Our People

What does your role entail? As Budget and Planning Director on the Capital Planning Team, I work across divisions to ensure our capital programs have the right financial structure, are tied to long-term priorities, and are supported by transparent reporting. Our team leads the development of budgeting tools, funding strategies, and governance processes that help bring clarity and consistency to major projects. Whether it’s supporting Treasury Board submissions, managing funding transitions, or building financial frameworks, our focus is on enabling IO teams to do their work with confidence and coordination.

Can you share your biggest accomplishment at IO? One of the most impactful accomplishments has been leading the funding transition of the Transit-Oriented Communities program from Metrolinx to the Ministry of Infrastructure. This included securing in-year and multi-year Treasury Board approvals, developing cost-sharing frameworks, and leading the funding strategy for a complex program in real time. The transition also kicked off the need to partially novate Technical Advisory contracts moving the TOC responsibilities from Mx to IO. This process realigned tens of millions of dollars in contracts across multiple subway lines while ensuring operational, financial, and legal continuity. These efforts are supporting the TOC commercial teams with greater ownership and financial control over their program, removing barriers and enabling faster, more accountable decision-making.

How has your career grown since joining IO? IO has pushed me to grow in ways I didn’t expect. I joined here with a background in data science focused on program-level analysis, but over time I’ve stepped into roles that influence how we approach funding, reporting, and planning across the organization. I’ve been lucky to take on complex challenges like pioneering IO’s internal cost control function, building land valuation models, and more recently supporting the negotiation of commercial agreements and MOUs, which has really forced me to stretch my thinking and communication style. Each of those experiences helped build confidence, perspective, and a stronger understanding of how to lead within this organization.

What’s the most unique part of working at IO? What makes IO truly unique is the scale of its mandate combined with the opportunity to directly influence how public dollars are spent. We’re not just overseeing infrastructure we’re helping shape how Ontario grows. The collaboration with ministries, municipalities, and the private sector creates a working environment where no two days are the same. You can be in a meeting about project forecasting in the morning and helping navigate ministry policy in the afternoon. It’s fast-paced, a little chaotic, but always purpose-driven and deeply rewarding.

IO’s vision is to create a modern, connected and competitive Ontario – how do you connect with this vision? IO’s vision resonates with me because so much of the work is about helping turn big, bold ideas into something real and achievable. It’s all about removing roadblocks so Ontario’s most important projects can move forward with confidence. We leave a real and lasting impact on the province the residents who live here.

Who has inspired you professionally? Martina Di Gioacchino, Director of Capital Program Budgeting and Planning (who by the way would make an excellent spotlight candidate), has been a major influence, both at IO and back when we worked together at MOHLTC. She has a rare talent for breaking down incredibly complex problems into manageable pieces and then explaining them in a way that truly resonates with people. One standout example was when she transformed what was once a chaotic budget development process into a clear, accessible set of Budget Development Guidelines. It brought structure and clarity to a major pillar of IO’s projects. It set the tone for the standardization and discipline we bring to budgeting today.

What does your role entail? As Director of Land Use Planning at IO, I am responsible for overseeing a team of planning and design professionals. Our mandate is to identify land use opportunities to protect and enhance the portfolio, provide planning technical support to other IO teams to realize innovative public initiatives, and support provincial real estate undertakings, development, and transactions.

What is your career background? I studied urban planning at the University of McGill. Over the last 19 years, I’ve collected invaluable experience and relationships in both the private and public sectors working for consulting firms, developers, a municipality and most recently IO.

Fun fact: my first industry experiences was with ORC. Shout out to Joseph Lin, Director, Surveys and Geomatics for giving this woman her first industry job!

What’s the most unique part of working at IO? Knowing that me and my team’s technical advice results in the opportunity to directly serve the public and contribute to the creation a better Ontario is a truly unique feeling. To drive past a hospital, or a mixed used development with an affordable housing component and know that we had direct contributions to its realization never gets old.

