the Equitas Human Rights Education Award, the Distinguished Leadership Award from the University of Ottawa, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and most recently was appointed to the Order of Canada. Mr. Fontaine also holds sixteen Honorary Doctorates from Canada and the United States. FLO FRANK CANDO Flo is an internationally recognized consultant, trainer, facilitator and community development specialist. She helps groups, organizations and governments get from where they are to where they want to be. In recent years her emphasis has been on communities in transition, place-based economic development, cultural and demographic changes and working effectively with diversity. Her background includes being one of the 7 original founders of the Canadian Community Economic Development Network; lead consultant on developing the competencies and training for CANDO’s (Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers) EDO training program; senior positions in both the Federal and Provincial governments and executive positions on 25 boards of directors. Flo works across Canada and in various places around the world (Australia, Hawaii, Circumpolar Nations and South America), has author/co-authored 31 community self-help books, and is currently the mayor of a small community in Saskatchewan. Her post-secondary education includes degrees and advanced studies in Community Development, Adult Education, Career Management, Business Development and International Marketing. CHIEF KRISTINA KANE Chief Kristina Kane was born and raised in Whitehorse and comes from the Chief Jim Boss Family of the Ta’an Kwach’an Council. She was elected on October 15th, 2012,