Adam North Peigan
President
Adam North Peigan
Adam is from Treaty 7 and is Blackfoot from the Piikani First Nation in Southern, Alberta. Adam is a product of the Residential School and a survivor of the Sixties Scoop. Adam’s career has been spent in advocating for Indigenous people and creating awareness of the colonialism and oppressive actions as a result of government policies being imposed on the Indigenous people in Canada. Adam is the past President of the “Sixties Scoop Indigenous Society of Alberta” (SSISA). Through Adam’s leadership SSISA was able to work with the Alberta Government in the issuance of an apology from former Premier Rachel Notley on May 28th, 2018 to all survivors of the Sixties Scoop.
Adam has been an educator at the University of Alberta, University of Calgary and University of British Columbia. Adam has served public office as a Governor to the South Fraser Health Region in BC and also as an elected member of the Piikani First Nation Chief and Council. Adam has been instrumental in the development of an Indigenous Training module for the College of Alberta Registered Nurses Association, the Alberta Teachers Association and the City of Calgary Police. Adam has been employed in senior management positions with Tribal Governments and the not for profit sector in Alberta and BC. Adam has been awarded the Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for his significant contributions to the Province of Alberta in moving reconciliation forward for all Canadians.
Currently Adam is the Senior Engagement Advisor in the Indigenous Wellness Core working with the Wisdom Council at Alberta Health Services.
Nina Segalowitz
Treasurer/Secretary
Nina Segalowitz
Nina was born in Fort Smith, NWT, and is Inuvialuit and Dene. In addition to being a proud mother of three, Nina has been a community service worker for the past 25 years. She is a Cultural Consultant for the Canadian Armed Forces, the City of Montreal Police Department, in addition to universities and schools. She also facilitates the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, which includes sharing her experiences as a Sixties Scoop Survivor. Presently, Nina holds a B.A. in Applied Human Relations and works as a Cultural Consultant. Nina was appointed to the Legacy of Hope Foundation’s Board in January 2018.
Hatav Shalileh
Board Member
Hatav Shalileh
As a Settler in Canada, and specifically on the un-ceded Algonquin Anishinaabeg territory known as Ottawa as of six-years-old, Hatav Shalileh is motivated to bring together her background and experiences in social work, project management, event-planning and fundraising, policy and strategy work, data analysis, and research and reporting to support the work of the Legacy of Hope Foundation. Serving on two other Boards and engaged with other community services and organizations in Ottawa, Hatav will leverage her networks and skills to expand the critically important work of the Legacy of Hope Foundation in raising awareness about the history and continued intergenerational impacts of the Residential and Day School system and subsequent Sixties Scoop on Indigenous Survivors, their descendants, and communities, with a view to prompt learning, action, and Reconciliation, locally and nationally.
Matthew Sweezey
Board Member
Matthew Sweezey, M.Ed.
Director of First Nations Education, Anglophone North School District (ASD-N)
Matthew Sweezey is an education leader with over 15 years of experience advancing Indigenous education, reconciliation, and inclusive learning across New Brunswick. As Director of First Nations Education for Anglophone North School District, he oversees system-wide initiatives that strengthen relationships with Mi’kmaq communities, integrate Indigenous knowledge and worldviews into curriculum, and create meaningful opportunities for students and educators to engage in reconciliation.
Holding a BA, B. Ed., and Master of Education in Exceptional Learners from the University of New Brunswick, Matthew specializes in Indigenous and inclusive education, trauma-informed practices, and leadership development. He has spearheaded numerous provincial and district-wide initiatives, including the Elders in Schools program, multi-school Mawi’omi gatherings, and the integration of the Witness Blanket installation—engaging thousands of students and staff in Truth and Reconciliation learning.
Matthew’s leadership has secured significant funding for Indigenous wellness workshops, professional learning, and international education exchanges such as the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education. A lifelong learner, he has completed the Level 3 Cultural Competency Training was facilitated by Elder Noel Milliea of Elsipogtog First Nation and Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education through UBC.
Deeply committed to building bridges between schools and communities, Matthew continues to guide educators and students toward understanding, respect, and shared growth grounded in Mi’kmaq values and the spirit of Reconciliation.