What would your advice be to a new employee? IO is a large organization that delivers one of the widest arrays of programs I’ve seen in my 19-year career. My advice to a new employee is to focus on understanding the organization’s structure, objectives, policies, and processes. Take advantage of the opportunities IO offers in building relationships outside of your direct team and meet the diverse talent that makes up IO. This will build satisfaction and understanding on the impact your role and team has on the overall success of the IO and the Province.

What does your role entail (high-level overview)? As Procurement Director, I support several lines of business within IO and Procurement staff by providing strategic advice, technical expertise, and oversight required to formulate, plan and execute procurements.

What is your career background? After pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and an MBA with a concentration in Finance, I started my career in the world of international development while living in the United States. As a Financial Inclusion Consultant, working for the Inter-American Development Bank, I supported the design and execution of financial education and access to savings initiatives for low-income people across Latin America and the Caribbean. I then transitioned to working for Pact Inc, an international NGO active in 40 countries executing global health, gender equality, governance, among other development projects. My role consisted of leading the preparation of complex cost proposals for large government and corporate grants.

What drew you to join IO? Having worked on the donor and bidding side, and being familiar with the tendering process for large scale projects, a transition into the world of IO Procurement offered an opportunity to contribute my past experience while being challenged to learn about a new industry. I was particularly drawn to working at a place where my efforts would yield tangible results that would benefit the communities of the place I now called home.

How has your career grown since joining IO? (i.e. new roles you have taken on, new skills you have learnt, interesting experiences you have had at IO) I joined IO in 2019 as a Procurement Specialist and have been fortunate to be trusted with assuming new responsibilities and roles since, as a Manager and most recently a Director.

Is there someone at IO who inspires you, motivates you, or mentors you? That would be our entire Procurement Team! I have never worked in a team that is truly full of inspiring, capable and supportive people. I have learned so much from my all of my peers, some of whom helped train me when I first joined IO! Whenever there is a difficult issue to be solved, or you are having a tough day, there is always someone ready to offer help, a hug, or a hilarious joke to keep you motivated.

What is the most interesting project you’ve worked on for IO? What did you do on that project? I would say the most rewarding procurement I have worked on was on setting up the RFQSO for Rapid Construction Delivery in parallel with executing the Accelerated Build Long-Term Care Project in the summer of 2020. It was a unique opportunity to collaborate and innovate with multiple business units at a crucial point in time for the province.

What does your role entail (high-level overview)? Transaction Legal provides legal support and advice to project teams and executives delivering projects during the entire lifecycle of a project: the planning, procurement, construction and operations phases. We have expertise across a wide variety of delivery models such as P3, traditional and collaborative. As a Director, I help move the legal issues that arise in projects to resolution, and I guide and develop other lawyers on our legal team.

What is your career background? I am a lawyer with an undergraduate degree in commerce. I began my legal career practicing construction litigation in a boutique law firm in York Region and transitioned to in-house government practice at Toronto Community Housing. There, I learned about the challenges faced by the dedicated project teams who develop, build and renovate aging residential buildings and facilities under tight timelines and budget constraints.

What drew you to join IO? I was drawn to IO because of its large, complex, headline-making projects. I wanted to help solve challenging problems and contribute to making a lasting impact on the province.

Tell us what it’s like to work on IO’s Legal Services team. IO’s Legal Services team is a diverse group of over 70 lawyers, law clerks and legal assistants who are bright, supportive and inspiring. Our team cares about the quality of the work we deliver while maintaining a supportive, flexible culture that prioritizes learning and development.

Is there someone at IO who inspires you, motivates you, or mentors you? Ann Walters, Vice President Legal Services inspires, motivates and mentors me. Ann’s depth of legal and institutional knowledge makes her an invaluable member of IO. She makes time in her busy schedule to develop our understanding of complex legal issues but also challenges us to think commercially. She is a consummate lawyers’ lawyer and I feel lucky to learn from her.

