Haley Laronde is an experienced Communications professional, a gifted artist, musician, and creative Anishinaabe Kwe from the Temagami and Nipissing First Nations. She maintains strong roots in her home communities and sits on the Communications Committee for Temagami First Nation. From a young age, she gravitated toward art and writing, and in 2014 she graduated from Thompson Rivers University with a Digital Art and Design diploma. She is now working to complete her Bachelor of Design and plans to continue her education in the future. 

Haley’s professional experience is diverse, with positions in graphic design, property appraisal, health, governance, and education. She feels most fulfilled when serving the Indigenous community and has taken on roles of increasing significance and stature throughout her career. Now, she is focused on working with Indigenous organizations to create positive change. She has worked as a Communications Officer for the Anishinabek Education System to implement a historic agreement between Participating First Nations and Canada. The Anishinabek Nation Education Agreement is the largest sectoral self-government agreement of its kind in Canada. This project was immensely satisfying for Haley, and she discovered that she was passionate about improving the future of education for Indigenous peoples. 

Most recently, she worked as a Communications Specialist for the National Consortium for Indigenous Medical Education (NCIME). The NCIME is focused on six priority areas (Admissions and Transitions, Assessment, Anti-racism, Curriculum, Faculty Recruitment and Retention, and Indigenous Physician Wellness and Joy in Work) and the transformation of Indigenous medical education and leadership in health care. This project built upon her interest in improving the future of health and education by incorporating Indigenous leadership, knowledge, and methods into healthcare delivery. Health and wellness have become a primary career focus for Haley and continue to shape her interests and pursuits.

Haley is delighted at the opportunity to focus her efforts at the national level, helping to improve Indigenous peoples’ lives by addressing health and wellness. She remains committed to health and education and making the greatest impact she can with her skills.