Treffrey Deerfoot

Opening Ceremony

Treffrey Deerfoot

Artist, Ceremonialist, Storyteller, Dancer, Singer, Drummer, Knowledge Keeper Chair, Keep Tobacco Sacred Collaboration.

I am from Siksika Nation and from the “Run Away Buffalo Clan”. The territory we occupied was where the two rivers meet Bow and Elbow in the spring and summer; and the Banff corridor in the fall and winter seasons. I have formal western post-secondary education, but my world is defined by the oral Blackfoot way of life. I have participated in piercing Sundance, Horn Society (leader of Straight Up Headdresses), caregiver of Beaver bundle and have enjoyed the Prairie Chicken dance since I was able to walk. The Blackfoot way of life has been etched into the way l see the world from the lens of my Ancestors.

In the Medicine Wheel observation, it is our responsibility to pass on our knowledge to others. Today I hope to give my understanding of traditional ways and western thoughts in guiding our trail of life. It is the gathering of knowledge and making informed decisions which our Ancestors left for us.

I am the Chair of the Keep Sacred Tobacco Collaboration with Alberta Health Services, Canadian Cancer Society, Action on Smoking & Health, Alberta Blue Cross, and the University of Alberta of School of Public Health. I am also an Elder for the National Indigenous Diabetes Association (NADA), and regularly speak at schools, sharing the knowledge of our Blackfoot way of life. Lastly, I initiated the Traditional Healing Circle for Men for Siksika Health Services.

Monique Gray Smith

Keynote Speaker

Monique Gray Smith

Monique Gray Smith is a proud mom of teenage twins, an award-winning, best-selling author and sought after consultant. Monique’s most recent novel, Tilly and the Crazy Eights was long listed for Canada Reads 2021.

Monique has 8 books ranging for readers across the life span. These include Speaking our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation; My Heart Fills with Happiness, You Hold Me Up, Lucy and Lola, Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience and recently released, When We Are Kind.

Monique’s most recent book is the Young Adult adaptation of ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ by Robin Wall Kimmerer, with illustrations by Nicole Neidhardt. As well, a new picture book I Hope, illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. Monique’s books are used to share wisdom, knowledge, hope and the important teaching that love is medicine.
Monique is Cree, Lakota and Scottish and has been sober and involved in her healing journey for over 30 years. She is well known for her storytelling, spirit of generosity and focus on resilience.

Megan Zeni

TedStyle Talks

Megan Zeni

Megan Zeni is a mom of 3, an experienced elementary school teacher, and a master gardener. Megan successfully re-imagined the prep position in her public school and turned it into her dream job of spending her days with children in the garden classroom.

Megan is an advocate for taking children outdoors at school in all kinds of weather to learn, play, and grow. She believes just about anything can be taught in a school garden, and that class time spent in nature develops empathy, resiliency, and self-regulated learning. Megan is a PhD candidate at UBC in curriculum & pedagogy.

Her research interests include developing professional learning networks with in-service teachers to weave systems of schooling with emerging pedagogies of place and play. Megan brings over 25 years of K-7 public school teaching experience to her research and consulting, and shares her learning on social media at @roomtoplay and on her blog at meganzeni.com

Matthew Corkum, PhD

TedStyle Talks

Matthew Corkum, PhD

Matthew Corkum never backs down from difficult topics. He has pushed the limits to prosper in a wide range of environments, regardless of living with cerebral palsy. Matthew achieved a PhD in atmospheric science. His one-liners often lighten the mood as he describes how the impact that the outdoors and learning to ski has had in all parts of his life.

Jacqueline L. Scott

TedStyle Talks

Jacqueline L. Scott

Scholar, writer and activist on race and nature.

Jacqueline L. Scott is a PhD student at the University of Toronto, Department of Social Justice Education. Prior to returning to school, she was a consultant specializing in community-based research. Jacqueline is a certified hike leader with two outdoors recreation clubs.

Her recent report and toolkit ‘Race and Nature in the City: Engaging Youth of Colour in Nature Based Activities’, for Nature Canada, provides an evidence-based, community-informed needs assessment and makes recommendations for meaningfully engaging racialized communities in nature and nature-based programming in urban areas.