What is the most interesting project you’ve worked on for IO? What did you do on that project? The most interesting project I have worked on so far at IO is Ontario Place. It’s an aging, large, complex area with significant cultural value. In fact, I had my wedding reception in the Atlantis Pavillion event space there in 2012 and have beautiful photos of my wedding party on the grounds near the shoreline. By then, it was largely closed to the public and the remaining structures were already in serious disrepair. My family regularly visited Ontario Place when I was a child growing up in Toronto and I feel very privileged to be part of bringing it back to life for generations to come.

What drew you to join IO? The main draw for me was the chance to work on major provincial infrastructure projects and to have a direct impact on their delivery. It felt like an opportunity to contribute directly to society, doing important work, and build a more rewarding career.

I was also very interested in working with and learning from the talent that was already working for IO. To work with many of the pioneers of the Ontario P3 program seemed like a unique opportunity.

Can you share your biggest accomplishment at IO? In early October, I successfully led the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority Redevelopment Project to Financial Close. Having worked on this challenging and critical project for more than 6 years, it’s been a career milestone to bring the new facilities in Moosonee and Moose Factory one huge step closer to becoming a reality. Having the opportunity to work on a project with such an acute need to the communities served has been a deeply rewarding experience.

What’s the most unique part of working at IO? For me, the most unique part of working at IO with respect to managing P3 projects is the very broad exposure that we get to the full project delivery process. IO’s role leading the procurement process and our mandate for oversight allows us a comprehensive view and intimate involvement, both on the owners’ side of delivery and into the workings of government, from planning through to final completion and operations. The breadth of stakeholders, advisors, government authorities and many others that we are able to work with on each project is truly unique to our critical function in the P3 process.

What would your advice be to a new employee? IO’s processes are fairly specific to our program and the language used to describe them is full of specific terminology and other jargon. Don’t hesitate to ask leaders or colleagues what things mean or why things are done a certain way. That said, the best way to understand it all is to immerse yourself in the work. Take in as much as you can and try not to be discouraged by the steep learning curve. IO has a growing library of internal resources for new recruits, but the knowledge comes with time and application.

Is there someone at IO who inspires you, motivates you, or mentors you? Within the IO P3 healthcare portfolio teams, we have a wealth of knowledge and experience, including many colleagues that have worked within the sector and for IO for many years. Everyone is very approachable and open to sharing information and lessons from past projects and experiences. The eagerness of those to help others continually inspires me to do my part to build a strong, cohesive team and support our newer staff.

IO’s vision is to create a modern, connected and competitive Ontario – how do you connect with this vision? I feel that this is central to what we do in the P3 realm as a procurement agency. Our program is designed to bring out the best of the private sector in modernizing our infrastructure, but relies critically on keeping the market engaged. As long as IO continues to adapt to changing industry markets, we can continue to achieve this vision. I have personally experienced IO’s successful adaptation through my work on the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority Redevelopment Project Progressive DBF Project.

What does your role entail (high-level overview)? I work on the execution side of Procurement. As an Indigenous Procurement Specialist, I contribute to and help lead the departmental contribution to IO’s Indigenous Engagement and Participation Program (IEPP) while also executing procurements as a specialist.

What is your career background? I graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering. I was very motivated to obtain my P. Eng. to round out my educational background and I was fortunate to encounter several mentors in my field who supported my overall career development. I worked in a variety of industries from hydroelectric power generation to manufacturing and finally, technical advisory services. Having spent years in a crown corporation, I was happy to find something familiar as well as a new (think major infrastructure projects!) at IO.

What drew you to join IO? I am a first-time mom so a role with work flexibility (hybrid environment) was on top of my list. I also was looking for a role in procurement and when I saw this job posting that complemented my recent role working for Indigenous communities – I thought it was an amazing fit! Finally, I am drawn to new initiatives and helping implement them. It leads to gratifying work as someone who always wants to continue to develop professionally.

