Staff
Natasha Akiwenzie
Manager
Natasha is an experienced business owner and manager, running a successful provincially-regulated fish processing plant and community-supported fishery, including selling at Toronto farmers markets for 15 years.
Chris Akiwenzie
Lead – Aki Guardian
Chris manages the day-to-day activities of the team of Aki Guardians at Bagida’waad Alliance. He is also a teacher and certified BEAHR trainer, among other accreditation.
Board Members –
M’kade-Miingan Akiwenzie
Board Chair
An Indigenous guide and Western University student, M’kade-Miingan brings valuable Indigenous knowledge, entrepreneurial experience and leadership to his role as Board Chair. Coming from a family of fishers who caught, processed and sold fish at Toronto farmers’ markets, he also draws on his experience running his own small business. He enjoys hiking, paddling and reading.
Caley Doran
Board Secretary
Caley is an Anishinaabe Interpretive Guide with the Cape Croker Park Anishinaabe Cultural Experiences program. After 25 years in the hospitality industry, managing restaurants and large teams he chose a new path connected to his passion for the outdoors and he now follows the footsteps of his ancestors. You can find Caley guiding hikes and land-based learning across Saugeen Ojibway Nation territory.
Gwen MacGregor
Board Treasurer
Gwen MacGregor is a contemporary artist and cultural geographer with a PhD in Cultural Geography from the University of Toronto and an Honours BA in Art History from York University. Working across installation, land-based art, photography and video, her practice explores the relationship between land and representation in North America. Gwen brings long experience with multiple boards to her new role as Bagida’waad Treasurer. Past involvement has been as a visiting instructor, volunteer and Indigenous ally.
Advisors –
Dr. John Anderson
Founding Board Member and Advisor & Retired Fisheries Professor
John is a retired fisheries scientist who spent most of his life studying cod in Newfoundland. When he retired back to Ontario, he studied how climate change is affecting the Great Lakes, and continues to advise us on projects.
