With a career spanning land claims, private/municipal/provincial/federal legal experience, in sectors like gaming, telecommunications, post-secondary institutions, mining, and agrifood, Leanne’s career has increasingly focused on fostering mutually beneficial relationships with Indigenous people for economic prosperity with an emphasis on employment and business opportunities. Her diversity and inclusion efforts increasingly expand to all diverse considerations, particularly Indigenous, gender and LGBTQ2 inclusion. Volunteer and board experience have further exposed her at various depths to public safety and protective services, sustainable technologies, digital economies, culture and heritage, and education.
Currently a co-founder and the CEO of Akawe Technologies, Leanne aims to bridge the digital divide for Indigenous People’s with thoughtful and meaningful digital solutions founded on Indigenous values to exercise the full potential of sovereign and inherent rights among ourselves and with others on-line. The Akawe E-ID and digital wallet founded on control of our own operating system, provide the basis for all of our services and applications and our approach to data sovereignty will ensure “Indigenous data is part of our new buffalo”.
Leanne is currently a director with Prairie Sky Royalty, a governor of the University of Regina, a member of the CN Indigenous Advisory Council, an advisor to Indigenous Women in Tech with Ethical Digital, an LP in the diverse female VC Phoenix Fire Fund, a member of the Firehood cultivating Indigenous angel investors and Indigenous start ups, and sits on several councils of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. She also supports the campaign for the renewal of Saskatoon’s YWCA.
