ILDI Team
Rosa Walker
President & Chief Executive Officer
Phone: 204.940.1700 | Email: rosa@ildii.ca
Rosa is the visionary behind the Indigenous Leadership Development Institute, Inc. which has been in operation for over 25 years. She started and has led the World Indigenous Business Forum for the past 16 years. Rosa is one of the founding members of the World Indigenous Business Network for the past 14 years and has been the Chair of the Canadian Chapter as well as the head of the Secretariate for all the Chapters.
Rosa was the Executive Director and part of the team for the start-up of Taking Charge! Inc., a program to transition single parents into the workforce. She was employed at the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs as Managing Director, Workplace Diversity. Rosa worked with the Bank of Montreal in the capacity of Manager, Workplace Equality for Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Rosa served on many Boards, including the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board, Accreditation Canada, Faculty of Business and Economic Alumni Committee and Global College Advisory Council, both University of Winnipeg. Rosa is the past Chair of First People’s Economic Growth Fund.
Rosa is the recipient of the YM-YWCA Women of Distinction Award and was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women. She is the recipient of a Canadian Inspire Award and most recently, Spotify’s Top 100 Fascinating Manitobans. Rosa received a distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Winnipeg in 2024.
Amber Sumner
Project Coordinator
Phone: 204.940.1700 | Email: mackenzie@ildii.ca
Phone: 204.940.1700 | Email: amber@ildii.ca
Amber is a member of Pinaymootang First Nation, Manitoba, Canada. She attained dual degrees in Indigenous Governance and Business Administration from the University of Winnipeg, as well as completed a diploma program at Red River College in Aboriginal Self-government. She has been working with ILDI from 2013 to 2020, and has recently re-joined the ILDI team in May 2023, aligning her vision and goals with ILDI’s in building capacity and empowering Indigenous communities, organizations and Individuals.
Barb Hambleton
Info coming soon
Sandra Paillal Venegas
Senior Project Consultant, Latin America
Sandra Paillal Venegas; Chilean, strong Mapuche woman, serving her indigenous people, professional Accountant-Auditor, Businesswoman/Entrepreneur, Indigenous Consultant for Latin America; Advisor to Chilean government entities such as Sercotec Inakeyu. University Professor in Business Management/Commerce at various universities in Chile; Sandra leads projects in business, social reform and revitalizing cultural identities for different indigenous peoples; connecting to the global, local and international markets.
Over 15 years working and supporting indigenous economy in Latin American countries, her passion is to help Indigenous Entrepreneurs and giving back to the community; achieving collective objectives, which have impacted families and communities in agriculture initiatives in Chile, cocoa in Ecuador, fish farming in the Amazon of Peru and communication projects in Colombia.
Sandra has held positions as President of the Chamber of Commerce in Santiago, Chile; Business Manager, and was the Lead Negotiator & Administrator for the 2017 World Indigenous Business Forum, held in Santiago, Chile.
Kinaway Chamber of Commerce Team
Alex Martins
Acting Chief Executive Officer
Fresh from the skies of Victoria, Alex spent his time during Covid-19 achieving his Commercial Pilots License. Prior to flying the skies, he was the National Partnership Manager at The Institute of Managers and Leaders, and the Membership and Business Development Manager at the Cairns Chamber of Commerce.
Alex is looking forward to making a positive impact with our Corporate Partners and connecting some amazing opportunities with our Kinaway members.
Naomi Prior
Events Director
Naomi is a descendant of the Birri – Gubba people in North Queensland, and is currently living in the southern suburbs of Melbourne.
She has worked in the private, community and government sectors (state and federal) and comes to Kinaway with a broad range of experience. She has developed an array of plans and programs that have assisted in the health and wellbeing of local communities.