My story

• My name is Jaime Fafard (she/her).

• I was born in a berry in a fast-flowing river in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. 

• My great aunt Terry always told me growing up that my name means I love (J’aime). 

• My last name, Fafard, holds a history of being one of the 60 founding families of what would become the Métis Nation. 

• My ancestors were voyageurs, coureur-des-bois, mediators and cultivators: adventurous and bold with a certain joie-de-vivre and orientation towards relationships and innovation.

• I spent most of my younger years on WSÁNEĆ territory, and now I live, work and learn on Lekwungen territory and give my respect and reverence to the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations for their leadership.

• I’m an INTJ/INFJ in Myers Briggs. An architect of advocacy for transformation. 

• I would describe myself as analytical, mindful, creative and compassionate. Others have described me as a Bad Ass Mama Bear, a Warrior of the Heart, a Status-Quo Disrupter and Change Maker.

My Education

• I hold a BA (sociology), BSW (child welfare specialization), and an MPA.
• I have training and experience in Art of Hosting.
• I am a certified Cultivating Safe Spaces Facilitator through Elaine Alec.
• I participated in Leadership 2020 (Federation of Community Social Services BC) and The Authentic Leadership Academy (David Irvine).
• I received Graphic Recording/Facilitation training from Sam Bradd at Drawing Change.

My preference is to work from an appreciative inquiry approach, using Circle process and Art of Hosting methodologies to effectively create pathways for working through issues and projects in collaborative and cooperative ways.

My approaches always seek to create an alignment between head & heart and intentions & impact.

• I worked in the BC Public Service for nearly 20 years in the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). First, as a social worker in child welfare and then was drawn to Strategic Human Resources to support systemic transformation. 

• For my last six years at MCFD, I was honoured to be part of the first team in BC Public Service to specifically address Indigenous cultural safety on a corporate scale for 5,500 employees. 

•  While on this team, and in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, scholars and colleagues, we created: the Indigenous Recruitment & Retention Guide (currently promoted by BC Public Service in their internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion course); Cultural Self-Assessment Tool; and the Indigenous Identities, Cultures and Rights online learning course. 

Our work was innovative and meaningful - my deepest desire is always to do more of the same.