Aaniin! Mary is Anishinaabe-kwe, a member of the Rama First Nation through her father’s family. Her mother’s family were long time settlers in what is now southern Ontario. She has lived and worked on Coast Salish territories for most of her life and is currently a grateful visitor on the traditional territory of the Cowichan Tribes.
Over the past 30 years Mary has had the privilege of working with Indigenous communities to support and advocate for the well-being of children and their families. During recent years, to complete the circle, she was honoured to teach Early Learning and Child Care courses to post-secondary students seeking to become Early Childhood Educators.
Mary joins the Aboriginal Steering Committee with the hope of continuing to support children and their families through the great work of HELP staff and their research, guided by Indigenous peoples’ perspectives.