Asad graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Finance. Asad started with the Rural Development Network (RDN) as a Research Analyst in 2017, but has since moved into the role of Director of Housing, where he leads the Sustainable Housing Initiative team. At RDN, Asad has made many great contributions over the years, including the creation of a financial model used to test project feasibility, and co-authoring RDN’s Step-by-Step Guide to Developing Affordable Housing.

Marc is passionate about ending homelessness and identifying programs needed to accomplish this. Not being employed in the homeless sector allows him to approach situations from a unique perspective. The main goal being building inter agency collaborations to close gaps in services.

By being in the shelters, soup kitchens, streets, make shift shelters, supportive living houses and prisons, Marc is continually learning and adapting to the new solutions and issues our vulnerable populations face. He has been recognized for his efforts by being a 2022 Queens Jubilee recipient, Awarded the 2022 Nadine Stirling Memorial Award from the Alberta Division of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), and the Northern Lights Alberta Premier award for his work done in opening the first emergency shelter in Peace River.

Marc has presented at many conferences and symposiums with the latest presentation being at the 2022 Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness. Hoping to motivate others and ignite new ideas are the main themes of his presentations with sometimes unique and new solutions.

Housing First and Sustainable Housing with supports are what Marc is advocating for as a major solution for people living in unsafe and unsanitary situations. Working with the Federal, Provincial and municipal governments and agencies Marc hopes to identify and bring much needed supports for rural areas.

Over the last twenty years, Colin has represented the interests of Indigenous communities, industry, and government towards building legacies of economic wealth that foster traditions, culture, and environmental stewardship. Colin has a passion for new and innovative projects that involve Indigenous communities, clean technology and social ventures. Much of Colin’s experience concerns managing government-to-industry affairs. As the former Chief of Staff to Provincial Ministers, senior communications advisor with BC Hydro, and advisor with Corix Utilities, Johnson Controls, and Nexii Building Solutions, Colin has gained extensive experience and knowledge in relation to all levels of government and has participated in several leading-edge legal and regulatory developments – having successfully developed and implemented over 100 agreements, partnerships and protocols between Indigenous communities, governments and industry.

Through his experience with modular construction and as a certified social housing manager (CertCIH), Colin is most proud of his work with the Yale First Nation, where they developed ten affordable housing units that were built to the Passive House construction standard – the energy-efficient homes funded by either INAC or the CHMC for an Indigenous community in Canada. As the lead for the SAFERhome Standards Society, Colin advances the education of licensed builders on how to create more sustainable and inclusive housing based on the SAFERhome 15 Universal Design Standards – allowing all people to live more comfortably and easily in their own homes and communities for as long as they choose regardless of their age, size, ability, or mobility.

The Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) is the first Indigenous Housing Authority in Canada and was created for the Indigenous community by the Indigenous community.

AHMA works in direct partnership with the Province of BC and is the leading voice in advocating for Indigenous people and also manages the operating contracts for the new projects developed under the Indigenous Housing Fund.

Cliff joined AHMA in early 2019 as Director, Strategic Relations. In this role, Cliff builds and sustains relationships with various stakeholders, AFN, CMHC, Mayors, MPs, MLAs, FNs Leadership and many others, to help provide healthy, safe and affordable housing for Indigenous people, housing providers and the Indigenous communities they serve.

Cliff holds an EMBA in Aboriginal Business and Leadership from Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University. Throughout his career, Cliff has worked at various levels of government, including Provincial and Federal, in policy analysis, capacity development and Indigenous relations and has been working in housing-related roles for over 18 years.

Cliff is passionate about developing best practices for Non-profit Organizations and Indigenous housing providers. Originally from Kitimat, BC, Cliff is a proud citizen of the Haisla Nation and currently resides in Vancouver.

