2016 - 2017: Roberta Jamieson
Roberta Jamieson: VLHR
Roberta Jamieson VLHR
Blanketing Ceremony
Blanketing Ceremony
"Our Most Fundamental Human Rights Challenge: Relationships with Indigenous Peoples and Education's Role in Successfully Meeting It"
Roberta Jamieson is a Mohawk woman, the first First Nations woman to earn a law degree, and the President and CEO of Indspire.
About Roberta Jamieson
Roberta L. Jamieson, CM, IPC, LL.B, LL.D (Hon), is a Mohawk woman who has enjoyed a distinguished career of firsts. She was the first First Nation woman to earn a law degree; the first non-parliamentarian appointed an ex-officio member of a House of Commons Committee; the first woman Ombudsman of Ontario; and the first woman elected Chief of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, where she still resides. Roberta also served as Commissioner of the Indian Commission of Ontario.
Since Roberta was appointed to the position of President & CEO, Indspire has flourished. Annual disbursements of bursaries and scholarships have increased sevenfold. The K-12 Indspire Institute was launched. Indspire's youth career conferences have been extended to all regions of Canada. Roberta is also the Executive Producer of the Indspire Awards.
She has earned numerous awards, including, most recently, the Testimonial Award from Canada's Public Policy Forum and the Council of Ontario Universities' 2014 David C. Smith Award, as well as 25 honorary degrees. She has been named three times to the Women's Executive Network's Top 100 list. And she is an Officer of the Order of Canada.