Beverly Jacobs
Beverly is a Kanien’kéha:ka citizen, Bear Clan, and a member of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. Beverly is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Windsor and practices law part-time at her home community of Six Nations. She is well known for her tireless work on advocating for the families of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Her work centers around Indigenous Legal Orders and decolonization of Eurocentric Law. Beverly was inducted as a Member of the Order of Canada in 2018. She received a Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law. She also received a Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Person’s Case in 2008, an Esquao Award from the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women. Beverly has obtained a Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of Windsor, a Master of Law Degree from the University of Saskatchewan and a PhD from the University of Calgary.
Bob Watts
Bob is from Mohawk and Ojibway ancestry and is a member of the Six Nations Reserve. Bob has been involved in many major Indigenous issues in Canada over the past 20 years, including leading the process of establishing Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He was Interim Executive Director of the Commission and a member of the team which negotiated the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. He is an adjunct professor and fellow in the School of Policy Studies, Queen’s University. Bob is also a former CEO of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), and has served as the Chief of Staff to the AFN’s National Chief Phil Fontaine. He is a graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and fellow at the Harvard Law School.
John Borrows
John (Kegedonce) is Ojibway and a member of the Chippewas of the Nawash Unceded First Nation. He is a professor of law at the University of Victoria, where he holds the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law. A leading authority on Indigenous law and constitutional law, he has been cited multiples times by the Supreme Court of Canada. His publications include Recovering Canada: The Resurgence of Indigenous Law, Canada's Indigenous Constitution, and Drawing Out Law: A Spirit's Guide. Borrows was awarded a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for his legal work. He has also been a Fellow of the Trudeau Foundation, and a Fellow of the Academy of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada of the Royal Society of Canada (Canada's highest academic honor). In 2012, he received the Indigenous Peoples Counsel (I.P.C.) from the Indigenous Bar Association. In 2021, John was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Cherie Brant
Cherie Brant is both Mohawk and Ojibway from the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte and Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory. She is a partner at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP and is a commercial lawyer assisting First Nations across a wide variety of sectors. She also provides strategic policy and governance counsel to Indigenous groups seeking to exercise their jurisdiction and authority. Cherie serves on the board of the Anishnawbe Health Foundation and is a member of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, Research Advisory Board. She is a member of the Ontario Bar Association and the Law Society of Ontario. Ms. Brant has a Bachelor of Environmental Studies, Urban and Regional Planning Program from the University of Waterloo and a Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto.
NCH FOUNDER - ISADORE DAY
Isadore, Wiindawtegowinini, is an Anishinaabe from Serpent River First Nation and is of the Genozhe ndodem (Northern Pike Clan). He brings many years of political and policy expertise having served as an elected leader for First Nations for more than 15 years. He has handled various high-level policy files as a former Regional Chief of Ontario, Lake Huron Region Grand Chief and Vice Chair of the North Shore Tribal Council. Isadore is hereditary to Chief Shingwauk, Wiindawtegowinini and Genebek, who signed the Robinson-Huron Treaty and the Manitoulin Treaty. Isadore has been involved in various boards and committees; at both regional and national levels over the past two decades while remaining a strong grassroots visionary. With a background in Social Sciences, Business, Public Administration and Governance, his noted accomplishment has been in repatriating First Nation children back to his First Nation from mainstream foster care systems. He has been an energy policy leader, community developer and a tireless advocate for First Nation Treaty rights. Isadore’s main focus is on Nationhood rights and Sovereignty for reconstituting Indigenous Nations on Turtle Island.
MANAGEMENT Team
Operations Adviser
Research & Program Coordinator
Operations Adviser
ALLISON DEER
Allison is a Mohawk from the community of Kahnawake, Quebec and is a member of the Wolf Clan. She has extensive knowledge and experience building strong Indigenous communities and collaborations across Canada. Allison is a Senior Projects Advisor at Bimaadzwin, where she provides project
ALLISON DEER
Allison is a Mohawk from the community of Kahnawake, Quebec and is a member of the Wolf Clan. She has extensive knowledge and experience building strong Indigenous communities and collaborations across Canada. Allison is a Senior Projects Advisor at Bimaadzwin, where she provides project advisement services to Indigenous businesses and communities.
Allison has provided leadership to diverse groups with divergent community and business interests and has led leadership teams across organizations to ensure successful outcomes, growth, and a sustainable competitive advantage. She brings high level business acumen, community engagement, capacity building, operational and strategic planning and management expertise which enables her clientele to achieve their goals and make informed decisions with their citizens and clientele.
Allison has over 35 years of senior experience in Community and Economic Development at the local, regional and national levels of development and an MBA in Community Economic Development at Cape Breton University, Nova Scotia.
Research Intern
Research & Program Coordinator
Operations Adviser
ANGELA DAY
Angela is an Anishinaabe woman from Serpent River First Nation. She is of the Nemeh dodem (sturgeon clan) and strongly values Indigenous inherent rights. Angela holds a keen interest in political and social issues as well as land rights that impact Indigenous people. Angela holds a certific
ANGELA DAY
Angela is an Anishinaabe woman from Serpent River First Nation. She is of the Nemeh dodem (sturgeon clan) and strongly values Indigenous inherent rights. Angela holds a keen interest in political and social issues as well as land rights that impact Indigenous people. Angela holds a certificate in Bookkeeping with Anishinaabe Odziiwin distinction from Kenjgewin Teg/Canadore College and is finishing her undergrad in Political Science with a compliment in Business Administration at Algoma University. Angela looks forward to advancing her studies in a master’s degree program focused on First Nation public administration and governance. She hopes to assist with advancing First Nation nationhood initiatives.
Research & Program Coordinator
Research & Program Coordinator
Research & Program Coordinator
CHARU MURTI
Charu is of Southeast Asian background and has lived in India and South Africa. She has a masters in Indigenous Nationhood from the University of Victoria. Charu also has a Certificate in Non-Profit Sector Management from Ryerson University and a Certificate in Aboriginal Law from the Osgood
CHARU MURTI
Charu is of Southeast Asian background and has lived in India and South Africa. She has a masters in Indigenous Nationhood from the University of Victoria. Charu also has a Certificate in Non-Profit Sector Management from Ryerson University and a Certificate in Aboriginal Law from the Osgoode School. Charu has worked for over five years as a research and policy analyst for the Chiefs of Ontario and other Indigenous organizations. Prior to that, she has worked for many years as a research manager leading research projects and conferences involving academia, government and industry.
Charu has a Bachelor of Arts in mathematical statistics and a post-graduate qualification in marketing from University of Delhi, India. In her free time Charu teaches yoga.