In Ojibwe oral history, the Miigis appeared as sacred navigational signs that guided the people on their westward migration from Waabanakiing, leading through the Great Lakes to Lake Superior. Today in ceremony, the Miigis continues to be revered as a sacred symbol connecting to knowledge, healing, and the relationships that sustain our way of life.

This story connects strongly to who I am and how I approach my work. As an Odawa-Anishinaabe Kwe from Wiikwemikong, I understand the Miigis not only as a cultural teaching, but a reminder that meaningful work begins with listening, humility, and respect for the guidance already present in our communities. Like the Miigis that helped direct the Anishinaabeg toward places of belonging and renewal, my work is grounded in helping open Nations, organizations, and public systems to clearer pathways toward their visions.

My public policy practice is guided by cultural and traditional teachings, as well as over 20 years of experience across the public sector and professional services. I bring this grounding into my work. In each area, I try to work in a way that honours self-determination, builds capacity, and supports decisions rooted in community priorities rather than imposed from outside systems.

The Seven Fires prophecy teaching also reminds us that different peoples and traditions can come together through mutual respect. That belief shapes my commitment to reconciliation and Indigenous public policy. I see my role as helping create spaces where First Nations leadership, knowledge, and aspirations guide the work, and where public systems learn to move alongside with greater accountability. The Miigis story models the way I strive to lead: with purpose, relational responsibility, and a clear commitment to helping communities move toward the future they define for themselves and for generations to come.