I was born in southern Manitoba, raised in Sioux Valley Dakota Nation with my grandparents and single mother. Growing up with grandparents that did not attend residential school was the saving factor for our family until after their passing. The residual effects of residential school have surfaced within our extended families. Our grandparents encouraged independence, hard work and secured our identity by ensuring the teachings of language, history, and traditions of our Dakota Nation. I have been married for 35 years to a member of the Goodfish Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 6. We have five adult children and 16 grandchildren. Calgary has been our home for the past 9 years. Currently, I work with Fishing Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan as the Executive Director with Kahkinah Kanawapateeing Family Wellness and Mino Pimatisiwin Healing Lodge. I’ve worked in the Human Service industry for 32 years from Income Support, Family Support Service work, frontline CFS Case management, Team Lead to Executive Director of First Nation CFS Agencies. In the years of executive management, repatriation of children in care to family and community was a priority in my CFS leadership. The focus on permanent ward children, their connection to family, community, culture and assertively implementing prevention practices, the teams were successful in returning over 70% of permanent ward children back to their First Nation in 4 years. I hold a Bachelors of Indigenous Social Work and combined with many years of direct experience working in the industry, as well as analyzing the needs, services and outcomes of CFS involved in the lives of Indigenous children, youth and families.

Stan is a member of Opaskwayak Cree Nation and was born and raised in that area. During his early formative years, Stan was exposed to First Nation housing.

Stan eventually joined the RCMP and spent all his service in Northern MB and Nunavut. During this time, He was further exposed to First Nation housing. After leaving the RCMP, Stan began working for Northern Building Supply in The Pas, MB. During this tenure there, he was responsible for project and supply management for numerous First Nation in Northern MB to assist with their renovations and CMHC projects.

Stan later left this position to work directly with Opaskwayak Cree Nation as a code compliance inspector. Stan eventually transitioned to Insurance Adjuster work and Home Inspection. In this line Stan continued to assist First Nations with their home inspections and renovations.

Stan has since moved to BC and is now working towards developing a Provincial and National Certification Authority for code compliance and renovations to ensure that First Nation homes are constructed to the standards of the National Building Code and become a safe place for our children to flourish.

Stan has been married for 36 years to his high school sweetheart Cindy and they have (2) daughters, Emileigh and Madison.

Taylor is a graduate of the University of Windsor as well as the Indigenous Community and Social Development program through Georgian College. He is Metis with family roots in the Red River area of Manitoba. Taylor currently lives in Toronto and works for the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres as a subject matter expert in Housing & Homelessness. His work focuses on advocating for the needs and rights of urban Indigenous people. His background and lived experience have made him a passionate voice for housing and the right to self determination for all Indigenous communities.

Tayzia (Trea) StormHunter has roots that originate from Bay Mills First Nations Community, Michigan, and grew up in Alberta and British Columbia. She is semi-fluent in her Anishinaabe language. She has 20 years of teaching and leadership experience. She has 13 years of curriculum development experience, including developing two fully accredited diploma programs in Canada. Trea has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Alberta; an MBA from Cape Breton University focusing on Indigenous Community Economic Development and is currently pursuing a PhD in Natural Resources and Environmental Land Management. Trea received the Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award in 2021 for her thesis entitled “Resource Extraction and First Nation Communities in Canada”. Trea is passionate about community-led approaches that empowers Indigenous communities to build capacity in the most pressing areas identified by community members. Trea is a consultant to First Nation communities and identifies education, community assets, resource needs, along with sustainable solutions in support of Indigenous self-determination. Trea believes that Truth and Reconciliation means giving power and decision making to Indigenous People, with equal opportunity to resources and infrastructure, Indigenous people thrive.

Trevor Trainor is the President and a Building Science Specialist at Bawating Building Science.  He specializes in the performance of wall and roof systems in extreme, cold climates and has extensive experience in monitoring moisture and heat flow in enclosure systems, developing hygrothermal and energy models and performing forensic investigations on buildings with moisture-related issues.  This experience in field research, modeling and forensic investigations gives him a unique perspective in the development of high-performance building enclosure designs.