Indigenous Leadership Programming (ILP)

Kyra Sinclair is an Anishinaabe woman from Pinaymootang First Nation and serves as the Coordinator for Indigenous Leadership Programming at the University of Manitoba. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from the Asper School of Business with a double major in Marketing and Indigenous Business Studies.

Kyra brings extensive experience in Indigenous student support, leadership development, and community engagement. Prior to this role, she supported Indigenous applicants as an Admissions Advisor at the Max Rady College of Medicine and most recently worked with the Indigenous Business Education Partners (IBEP) program, advising students and organizing events that celebrate Indigenous achievement. Her earlier work in crisis and family services also reflects her deep commitment to community wellness.

In her current role, Kyra leads the Indigenous Circle of Empowerment (ICE) and Bison Spirit Indigenous Leadership Program, two key initiatives that support Indigenous students in developing their leadership skills, strengthening their voices, and building meaningful community connections. Her work is grounded in a passion for creating spaces where Indigenous students can thrive.

Ashley Sinclair is an Anishinaabekwe from Berens River First Nation and her paternal roots being in Opaskwayak Cree Nation and is in her 5^th year of studies, majoring in Indigenous studies, she will graduate with her Bachelor of Arts this spring, and is currently preparing for law school. 

Further, Ashley's first and favorite role in life is being a mother to her teenage daughter Zuri. Furthermore, she is also an analyst in the federal government within the Department of Canadian Heritage working on the Indigenous Audiovisual Policy team since July of 2023. She is passionate about community and helping BIPOC peoples through policy and advocacy at the grassroots level, and hopes to remain in Federal government to pursue an executive position where she would have the ability to bring forth significant change for BIPOC.

Ashley is a current fellow in Manitoba's Premier Leadership Program, Asper's President's Student Leadership Program Fellowship and is entering her third year as a leader in the Indigenous Circle of Empowerment.

Mike, a proud member of Norway House Cree Nation, is a student in the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) program at the Asper School of Business, pursuing a double major in Accounting and Indigenous Business Studies. He is the Program Assistant for the Bison Spirit Indigenous Leadership Program.

Actively seeking out new opportunities for growth, he is involved with multiple leadership programs at the University of Manitoba, including the Indigenous Circle of Empowerment, along with serving as the VP of Finance for the University of Manitoba Indigenous Commerce Students (UMICS). He hopes to use those experiences to help empower the next generation of leaders in Bison Spirit.

In his downtime, he can usually be found relaxing, playing games, or learning something new.

Paryce Ducharme is a psychology major with a minor in philosophy at the University of Manitoba. She is the Program Assistant for the Indigenous Circle of Empowerment, where she supports the Indigenous leadership programming team. Her academic interests focus on mental health, ethics, and community-based approaches to leadership. Outside of her studies, Paryce enjoys writing, anime, and spending time with her pets: her rabbit Rubeus and her dog Garnett.

Skylar (she/her) is currently pursuing her BSc (Co-op, Honours) in Biological Science with a focus of ecology and evolution at the University of Manitoba. As a Red River Métis citizen growing up on her family’s farm, she is deeply enthusiastic about animal conservation and climate protection. She has assisted community-based monitoring projects with the Citizen Scientist program through the Manitoba Métis Federation and has prepared sampling kits for Indigenous communities in the Great Slave Lake area in Northwest Territories with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Skylar recognizes the significance of integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge with scientific research and aspires to incorporate this approach in future biological research roles. She is enthusiastic about connecting other students interested in birding and assisting in planning future engaging events with the Indigenous Birding Club!

Born and raised in Ile Des Chênes, Manitoba, Justin Rasmussen is a proud member of the Red River Métis nation. His pronouns are he, him, his.

With a diverse academic background, Justin holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. He also completed Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Zoology from the University of Manitoba, along with a Bachelor's degree in Geography from the University of Winnipeg. Justin is also an alum of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference (2017).

Since 2014, Justin has been serving as an advisor to students, offering guidance and support. In 2016, he took on the role of coordinator for the Indigenous Circle of Empowerment student leadership development program, creating safe spaces where students could develop their strengths and build community.

Justin's commitment to community and education led him to chair the Indigenous Student Affairs Network (ISAN) with ACPA from 2021 to 2023. He continues to serve as the Chair of the ISAN Awards committee, recognizing the accomplishments of Indigenous Student Affairs Professionals.

Currently, Justin holds the position of Director within the Indigenous Leadership Programming team at the University of Manitoba, which is a team that creates opportunities for Indigenous students to discover and develop their strengths.

Outside of his professional responsibilities, Justin co-leads the UM Indigenous Birding Club, blending his love for nature, student affairs, and Indigenous knowledge.