Projects

The Challenge: Moving from Policy to Practice

At Bow Valley College, the challenge was to move the Indigenization Strategy beyond a formal document and into the lived experience of the campus community. This required a communication framework that respected traditional Indigenous protocols while meeting the operational needs of a modern post-secondary institution. The goal was to launch a strategy that felt authentic to Indigenous stakeholders and accessible to a diverse student and staff population.

The Strategy: Relational and Sustainable Communications

Working in close partnership with the Indigenization Strategist, I co-led the development of a strategic communications plan that prioritized decolonized methodologies. By centering the needs of the community, we moved away from top-down corporate messaging toward a collaborative, experiential approach that invited every member of the college to participate in the reconciliation journey.
 

Strategic Leadership & Innovation
 

• Sustainable Digital Transformation: I successfully advocated for an "online-only" strategy launch. This move not only aligned with the college’s Green Strategy but ensured the document remained a living, evolving resource rather than a static printed manual.
   

• Authentic Visual Storytelling: I directed the creative brief to ensure all artistic elements were commissioned from local Indigenous artists, ensuring the visual identity of the project was rooted in the territory and provided direct economic support to the community.
   

• Experiential Engagement Models: To move the strategy into the physical realm, I spearheaded the integration of experiential learning opportunities — such as sage picking with Elders — bridging the gap between institutional policy and traditional land-based teachings.
   

• Integration of Traditional Knowledge: By weaving Indigenous ways of knowing into the departmental project plan, we ensured the launch itself was an act of reconciliation, earning the trust and endorsement of Indigenous leadership.
   

The Outcome: A Lived Strategy

The project resulted in a deeply resonant institutional launch that set a new standard for how the college engages with decolonization. Personally, this experience provided me with a foundational understanding of Indigenous protocols and traditional knowledge that I continue to integrate into my leadership style and team interactions today.