Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Nicole is Métis with ancestral roots in the Red River Valley. She is the first Director of Indigenous Initiatives at the McConnell Foundation (Montreal).  In addition to providing leadership on the McConnell Reconciliation Initiative, she is focused on advancing the fields of Indigenous philanthropy, social innovation and solutions finance. Prior to joining the Foundation, Nicole worked in the federal government on a number of files, including the Indian Residential School Resolution, the Urban Aboriginal Strategy, and the Government of Canada’s Initiative on Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women. In addition to providing policy leadership and expertise, she has extensive experience working at the community level.

Nicole holds a BA in International Studies and an MA in Political Science from the University of Saskatchewan.  She lives in Ottawa with her husband and five children.

• Location: Montreal, Canada