How has your career grown since joining IO? (i.e. new roles you have taken on, new skills you have learnt, interesting experiences you have had at IO) I would say my understanding of procurement has grown since joining IO; working on complex procurements is a skill I am developing. I enjoy working in the procurement team and those within IO to incorporate IEPP elements, it is very satisfying work!

Is there someone at IO who inspires you, motivates you, or mentors you? Overall, I have found the Procurement team, as a matrix org, to be inspiring to work with. Many colleagues have been there to guide me along my journey as an Indigenous Procurement Specialist and provide mentorship along the way. I cannot single out a specific colleague within my department as all have contributed in one way or another. Everyone I have encountered within IO is knowledgeable and kind; it truly is a great place to work.

What is the most interesting project you’ve worked on for IO? What did you do on that project? It’s hard to say, it is an even split between the newly established Indigenous Advisory RFSO (which I led as Procurement Lead) and IO IEPP strategy contribution – both of which are meaningful economic inclusion vehicles/opportunities!

What does your role entail? I work in IO’s Development Division as a Director on the Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) Subways team. The purpose of the TOC Subways program is to plan for the development of mixed-use communities along the routes of the province’s four priority subway projects. Although construction on many of these sites will not begin until subways are completed, planning and design are required now to ensure that the future development is technically feasible and supports new housing, jobs, retail, and community amenities.

My role is focused on several stations on the Ontario Line and includes overseeing the feasibility, vision, design, and planning approvals process for TOCs at each location, along with securing a developer for the TOC through either a public market offering or a deal negotiation with an existing landowner. Given the complexity and impact of these proposed developments, I collaborate extensively with colleagues from various IO divisions, representatives from several Ministries, Metrolinx, the City of Toronto, and local organizations, as well as landowners, consultants, and the general public.

What is your career background? I studied Urban Planning at McGill University and have had over 20 years of land use planning and development experience in Toronto and the GTA. Prior to joining Infrastructure Ontario, I was the Planning Lead at a consulting firm, where I oversaw the planning team working on several Ontario Line Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) sites. In this role, we provided the planning context to the TOC design teams and worked closely with the province and the City of Toronto to develop a strategy and approach for a streamlined planning submission and approvals process.

Before working in consulting, I was a Senior Development Director at Toronto Community Housing (TCH). There, I led the implementation of three social housing revitalization projects, managing a team of planning and construction professionals. My responsibilities included developing project pro forma, determining project feasibility and risk tolerance, and negotiating land transactions and partnership agreements with private developers.

Although my roles at TCH, in consulting, and now at IO have offered distinct perspectives, challenges, and experiences, the common theme throughout my career has been leveraging public/private sector collaboration to develop residential and mixed-use communities in Toronto, which I have found to be quite rewarding.

What drew you to join IO? Prior to joining Infrastructure Ontario, I worked as a planning consultant to IO’s TOC Subways program. During this time, I had the opportunity to be embedded within IO as a member of one of the TOC teams. While I appreciated being a consultant, I found working directly with the IO TOC team particularly rewarding, which motivated me to apply for a permanent position on the team when one became available.

I had also realized that I preferred working for a landowner, as it offers the chance to engage with full project lifecycles and to influence decisions in ways that a consultant cannot. The TOC program is of particular interest to me as I believe that some of the best development outcomes are achieved through close collaboration between the public and private sectors.

What’s the most unique part of working at IO? Although I have many years of experience in the industry and am accustomed to collaborative planning and development, I haven’t had too many opportunities to work directly with the Provincial Government. I appreciate the new perspectives brought by the province and the insights they add to my development experience.

What does your role entail? The development division, the newest line of business at IO, focuses on providing commercial advice regarding major land developments.

As a Director within the Social Purpose Projects (SPP) vertical of the division, my responsibilities include strategizing and executing projects that leverage surplus properties to create impactful below-market housing solutions, ensuring that our initiatives align with broader governmental goals and community needs.

