Interactive Elder and Knowledge Keepers Connected to Miskanawah Map | Board of Directors | Wahkotiwin Board of Directors | Organizational Mapping

Our People

Kirby Redwood, BA, CEC, MA, MBA

Kirby Redwood is Saulteaux-Cree from Cowessess First Nation and has called Moh'Kinsstis his home for over 50 years. He has been involved in the social services sector as a professional and volunteer since 1988. He has served in areas of children services, justice, adult education and social services. Holding a BA in Justice Studies, MA in Leadership, and an MBA, Kirby values the role of formal education and the possibilities this path offers in relationship to his traditional ways of being:

“When we respectfully parallel Indigenous worldviews to Western worldviews we create opportunities for ethical space to emerge, and from there we open the doors to personal and community wellness.” (Kirby Redwood)

Through Royal Roads University, Kirby also obtained Graduate Certificates in Executive Coaching (2012) and Change Management (2016). Since that time, he has worked to create and encourage a coaching culture within his workplace and community. Kirby is motivated daily by Peter Drucker’s words; “The task of leadership is to create an alignment of strengths that make the weaknesses of an organization become irrelevant… [and] culture eats strategy for breakfast”.

As the Lead Oskâpêwis (cultural helper) at Miskanawah, Kirby takes great pride in being part of a learning organization that contributes to community as a social change agent and creates opportunities for the voices not always heard… to be heard. Kirby’s passions are his desire to make positive change within himself and the community he works and lives in. With a focus on strengthening and changing the narratives and perspectives of Canada’s Indigenous peoples, to ones that more accurately reflect who we are as Turtle Islands first peoples.

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Interactive Elder and Knowledge Keepers Connected to Miskanawah Map

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Board of Directors

Miskanawah is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors committed to achieving stable growth while maintaining our roots.

Lana Garcelon – Co-chair

Lana Garcelon is Dënesųłiné from English River First Nation. Lana works as General Counsel for Métis Nation - Saskatchewan. She studied law and graduated from the University of Waikato in Aotearoa (New Zealand) in 2017. Since then and prior to, she has worked with several legal service and Indigenous organizations from Vancouver to Toronto to Calgary. She maintains close ties with relatives and kin and travels north when her schedule permits. Lana also beads in her spare time, plays competitive volleyball & is a mother.

Bruce Randall – Co-chair

Bruce Randall is a mentor, builder and, most importantly, a grandfather, raised in the spirit of “Bon Ami” in northern New Brunswick,
With dual law degrees from McGill University Law School in 1985, Bruce practiced corporate law in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary until his retirement from law in 2004, last serving as General Counsel and Vice-President Law with The Forzani Group Ltd. in Alberta. Bruce then shifted his career into the nonprofit sector, eventually being part of the founding group of the Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council where he served as its first Executive Director from 2010 until his 2nd retirement in 2022.
Bruce brought community building into his volunteer life, serving on a range of boards and committees including Miskanawah (as a Director since 2016 and as Chairperson from 2019 to 2023) and Influence Mentoring Society (co-founder and Director since 2014); and former roles with the Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies, BlackNorth Initiative and Calgary Youth Justice Society.
Bruce also continues to teach governance and law in the nonprofit sector at Mount Royal University (since 2014) and at Red Deer Polytechnic (since 2016).
Along his journey, Bruce seeks to help bring Wahkohtowin principles to the work and impact of Miskanawah.

Katelyn Lucas – Vice-Chair

Katelyn Lucas is a Métis woman who has been working within the Indigenous Community over the past 27 years, with a strong focus on homelessness, justice and vulnerable populations. Katelyn has engaged on many levels from front-line, to leadership. At present she is the Executive Director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Calgary, and Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Standing Committee on Housing and Homelessness (ASCHH).
Katelyn‘s skills include community engagement and partnership collaboration. She is also a curriculum developer and has written content for Indigenous educational institutions and programs for post-secondary education.
Katelyn has spent many years providing cultural awareness training, facilitating workshops, and developing wellness programs for First Nation peoples and communities. Katelyn’s strength is in analyzing and restructuring programming to align within a culturally competent framework. Additionally, she designs evaluation tools and processes to enhance the outcome potential of programming and services.
Katelyn’s body of work has been primarily focused on urban Indigenous populations issues through addressing gaps that are barriers to urban and rural First Nation communities. Through the development of positive relationships with government partners, Indigenous partnering agencies, and community members from the urban center and neighboring First Nations, Katelyn has participated in many funding panels, collaborative projects, community consultations, and think tanks to help identify culturally appropriate options for improving justice and addressing homelessness and housing needs of Indigenous peoples.

