Morgan is a contract instructor with Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and will be facilitating the accredited training course, ACED 161 (Negotiations and Contract Management). He has a background in Municipal-Indigenous relations, Indigenous CED and organizational development. Morgan currently works in the municipal sector and co-owns a small CED research and consulting business. He is Board Chair of Volunteer Alberta, which advocates for the growth and development of the non-profit voluntary sector and volunteerism.

Morgan holds an MBA in Community Economic Development from Cape Breton University and a Bachelor of Arts in Native Studies from the University of Alberta. He is TAED (Technician Aboriginal Economic Developer) certified through Cando. He and his wife Jocelyn live in Camrose, Alberta.

Kathy McCue is a member of the Curve Lake First Nation in Ontario. Kathy has over 30 years of experience in various aspects of First Nation administration and governance. In 2013, she joined the Centre of Excellence for Matrimonial Real Property as the Administration and Communications Coordinator.  In 2018 she accepted the position of MRP Specialist and now provides information, training, and technical support to First Nation governments, technicians and residents in the Atlantic Provinces, Ontario, Manitoba and parts of Quebec.  She maintains a strong commitment to community development and enjoys the opportunity to provide technical support that improves capacity and furthers the objectives of First Nation communities.

Jeanette Bear from Tobique First Nation in NB, has been working as Economic Development Coordinator for 5 years. Prior to my work in Economic Development I was working as a part of our Finance Team for close to 10 years and wanted to work and make changes as well as be a part of those positive changes in our community. Mother of 2 boys Mckael, and Layne and working for my community by teaching them the respect and culture. Hoping to make a small impact to help the future generations was always a big goal I had in mind. After completing my Business Management Degree with a Minor in Accounting and the University of Maine and taking on a new role in Economic Development I learned that Neqotkuk needed our Land Use Plan to help in the future plans and growth and development within the community.

Frank Flanagan, P.Eng., FCIP has been the Senior Planner with exp Services Inc. since 2013 when he retired from the City of Fredericton where he had served as the Director of Growth and Community Services for 13 years. He was responsible for divisions covering Planning and Development, Building Inspection and By-law Enforcement, Parking Services, Tourism and Heritage and Culture. He was the Director during the preparation of the 2007 Municipal Plan update, the Recreation Master Plan, the Trails and Bikeways Master Plan, the Transportation Master Plan and Parking Strategy.

Prior to his position with the City, Mr. Flanagan was a Planning Consultant for 28 years, 14 years with ADI Limited where he headed up the Planning Department, and 14 years as a partner in FGA Consultants Ltd. where he was Vice-President and Senior Urban Planner. There, he was responsible for planning projects and studies for every level of government as well as for many community agencies and private developers. He also taught Urban Planning courses at UNB for 37 years.

Over the past several years, Frank has been engaged in several projects involving First Nation communities including development of housing, recreation, economic development and environmental projects. In 2018 he completed a Community Future Land Use Plan and a Comprehensive Community Plan for Indian Island First Nation and is currently involved in a community commercial development for another New Brunswick First Nation community.

As Director of Operations for Indian Island, Peter is tasked with overseeing all Band operations as well as all of Indian Island’s economic ventures.

Peter is a lifelong member of Elsipogtog First Nation and has been working for Indian Island for 6 years now and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with him.

Benjamin McFarlane has spent his whole professional life working sales in various creative fields, including photography and music production. Since 2004 he has been a professional writer of non-fiction, publishing in print magazines such as Remix and Electronic Musician. As a fiction hobbyist, Benjamin won second place in the 2012 David Adams Richards prize for fiction. He was a copywriter and online content developer for California-based ModernBeats.com, and now runs his own copywriting consultancy out of Planet Hatch in Fredericton, serving many newcomer clients and established local Fredericton businesses such as Square Thunder and Master Indian Spice. As a copywriter who works in the realm of startups, Benjamin has learned many ways that a startup can fail, and what specific lessons copywriting and marketing can bring to the process of planning and designing a business.

Meko Nicholas is the Executive Director of the First Nations Lands Management Resource Centre and is Welastekokewin (Maliseet) from the Neqotkuk (Tobique) First Nation in New Brunswick.

For the past 24 years he has been working with First Nations across Canada to reclaim their rightful governance over their lands, environment and resources through the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management.

Tammy has extensive experience working and living in several communities across Canada as well as overseas. She returned to Canada full time to work with Coady International Institute of St. Francis Xavier University in 2006 and eventually found her way to working with local government in 2008, and has been with the Municipality of the County of Antigonish ever since. Since being with the County she has worked on several plans and projects and is most passionate about the work the County and Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation do together.

Rose Paul was instrumental in negotiating a long-sought $13.5 million Trans Canada Highway interchange that will drive long-haul trucking and tourist traffic to a new $10 million Bayside Travel Centre. Her drive and passion were instrumental in gaining access to Band land that had been severed when the highway was built more than 50 years ago.

Ms. Paul's consistent leadership has put her community in a position to create jobs and generate significant own-source revenues to support improvements to social, education and community programs.

She has won numerous awards and recognition, including the 2017 Cando Economic Developer of the Year award, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee award and the Nova Scotia Community Spirit award.

She obtained her Masters in Business Administration from Cape Breton University and was chosen valedictorian of the Indigenous Women in Community Leadership program at St. Francis Xavier University.

With over 15 years of marketing, communications and tourism development experience, Heather nurtures strategic opportunities with industry and business partners to grow Nova Scotia’s tourism economy. Initiating and influencing the development of authentic, differentiating and compelling tourism experiences, Heather works with existing and emerging product areas and diverse stakeholders across the province. Heather is co-author of Experience Nova Scotia: A Toolkit developed for industry to create world class experiences aligned with Nova Scotia’s tourism brand.

Currently leading the Experience Development team, Heather’s been with Tourism Nova Scotia since 2007. Previously she worked on marketing and communications initiatives with the Nova Scotia Museum’s heritage promotions team, and holds a Public Relations Degree from Mount Saint Vincent University. Heather’s adventures with her two daughters and husband often include great places to enjoy local food and bicycle!

Having worked for the public service since 2011, Mike Ricci joined the Business Development Directorate at Indigenous Services Canada as Program Officer in February 2018. Mike provides policy advice and guidance to the federal procurement community, as well as Indigenous business owners looking to do business with the Government of Canada. Mike relentlessly advocates and seeks out opportunities for Indigenous inclusion within federal government contracting.