What is your career background? I have an academic background in urban planning and hold a master’s degree in urban design. I am also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). For the first 15 years of my career, I worked on the other side of the world, developing and managing international multi-governmental infrastructure, renewable energy, and urban and regional development projects. These projects were funded by esteemed organizations such as the European Union and the World Bank and owned by companies such as WYG Group and STEAG. This diverse experience has given me a comprehensive understanding of global best practices and the ability to navigate complex, large-scale projects from a sustainable development perspective.

What drew you to join IO? I moved to Canada two months before COVID hit. It was a challenging time to understand the market, but I knew I wanted to continue working on impactful public-private partnership projects.

IO’s unique position of bringing together public and private sector perspectives, its impressive track record of impactful development programs/projects, and the diversity of its team convinced me that IO is a perfect place to gain valuable local experience and contribute my knowledge of international best practices.

What would your advice be to a new employee? IO’s commitment to EDI fosters a safe environment for employees from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. So, embrace your authentic self and confidently share your unique perspective.

Is there someone at IO who inspires you, motivates you, or mentors you? Absolutely! Two people at IO truly inspire me and have been significant sources of motivation and mentorship.

Arin Arat, who first introduced and inspired me to join IO, has provided invaluable insights and advice about everything related to IO. Arin’s knowledge of government relations and key stakeholders has been a guiding force for me. His dedication to IO's vision and the successful career he has built here are incredibly motivating, and something I look up to.

I’m also fortunate to be mentored by Uzay Ozince, who introduced me to the TOC program. I have learned so much from Uzay’s approach to problem-solving and leadership. I greatly admire and strive to follow his approach to navigating complex challenges with grace.

What’s one thing IO does to make you feel empowered/supported? IO prioritizes and supports my professional development, providing a range of options for online learning, tools for practical skill development, and financial support for external training and professional designations. For example, through IO’s learning management system I was able to prepare for and attain my PMP certification. Having been with IO for 7 years I have been able to progress from a Summer Associate to an Asset Manager.

What would your advice be to a new employee? Be curious and ask questions. Be adaptable. Be your authentic self and keep an open mind.

What does your role entail? Working as an Asset Manager on the P3 Asset Management team, I support client ministries with contract administration on operational P3 assets and act as the main point of contact for all IO support services. The P3 Asset Management team partners with Project Delivery on the development, procurement, and construction of P3 assets with a maintenance component.

What’s the most unique part of working at IO? IO employs some of the kindest, and brightest individuals that I’ve ever worked with; it is a fun, collaborative, and dynamic work environment.

What does your role entail? I am a Senior Advisor on the Subways Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) program, which aims to identify opportunities to create mixed use communities along transit stations to increase housing and jobs. In my role, I am responsible for the development of real estate transactions from initial feasibility, planning to execution of the commercial agreements for market offering or public-private partnership transactions. As subway integration and stakeholder engagement are integral parts in carrying through a transaction, a key part of my work is to collaborate and build relationships with multidisciplinary professionals internally in IO as well as with external stakeholders such as the Ministry of Infrastructure, municipalities, the local community and other government agencies.

What is your career background? My education training is urban planning, design and real estate. I started my career as an urban planner in Hong Kong working in consultancy where I built experience in development and technical feasibility studies, development submissions, and government policy studies for a range of asset classes from comprehensive mixed use, transit-oriented, residential, industrial, institutional and major infrastructure projects. I then transitioned to work for a real estate developer, where I predominantly managed new government Public-Private Partnership initiatives aimed at increasing housing supply through delivery of large scale residential mixed use communities. Through this work, I widened the range of my development expertise in multi- stakeholder management, master planning, technical review, land acquisition, and financial feasibility assessments.

What drew you to join IO? I found IO’s model in leveraging public private partnerships to create value for the Province resonated with my previous experience. In particular, I found the work under the TOC program to be impactful by leading change in the development landscape and the role aligned with the expertise and skills sets I could contribute. I also considered the opportunity to work for a government agency as a good transition from the private sector to the public sector. This made IO a good fit for me.

