Linkages 2026 Flowing With It: Building Capacity Through Partnerships
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Royal Roads University
Tim is a Learning and Development Advisor with Professional and Continuing Studies at Royal Roads University. In 2004-05, Tim was part of the team that established the first research centre at Royal Roads University focused on the management and utilization of non-timber forest products. Tim’s lifelong fascination with everything our forests have to offer and teach us led to his involvement in designing and delivering training with UCN’s groundbreaking Northern Forest Diversification Centre. This work was the start of Tim’s deep affection for the landscape and people of northern Manitoba.
Tim’s ongoing work focuses on developing and delivering community-based training initiatives to support capacity-building in Indigenous communities. In 2017-18, Tim led the development of Healing the Land, an in-community training program focused on ecosystem restoration, which has been successfully delivered in five communities in northern BC. In 2018-19, Tim led the development of the Certificate in Cultural and Natural Resources Assessment, which provides learners with the skills and knowledge to work as field technicians and conduct biophysical and cultural inventories. Deliveries with both the Kitselas and Haisla Nations achieved an employment rate of more than 80 percent for graduates. Since 2020, much of Tim’s work has focused on the development and delivery of the Professional Project Administrator (PPA) program, funded through the Future Skills Centre (FSC). This innovative program has been delivered for Indigenous learners across eight cohorts and three provinces, with an over 90 percent graduation rate and the majority of learners moving into employment and/or further education. Tim’s most recent work, with support from the FSC, has included building relationships and program delivery projects across northern Canada, including northern Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc.
Jaye White is a seasoned Workforce Development professional with more than 30 years of experience in training, recruitment, and retention across diverse sectors including manufacturing, construction, health care, and government. A member of Norway House Cree Nation and raised in The Pas, Manitoba, Jaye has dedicated her career to advancing Indigenous representation in the workforce and strengthening employment and training systems across Manitoba and Alberta.
Jaye’s expertise spans training plan development, client case management, labour force analysis, funding applications and execution, budget management, policy development, and organizational reporting. Throughout her career, she has supported hundreds of individuals in securing meaningful employment and has assisted numerous organizations in achieving and maintaining representative workforces.
During her tenure as Director of Workforce Development & Health Education with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s Aboriginal Health Programs, Jaye cultivated a strong partnership with WRHA Human Resources, co-developing strategies to increase Indigenous participation and promote Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Training across the region.
Over 15 combined years with the Manitoba Métis Federation, Jaye developed and sustained successful recruitment and retention partnerships with large employers such as Manitoba Hydro, Interlake Health Authority, and the City of Winnipeg.
Before returning to Manitoba, Jaye served as Executive Director of Helping Circle Employment Services in Calgary, where she built the organization from two staff to a thriving, well‑funded employment service centre. Many of the processes she developed—including financial practices and case management systems—were later adopted across 16 employment centres operated by the Métis Nation of Alberta. Her work included program development, staff management, employer relations, conflict resolution, policy compliance, and building strong partnerships with multiple levels of government.
Driven by her commitment to improving employment and training opportunities for Indigenous people, Jaye has worked extensively with large corporations, Indigenous organizations, and federal partners to expand Indigenous workforce participation. She is currently the Program Director for the Indigenous Skills & Employment Training (ISET) Program with Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Inc., where she has served since November 1, 2021.
University College of the North
Tara Munro’s career spans 25 years of early childhood education, K-12, adult, and post-secondary education, all rooted in her love of learning and belief in human potential. She’s passionate about using AI as a tool to help students and educators reach new heights, seeing it as a way to personalize learning and support every individual’s growth and mental health. For Tara, student success always comes first – her work is driven by a simple goal: helping learners live their best possible lives.
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