Virginia Baescu - Treasurer

I was born and raised in Romania and came to Canada with my family in May 1997. I started my career from the ground up twice in the last thirty years and I studied for over twenty years. When I left Romania, I was the Chief Financial and Operating Officer for a private university specialized in economical studies and I was also teaching Finance, Accounting, and International Insurance at the same university.
Coming to Canada was not easy, but my husband and I wanted a better life, full of opportunities for us and our kids and with that desire in mind nothing was too hard for us. My first Canadian work experience was as a volunteer for Red Cross Calgary in the Accounting Department followed by a short term hourly paid position with them. Other workplaces: Accounting Clerk for Specialty Packaging, Accountant Analyst for Hull Child and Family Services, Financial Controller at Heritage Park Historical Village, Director of Finance, Vice President of Finance at United Way of Calgary and Area.
My career completely shifted after I enrolled in the CGA program. After four long years I obtained the CGA designation, and it was one of the proudest moments of my life. It was an exceedingly difficult program, but extremely rewarding in the end.
I spent many years of my career in Canada working in the not-for-profit/charitable sector. I love my work and the amazing people I get the opportunity to meet. Knowing that part of my work goes back to the community is particularly important to me.
I love gardening and nature in general, reading, travelling and spending quality time with my family.

Justin Bergeron – Secretary

Justin Bergeron is a seasoned HR leader with over 20 years of experience leading people strategies that prioritize equity, engagement, and organizational effectiveness. With a Master’s degree in Leadership, Justin is known for building people-centered cultures that support both business success and community well-being.
He served as the Director of People Services at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Calgary for more than three years, where he played a pivotal role in enhancing staff experience and aligning HR practices with the organization’s mission-driven goals.
Deeply connected to the Calgary community, Justin is committed to reconciliation and is proud to support Miskanawah’s mission to walk alongside Indigenous children, youth, and families in their journey to healing and well-being. He is honored to serve on the Board of Directors and looks forward to contributing to the organization’s continued growth and impact.

Robert Hamilton – Director

Robert Hamilton is an Associate Professor at the University of Calgary Faculty Law. He holds a BA from St. Thomas University, a JD from the University of New Brunswick Faculty of Law, an LLM from Osgoode Hall Law School, and a PhD from the University of Victoria Faculty of Law. Robert teaches Property Law and Aboriginal Law and has published extensively on Indigenous rights issues.

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Wahkotiwin Board of Directors

Miskanawah's governance structure has adopted a Wahkotiwin Board of Directors to ensure strong Indigenous representation and transfer of knowledge. The Wahkotiwin Director is viewed as a knowledge keeper, responsible for building and strengthening relationships within the process of transferring traditional knowledge, and modelling and living Wahkotiwin.

William Dickson – Wahkotiwin Director

Bill was born and raised in Calgary in the last century. He spent over 40 years in public education, teaching, administering and always learning.
He has volunteered for the past 25 years in the not-for-profit sector and now enjoys his role as a Wahkotowin Director of Miskanawah.

Jennifer Findlay – Wahkotiwin Director

With over 20 years of experience working in the private sector, Jennifer’s career has focused largely on building strong relationships and partnerships with a broad base of communities and stakeholders in support of responsible resource development.
Jennifer currently works at Pembina Pipeline Corporation as Director, Sustainability, Indigenous and Stakeholder Engagement. Prior to this, she led Government and Tribal Affairs for Pembina’s Jordan Cove LNG project, based out of Portland, Oregon. Before joining Pembina, Jennifer held a variety of roles at Talisman Energy and Repsol Oil and Gas Canada, where her work on resource plays and major projects took her to many communities in Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. She spent an additional three years working firmly outside her comfort zone in development roles focused on financial and procurement controls, water strategy and international exploration.
Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Indigenous Studies (with distinction), a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (with distinction) and a Master of Arts in Community Studies. Jennifer is a member of the Board of Directors for two other not-for-profit organizations, as a Director at Influence Mentoring Society and the Canadian Mental Health Association – Calgary Region. She is passionate about volunteering to support Indigenous communities and people as a result of the profound impact they have had on her life and her worldview.

Dan Rochon – Wahkotiwin Director

Dan Rochon is a Wahkotiwin Director and the past Treasurer of Miskanawah. He is currently retired after a career at Enbridge, ATCO, and Tsuut’ina First Nation. While at ATCO Sustainable Communities, he made frequent presentations across Canada at Indigenous economic development conferences organized by groups such as AFOA Canada and most of its provincial chapters.

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Organizational Mapping

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