What’s one thing IO does to make you feel empowered/supported? Since the first day I joined IO, I found that there is a sense of openness and inclusion in the culture of the organization, whether it be working within your team or collaborating with other departments. The willingness from team members to listen and share opinions makes the workplace a supportive environment and empowers you to take initiative in collaborative projects and grow professionally. IO’s EDI and ERG teams are also very active in organizing events, sharing sessions and providing resources to support inclusion and promote multicultural learning and diversity across the organization.

What would your advice be to a new employee? Don’t be afraid to ask questions and connect with others across business lines. There is a wealth of diverse knowledge and expertise within the organization as well as learning and development resources available that could help you develop professionally.

What does your role entail? As Planners we work collaboratively with teams across IO to unlock the potential of our lands and deliver on important government priorities. As subject matter experts, our skills are relied upon to move projects forward to support various initiatives of the Real Estate, Development, and Project Delivery teams.

From site selection for major projects, to uplifting property value by securing planning approvals, we lead the due diligence for all things planning in order to get sites shovel ready. Not only do we help to determine the highest and best use of lands in the government portfolio, but we also keep up to date with municipal and provincial planning legislation so that we understand the potential impact they may have on the current and future use of these lands.

As Planners we are responsible for staying current with planning trends and market demand changes and the scope our work is constantly evolving to reflect this.

Tell us what it’s like to work on the Planning team. The Planning Team is involved in so many projects across the organization, providing diversity to the work we do and the people we engage with. Every day and every project are different, which keeps things interesting and exciting. There is always more to learn and ways to grow in order to support the rest of IO.

I work with an amazing team that want to help each other succeed. We genuinely care about the work we do and how it feeds into positive outcomes for the province and the people who live here.

How has your career grown since joining IO? When I first started at IO, I was hired as the Portfolio Planning, Development and Transactions Coordinator. This role was a good introduction to IO, where I was able to provide support to many of the teams within the Real Estate Division. This included the Planning team, which I was especially interested in, given I studied Urban and Regional Planning for my undergraduate degree.

I began taking on new tasks to get more exposure to the Planning team’s work. Taking on this work ultimately enabled me to move into the Portfolio Analyst role. As Analyst I was responsible for managing development and policy notices to ensure proposed changes would not negatively impact lands within our portfolio and supported the Planners with their deliverables for projects as I continued to get exposure.

After a year in the Portfolio Analyst role, I was promoted to Planner. Since my first day at IO, I’ve had great leaders and mentors who supported my professional growth and wanted to see me succeed. Reflecting on how much I have grown in the 4, almost 5, years of being here is something I am truly proud of, and I am grateful for the encouragement and confidence my leaders provided me.

Can you share your biggest accomplishment at IO? My biggest accomplishment since starting at IO was receiving my Professional Designation as Registered Professional Planner (RPP) and Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners (MCIP) which was only possible through IO support. The process took several years which included a mentorship, logging work experience, completing the Ethics and Professionalism Course, and finally the Professional Examination. It was my managers and colleagues that encouraged me to take this next step in my professional growth and I am grateful for all the guidance I received along the way.

What is your career background? I am a Learning and Development professional with a bit of a unique background, I started off with the aim to become a teacher! I can teach grades 4-12 and can teach history and computer science. I’ve worked in a variety of sectors with a focus on Learning and Development (Education, Healthcare, Retail, Infrastructure). Definitely a jack of all trades!

What drew you to join IO? Initially it was the opportunity to grow within my career as well as our total compensation. Then as I got to meet the team and other employees, the culture and focus on Employee Resource Groups (ERG) and diversity was a big draw.

Tell us what your role as a Learning and Development Manager entails and what it’s like to work on the Learning and Development team? At IO my role is fairly fluid, which is something that I appreciate. Some of the key functions include digital and in person curriculum, course, and content creation, leadership assessments, facilitating classes, LMS administration, and special projects.
No two days are the same, and it is a revolving door of new projects! Being certified to run our leadership assessments has been a wonderful opportunity to meet and support our leadership teams on a one-on-one basis. When we are creating course content as eLearning or instructor led courses, working with our Subject Matter Experts has been interesting, and has shed light on the processes and operations of the organization. Working in Learning and Development is unique in that you get to see different parts of the organization from a more holistic perspective.