Her work has been published in many places including The Conversation, CBC Player’s Own Voice and the Greenbelt Foundation. Jacqueline is also a speaker, giving webinars for groups such as Bowdoin College Library, York University and Canadian Parks Collective for Innovation and Leadership. She has given numerous radio, television and print interviews on the Black experience in outdoor recreation.

Maya Carr

TedStyle Talks (as part of a team with the Canadian Rockies Youth Network)

Maya Carr

Maya Carr (she/her) is a grade 12 student from Mohkinstis (Calgary) within Treaty 7 territory. Maya grew up camping, skiing, swimming and hiking in the Rocky Mountains, her favourite place to go is her cabin near Nakusp B.C. Her love for exploring the outdoors led her to take an Energy and Environmental Innovations course at the Career and Technology Centre in 2020. This class jump started her passion for environmental advocacy and since then she founded the Environmental Club at her high school, attended Girls on Ice and Outward Bound backpacking trips, was the recipient of the 2022 Mountain Spirit Award and has been a core member of the CRYN committee for two years now.

This year, Maya stepped into the role of Director of the Canadian Rockies Youth Network where she leads other high school youth on the CRYN committee to take on new projects and plan huge events like the 2023 Canadian Rockies Youth Summit: Growing Impactful Voices where youth from across Alberta and BC came together to develop meaningful climate action projects that are currently being implemented into various communities across the Rocky Mountains.

Maya believes youth advocacy plays a vital role in the fight towards climate justice and that youth deserve a seat at the policy-making table.

Kayla Carillo

TedStyle Talks (as part of a team with the Canadian Rockies Youth Network)

Kayla Carillo

Kayla (she\her) was born and raised in Mohkinstis (Calgary) within Treaty 7 territory. Kayla grew up with Indigenous teachings, traditions, spirituality and medicines. She loves to connect and learn with all different kinds of people. Her passion with learning and collaborating with others lead her to public speaking inspirationally and educationally, through the connections she had made.

Kayla was introduced to the Environmental Innovations class at the Careers and Technology Center of CBE in 2019, and has been a part of the program for over 3 years. Passionate to learn about Western science and Indigenous knowledge collaboration, she was motivated to be a part of Environmental action. She was introduced to the Environmental Club at her high school by the Director Maya who encouraged her to be a member of the C.R.Y.N committee.

Kayla is now a returning 12 and has taken the role as the Outreach Coordinator, and will be speaking to other schools in person and virtually to connect and collaborate with other youth across Alberta to be a part of our 2023 Canadian Rockies Youth Summit. She is honoured to be a part of the committee, and can’t wait to inspire others to be a part of Environmental action!

Cadence Brooks

TedStyle Talks (as part of a team with the Canadian Rockies Youth Network)

Cadence Brooks

Cadence (she/her) was born and raised in Mohkinstis (Calgary) within Treaty 7 territory. Cadence grew up exploring beaver dam flats which was located right by her house. Although she didn’t come from a an outdoorsy family, she still grew up with a passion for nature and protection of our earth.

In grade 12 she joined the Canadian Rockies Youth Network to help provide the outdoor opportunities to other youth she lacked growing up. And over the past year spending more and more time in nature, she has learned how important nature is to her mental health, and for someone who struggled and sometimes still struggles nature is a huge outlet and constantly reminds her there’s so much beauty in life. Cadence believes that nature is one of the most positive things that can impact one’s mental health, and that it needs to be protected.

Louise de Lannoy

TedStyle Talks

Louise de Lannoy

Dr. Louise de Lannoy completed her PhD at Queen’s University in 2019 in clinical exercise physiology. Her interests in population health and knowledge translation led her to join the Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Team at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute in 2020 through which she helped build Outdoor Play Canada. She can’t believe her luck in finding such a joyous and satisfying form of work! Outside of Outdoor Play Canada, Louise enjoys exploring Ottawa by running/cycling/skiing through it and winding down at the end of the day on the couch with a glass of wine, her partner Jeff, and their puppy.

Treffrey Deerfoot and The Blackfoot Medicine Speaks Dance Company

Closing Ceremony

Treffrey Deerfoot and The Blackfoot Medicine Speaks Dance Company

Blackfoot Medicine Speaks offers an educational and entertaining cultural experience of Blackfoot storytelling, cultural sharing, and mesmerizing song and dance that reflects their connection to their ancestors, their land, and the spirit of the Blackfoot people while celebrating their rich culture.

