Presenters

• Ilarion "Kuuyux" Merculieff Unangan (Aleut) | Alaska
  

  Ilarion "Kuuyux" Merculieff

  Unangan (Aleut) | Alaska

  Raised on the St. Paul Island in the middle of the Bering sea, at the age of 4, Ilarion Merculieff was given his traditional Unangan (Aleut) name Kuuyux, which means a messenger; carrier of ancient knowledge into modern times.
  Today he is president of GCILL – Global Center for Indigenous Leadership and Lifeways and co-founder and ongoing key speaker for the WWW https://www.wisdomweavers.world/ .
  He has over 50 years of experience serving his people, and others around the world in a number of leadership capacities.
  At age 18, he started his career in modern western society as an advocate for his tribe, while also, representing Native-American students at the University of Washington. Then he went on to being co-chair and head of 17 boards and councils, till he jumped, over 3 decades ago. Ever since then he has been living the legacy of his traditional name: Kuuyux. Kuuyux has just released his first-ever online course, here: https://restorativepractices.com/product/becoming-a-real-human-being-with-ilarion-merculieff/

• Lewis Cardinal Cree | Canada
  

  Lewis Cardinal

  Cree | Canada

  Lewis Cardinal is a communicator and educator, he has dedicated his life’s work to creating and maintaining connections and relationships that cross-cultural divides. His work has mirrored his personal vision of a socially just and responsive society. His long track record of public service includes, founding Board Member of Alberta Aboriginal Arts, Board Member of Theatre Network, Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Commission for Human Rights and Justice, and Board Emeritus of the Council for a Parliament of World Religions, just to mention a few.
  Lewis has received Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for Public Service, the IndSpire Award for Public Service (the highest award given to an Indigenous person by Indigenous people in Canada), the Province of Alberta’s Centennial Medal for his work in Human Rights and Diversity, the Distinguished Alumni Award from Grant MacEwan University, and was recently conferred the Honorary Degree of “Doctor of Sacred Letters” from St. Stephen’s College at the University of Alberta.
  Lewis is Woodland Cree from the Sucker Creek Cree First Nation in northern Alberta, Canada.
  His consulting company, Cardinal Strategic Communications, specializes in Indigenous education, governance, and communications.

• Susanne Swibold Canmore, Alberta
  

  Susanne Swibold

  Canmore, Alberta

  Susanne is an artist, explorer, teacher and naturalist. Her artistic vision and passionate curiosity have led her to collaborate with renowned paleontologists, Bering Sea Aleut communities and modern dance choreo-graphers. Susanne has a BFA from the Chicago Art Institute and University of Chicago and an MFA, University of Michigan. She has taught art, photography and film in the United States and Canada. The recipient of Canada’s highest award in the arts, Susanne has produced independent documentary films and published widely in periodicals and books. Susanne produced and filmed four documentary films with the Aleut peoples of the Pribilof Islands, Alaska and Commander Islands, Russia. She is a research associate at the Arctic Institute of North America, University of Calgary. She has been invited to lecture and conduct seminars internationally on her film techniques and conservation efforts in the Bering Sea.
  Susanne is regarded by many of the young people around her as their Elder, whom they can confide in and come to for advice.
  She is the first “white” Elder to have been invited by indigenous people to come sit with them in their council as an Elder. She also has a YouTube channel, linked here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5JB0BVP_zBWhTeo5U7o9Zw