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The Executive Lead, Indigenous Achievement is tasked with building and expanding an Indigenous presence and visibility at the University of Manitoba and the broader Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities that will result in improved access, recruitment, retention and completion for First Nations, Metis and Inuit learners. Our vision is to make Manitoba a Centre for Excellence for Indigenous Education.

Biography
Deborah was born and raised in Winnipeg and is a member of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Manitoba. After six years as a policy advisor at the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, she joined the public service of Canada in 1997, where she worked on a number of important policies and programs relating to First Nations, Metis and Inuit issues. She worked at the Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat, Privy Council Office, where she focused extensively on the First Nation education component of the Kelowna Accord. She also served as policy advisor to two federal cabinet ministers. For four years prior to joining the University of Manitoba, Deborah was the senior advisor at Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, where she was actively involved in planning of the prime minister’s historic apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools.

Deborah obtained her undergraduate degree in Sociology from the University of Winnipeg, Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work (Policy and Administration) from the University of Manitoba.