Geraldine King

Indigenous Knowledge Panel

Geraldine King

Geraldine King (she/her/elle/kwe) is Anishinaabe and a member-citizen of Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek (Gull Bay First Nation) located in the Robinson Superior Treaty area of Northwestern Ontario. Geraldine is currently a PhD candidate in the cultural studies program at Queen’s University and completed her MA in Indigenous Governance at the University of Victoria. Prior to joining McGill, Geraldine was a Lecturer in the School of Canadian and Indigenous Studies at Carleton University where she helped advance Indigenous land-based education grounded in Indigenous communities. Geraldine’s doctoral work focusses on Anishinaabe erotics, ethics of intimacy, kinship studies and theories of Anishinaabe phenomenology.

In Fall 2022, the Office of Indigenous Initiatives and the Department of Integrated Studies in Education welcomed Geraldine to the McGill community. As the Senior Advisor, Indigenous Curriculum and Pedagogy. Prof. King will provide strategic advice to individual faculty and academic leaders across the university with the goal of supporting meaningful and respectful relations with Indigenous communities, peoples, knowledges, and epistemologies. Prof. King will also hold an Assistant Professor position in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE) in the Faculty of Education where she will focus on developing and delivering land-based education.

As an active leader in her First Nation community, Geraldine has recently been elected to serve on Band Council and holds the education portfolio while leading the community in its Comprehensive Community Planning process. In her professional life, Geraldine is an expert consultant in Indigenous facilitation, education strategies, research design, policy development and Anishinaabe-centred strategic planning. Geraldine has been featured on popular podcasts such as the All My Relations Podcast and Auntie Up! where she shares humour and insights into Anishinaabeg life and governance.

Thomas Snow

Indigenous Knowledge Panel

Thomas Snow

Thomas Snow is a proud father and registered member of the Stoney Nakoda Sioux Nation. He is a fluent speaker of Iyethka Nakoda Sioux which is his first language. He is the son of Tom Snow and Alice Kaquitts and Great-Grandson of the renowned Stoney Chief Hector Crawler.

A lifelong student of his culture, Thomas’ passion centers on preserving and teaching Nakoda culture and language through facilitations, speaking engagements, and Radio & TV. Working as an on air personality for CJWE He hosts “Nakoda Impressions” daily on 88.1 FM in southern Alberta & co-hosts the radio show “Conversational Nakoda” with his mother Alice Kaquitts on Windspeaker Radio Network across the entire province.

Thomas co-produced and starred in the CBC Documentary “Warrior Fathers”, a documentary focusing on the role of fathers in Indigenous parenting and the unique challenges faced by his family while living away from his home community.

Thomas is a graduate of the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Arts in Social and Cultural Anthropology and is the youngest male stoney from Mini Thni to earn a post-secondary degree. While his passion centers on education and teaching, Thomas focuses most of his time and energy on his home and family. Raising his children and ensuring that they have opportunities to learn traditional teachings from their elders, community members and himself, as he was taught by his parents and extended family.

Thomas has received and carries 3 Eagles Feathers as well as a medal of Bravery and commendation from the Calgary Fire Dept. He has sundanced on the Kootenay plains and fasted for a vision for 4 days without food and water. When he is not engaged in caring for others, Thomas seeks a deeper understanding of his people’s unique relationship and practices which connected them to the land and the great spirit Wa kan Tun ga.

Ryan “Gitz Crazyboy” Derangé

Indigenous Knowledge Panel

Ryan “Gitz Crazyboy” Derangé

Ryan “Gitz Crazyboy” Derangé is a Siksikatsitapi (Blackfoot) and Dene youth facilitator born in Mohkínsstsisi (Calgary). He has called a few places home in the Blackfoot, Haudenosaunee and Dene Territories. Since graduating high school, Gitz began working with youth and creating youth-focused programs. Gitz’s passion and purpose is helping the next generation and he has held many positions within the youth education profession. Ever the activist for the environment and Indigenous rights, Gitz is known for his leadership and participation in the Idle No More movement, one of the largest Indigenous mobilizations in Canadian history. A storyteller to his core, he has always had a deep connection to traditional teachings since his mother read to him as a child, he continues to be guided by the ancient wisdom the Elders carry.