Can you share your biggest accomplishment at IO? I would say the biggest accomplishment thus far has been the implementation of the Learning Management System. It was an opportunity to shape the digital learning experience for staff, allowing employees access to our content library and the ability to take control of their own learning. It also gave us the opportunity to partner with teams across the organization to ensure our platform was able to provide the best learner experience.

How has your career grown since joining IO? Becoming certified in the delivery of our leadership assessments has been a new skill that I have picked up. It has also provided me the opportunity to develop a tool that supports our assessors in being more efficient and effective in the delivery of these assessments.

What’s one thing IO does to make you feel empowered/supported? That IO values transparency. IO makes me feel empowered and supported by the transparency and honesty that I’ve seen as part of our processes, the conversations I have had with leaders, and being able to feel like I can contribute and ask questions.

What’s the most unique part of working at IO? The most unique part of working at IO has been the earnest push towards developing an inclusive culture. There is a wealth of Employee Resource Groups that push to drive connection.

What does your role entail? As an Indigenous Relations Specialist for the southwest, my role includes being the main point of contact for Indigenous communities and organizations within the region, carrying out the procedural aspects of the Duty to Consult on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure, and identifying opportunities for Indigenous engagement and inclusion.

What is your career background? I have a diploma in Business Management from Humber College which led to a placement as an Administrative Assistant for a biomedical company. However, once I welcomed my daughter to the world, I set out on my journey to reclaim our Indigenous teachings, protocols, ceremonies, traditions, culture, and art for our family. This led me to the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC) where I took on Administrative Assistant, Executive Assistant, and Interim Senior Executive Assistant roles. I am grateful for my time there as it allowed me to support various workgroups and directors from training, research, policy, and program areas, and the board of directors. This allowed me to develop an in-depth understanding of the needs and diversity of urban Indigenous communities across the province, insight into government and academic nuances, and an awareness of other Indigenous non-profits. After six years with the OFIFC, my spirit felt compelled to continue my learning journey and saw IO as an opportunity to connect with First Nations and Indigenous communities in a more impactful way.

Can you share your biggest accomplishment at IO? The Indigenous Initiatives team was formed in the fall of 2021 and I was hired on as the second team member at the end of summer 2022. Understandably, there were a lot of foundational systems, tools, and resources that needed to be developed and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in those developments. However, my heart will always feel the fullest when engaging with Indigenous communities.

What would your advice be to a new employee? When I think of giving advice, I think of my Elders and teachers and so what I share is what I’ve learned from them. When I share this, I think specifically of the next generation of Indigenous employees that will come after me. The work of Indigenous initiatives, relations, rights, economic inclusion, truth and reconciliation… it is hard work, but it is good work, it is important work. To be resilient means we must pause from time to time and ensure that our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects are balanced. Sometimes we must pause to tend to ourselves as individuals, before we can take on the obligations to the family, clan, or nation; or team, business line, or organization. Build that relationship with your spirit to know how to recognize this and give yourself the grace to take space. We come to IO with our Indigenous identities and when we honour that then great things can happen. Above all else, we are not alone. We have our ancestors, our communities, and our relations supporting us on this journey.

Is there someone at IO who inspires you, motivates you, or mentors you? Every day I give thanks to the growing community of Indigenous employees at IO. I believe you can learn from everyone, and I’ve been fortunate to welcome eight new employees from across Turtle Island into the circle since I started. I’m also grateful to our allies in our Indigenous Employee Resource Group and my Environmental, Social, and Governance teammates.

Who has inspired you professionally? I’m especially grateful for the Aunties and Uncles that I’ve met in Indigenous communities across Ontario through this work. I carry their advice, stories, skills, and compassion with care.