Indigenous Initiatives
About Us
Creating economic growth and community independence
Indigenous Initiatives establishes collaborative economic development between Indigenous Communities, Corporations, Government and Not-for-Profits that respect the cultures and values of Indigenous people.
We create profitable business growth and foster Corporate Social Responsibility for corporations across Canada, while helping Aboriginal communities and businesses realize an increased volume of business activity as part of further involvement and ownership in large scale business opportunities across the natural resource sectors.
We specialize in helping Indigenous people participate in:
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Grant writing
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Renewable Energy Development & Planning
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Community Engagement
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Housing & Infrastructure Development
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Construction Management
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Project Management
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Project Financing
Management Team
Geena Jackson, President
Geena is a proud member of the Shishalh Nation (Sechelt), and a passionate advocate for Indigenous Rights. She leads the management and communications of internal and external Indigenous & community relations strategies. She is an expert in creating successful operational and strategic plans to benefit clients and First Nations alike; including assessing capacity to maximize inclusion for all members including project development, employment and training, small business procurement, social investment, revenue sharing, and the execution of implementation and reporting.
Dean Montgomery, COO
Dean is a member of the Metis Nation, of Cree descent, with over 25 years of leadership in Indigenous economic and business development, and plays a key role in developing, monitoring, and evaluating the overall corporate strategy, and oversees core areas of our business operations. Dean has a strong history of creating profitable business growth and fostering Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives between First Nations and corporations across Canada while helping Indigenous communities and businesses realize an increased volume of business activity with further involvement and ownership in large scale business opportunities in the development and resource sectors.
Colin Doylend, Strategy & Finance
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. By focusing on the relationships between people and our environment, Colin works to create specific, solution-oriented advantages. Colin is well placed to overcome legislative, structural or financial roadblocks that are key to moving projects forward in a positive and stable direction that ultimately create economic development opportunities and partnerships with Indigenous communities that reflect their values and traditions.
Kimberly Buffitt, Community Funding Specialist
Kimberly Buffett has focused her career and work in community, social and economic development to create more vibrant and prosperous communities throughout Canada. For several decades, Ms. Buffitt has been working collaboratively with all levels of government and strategic partners in industry, finance and education to diversify the economy and improve the quality of life and opportunity for Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities alike. Ms. Buffitt has a passion for business and people and her environment and has successfully leveraged her experiences and passion to create a better world for herself, her children and her community.
Cory Bigham, Renewable Energy Development
Cory has over a decade of experience in the power sector and holds expertise in technical and economic evaluation of a variety of clean energy project types, and has a background in energy and finance. He focuses on identifying both projects and partners that advance community growth and wellbeing including goals for self-sufficiency, energy security, and sustainability.