Jason is from Ginoogaming First Nation, a Treaty #9 signatory in Northwestern Ontario. He takes his Aboriginal and Treaty rights very seriously and promotes a worldview shaped out on the family trapline at a young age.
Jason is an executive advisor with over 20 years of global experience in leading Indigenous community development and Corporate Indigenous relations strategies. and a proven track record for advancing major infrastructure projects and resource development.
He has deep knowledge of First Nations’ rights through his involvement in regulatory processes, permitting, complex tripartite negotiations between Indigenous communities, industry proponents, and governments. He is recognized as one of Canada’s top economic developers and has secured more than $750 million for capital projects, legacy infrastructure, and business expansion with Indigenous communities. He led establishment and administration of trust funds and wealth management vehicles for settlements and own source revenue generation, collectively managing close to a $1 Billion earmarked for First Nations’ beneficiaries.
Jason has served on the boards of several Indigenous organizations and professional and non-profit associations and in 2019 he co-founded the Anishnawbe Business Professional Association to advocate for the inclusion of Indigenous business in the overall economy.
Ron is from North Caribou Lake First Nation, a Treaty #9 signatory in Northwestern Ontario. He is an advocate of indigenous community and economic development. He has provided advisory and consulting services to his home community for the past 10 years.
He has been a resource to the community leaders on projects that range from modernizing the corporate structure of the community owned business to project advisory services to initiate and complete the construction of a new community school.He has also provided indigenous community engagement services to a national corporation on a cross Canada infrastructure project. Ron gives back by serving on indigenous economic and business development nonprofit organizations.
Ron is currently the chair of the NADF, an indigenous financial institution that provides financing and grants to indigenous entrepreneurs and communities in northwestern Ontario. Ron is the Ontario Director for NACCA, the national organization that provides funding and other support services to all the indigenous financial institutions in Canada. Ron is fluent in the Oji-Cree dialect that is spoken in remote regions of northwestern Ontario. Ron can navigate challenging processes and facilitate meaningful discussions equally well in the remote north and corporate Canada.
Maite Fink is a seasoned Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) based in Montreal, Quebec, and a bilingual expert with over 25 years of experience in financial management, audit, and business development. She holds an Executive MBA from the John Molson School of Business and a bachelor's in accounting from Université du Québec à Montréal. Maite has held leadership roles such as Director of Finance and Vice-President of Business Development, overseeing financial analysis, corporate controls, and strategic planning. She is well-versed in Canadian and international accounting standards, with a focus on risk management, financial audits, and compliance. Maite’s passion for supporting businesses extends to her advisory work with major investment projects and her volunteer efforts within Indigenous communities. She excels in driving organizational success through detailed financial analysis, strategic insights, and fostering collaborative work environments.
Blake Hawkins is a doctoral candidate in Health Leadership at Queen’s University, where his research focuses on advancing social impact evaluation as a strategic practice within complex, community-based systems. His work examines how organizations define, measure, and use social impact—particularly in decentralized models—bridging evaluation theory with real-world decision-making to inform strategy, governance, and long-term value creation.
Blake brings over a decade of experience in management consulting, including work within a Big Four firm, where he supported large-scale organizational transformation, workforce strategy, governance design, and strategic planning initiatives. His advisory work has also spanned Indigenous economic development, Impact Benefit Agreements (IBAs), procurement, and community investment strategies—helping align economic opportunities with long-term community priorities and outcomes.
In addition to his research and consulting work, Blake is an instructor in First Nations Studies at the University of Northern British Columbia, where he teaches courses on Indigenous health, governance, and contemporary issues. His teaching emphasizes practical application, systems thinking, and the integration of Indigenous and Western perspectives—supporting students to critically engage with policy, reconciliation, and sustainable development.
Blake’s expertise sits at the intersection of social impact evaluation, Indigenous governance, and strategic advisory. He is particularly interested in how evaluation can move beyond measurement to become a tool for sensemaking, engagement, and decision-making in complex environments. As a moderator for this webinar, he brings both academic rigor and practical experience to discussions on Impact Benefit Agreements, offering a balanced perspective on how communities, industry, and governments can work together to create meaningful and measurable outcomes.
Maxwell Dickomeit is a proud member of the Ginoogaming First Nation, practicing as an Indigenous business professional and creative designer within Ontario. Passionate about communication and representation, Maxwell utilizes ingenuity and innovation to develop thoughtful visual solutions that drive positive, formidable results.
Maxwell has widespread experience in marketing, design, communication, and brand strategy across industries, directly supporting local government, not-for-profits, and small businesses. Maxwell’s background as a creative professional has been cultivated through fine arts and an understanding of cultural representation's importance in amplifying underrepresented voices.
Maxwell holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration, awarded in 2024, alongside a designated specialization in Marketing and Consumer Culture. Maxwell also holds an Advanced Diploma in Visual Communications, obtained in 2017. Maxwell has numerous educational achievements, such as the President’s Honour Roll for academic excellence.
Landen Jourdain is a dynamic consultant and community leader with over a decade of experience navigating the intersection of Indigenous affairs, renewable energy, and strategic communications. At Waawoono Consultancy, Landen leverages his deep understanding of resource development and community governance to help organizations and Nations build sustainable paths forward.
Most recently serving as the Renewable Energy Director, Landen has been at the forefront of the clean energy transition. He has successfully championed initiatives to secure funding and partnerships for Indigenous-led projects, notably securing support through the IESO (Independent Electricity System Operator) Clean Energy Champion Program. His expertise extends to policy advocacy, where he has contributed to the IESO transmission system policy framework to ensure First Nations interests are represented in large-scale procurement processes.
Prior to this, Landen served as a Communications Officer for Matawa, where he developed comprehensive communication strategies for the organization and its nine member nations. This tenure honed his ability to navigate complex issues regarding Indigenous rights, land settlements, and self-determination, ensuring that community voices remain central to decision-making.
Landen holds a background in Business Marketing from Confederation College and is recognized for his ability to bridge the gap between technical feasibility and community well-being. Whether conducting environmental impact assessments or facilitating community engagement, Landen is dedicated to advancing economic independence and sovereignty for First Nations
Khan Mohd. Alamyar, Senior Consultant of Waawoono ConsultingInc., empowers Indigenous businesses in Northern Ontario through procurementstrategy, project leadership, SEIA, proposal excellence, and custom databasesolutions.
In Canada, he advanced policy as Project/Policy Analyst atSioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA), strengthening ACWgovernance with FPIC and community ownership principles. Previously at NativeWomen’s Association of Canada (NWAC), he shaped UNDRIP-aligned advocacy, ledMMIWG2S+ analysis with GBA+, and drove UN platform reporting for systemicchange. His work extended to Impact Art Society’s reconciliationprograms—sparking cultural revitalization through Indigenous artspartnerships—and City of Hamilton’s blue box regulations, delivering equitablewaste management reforms.
Globally, Alamyar excelled as Senior Poverty Analyst at theWorld Bank in Kabul (2013–2018), pioneering socioeconomic research and equityprograms in conflict zones to lift marginalized communities. He orchestratedAfghanistan’s UN MDGs/SDGs coordination at the Ministry of Economy andchampioned the UK-backed CoST initiative for transparent infrastructureaccountability.
With a Master’s in Economics from JMI University, PublicService Graduate Certificate from Conestoga College, Indigenous GovernanceCertification from the University of Alberta, plus Project ManagementLeadership and GBA+ credentials, Alamyar delivers proven expertise in policyinnovation, economic analysis, and Indigenous self-determination.