Along with writing, Gitz loves to create music and enjoys being introduced to new sounds. An avid world traveller, he has ventured to Germany, Ecuador, Guyana, Puerto Rico and sacred spaces all over North America. He has spent most his life learning and living with different Indigenous nations all over the world and incorporates these experiences in everything he does. Currently Gitz resides in Calgary and is actively reconnecting with his Blackfoot roots. He believes the truth of who we are is in the truth and mysteries our ancestors carried – through ceremonies, songs, medicine, love and laughter.

Faye O’Neil

Indigenous Knowledge Panel

Faye O’Neil

Faye O’Neil was born on her homelands of ʔamaʔkis Ktunaxa at the beginning of the headwaters of the micqaqas akinmituk (Chickadee River/Columbia River) where she played in the water and on the land.
She shares Ktunaxa and European ancestry, is a community member of the ʔaqam and resides in Cranbrook, BC.

She is an Indigenous Education Coordinator in School District #5 (Southeast Kootenay) and has been working in the public education sector for 23 years promoting and braiding Indigenous worldviews and perspectives into the classrooms. When not volunteering sitting on committees and boards, you can find her out on the land exploring and following the footprints of her ancestors, kayaking the many lakes in the area, and gathering plants and berries. Recently Faye was awarded an EE Excellence from CBEEN.

Sarah Brown

Indigenous Knowledge Panel – Host

Sarah Brown

Sarah Brown is a university educator, wilderness guide, and adventurer. She is an Assistant Professor in the General Education and Health and Physical Education Departments at Mount Royal University and also serves as a contract instructor in the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary. Sarah was awarded a Distinguished Faculty award from Mount Royal University in 2018. Her diverse educational background includes an undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Liberal Arts from Concordia University, an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the University of Victoria and a diploma in Adventure Guiding from Thompson Rivers University. She completed her PhD at the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. Her research interests include the cultivation of wisdom and leadership in Adult Environmental Education. She is specifically interested in exploring how our culture informs our ecological identity and the possibilities for transformational learning in immersive land-based field schools. She is motivated by a vision of the role of education in moving towards environmental and cultural reconciliation. In addition to her life as an academic, Sarah has been an active adventure guide,on rivers and trails around the globe. Her passion is connecting people with the natural world through joy, play and a deep sense of responsibility for our mother earth.

Remy Rodden

Thursday Evening Socials

Fireside Songtime with Remy Rodden

Educator-singer-songwriter-performer-adventurer-philosopher: all these words can describe Yukon’s Remy Rodden. He has been a wilderness homesteader, guide, teacher, biologist, dog musher, expedition leader, coach, environmental ed consultant…and a recording artist with three award-winning full-length albums to his credit. His mission is to inspire people of all ages to be responsible environmental citizens through high-quality entertaining and learning-filled audio, video and interactive concerts. Remy is currently a full-time teacher in Canada’s most westerly community of Beaver Creek, Yukon, home of the White River First Nation. His music can be found on all streaming services and at envirosongs.ca.

Launa Purcell

Thursday Evening Socials

Indigenous Storytime with Launa Purcell

Launa Purcell is a Xa’xtsa band member from the St’at’imc Nation. Launa is Executive Director of Rise Up Indigenous Wellness Society, a non profit organization that focusses on holistic wellness through on the land programs . She is the author of Heartbeat of the Earth, a handbook on connecting children to nature through Indigenous teachings. Launa is a storyteller who believes that the stories of a people define their identity. Launa enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, and back country treks. She is the mother of two adult children and calls Salmon Arm, BC home.

Court Rustemeyer

Thursday Evening Socials

Fireside Community Gathering with Court Rustemeyer

Court has been a full time Outdoor Education teacher at Vincent Massey Junior High School in Calgary, Alberta for the past 13 years. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Outdoor Council of Canada (OCC) were he serves as the Director of the Prairies. Court is also a Field Leader Instructor for the OCC. Court’s passion in student-led and experiential learning allows him to be out in the environment with his students in an outdoor classroom almost daily. Those hands-on experiences and inquiry-based learning allows Court to instil a greater understanding of indigenous and land based knowledge into his students and others. When not teaching, you will find Court out in the mountains participating in any number of activities, unplugging and recharging in nature. He is the host of the ‘Take Me Outside Virtual Campfire gatherings and is excited to host this one in person!