Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation
Buffalo, Stephen
Stephen Buffalo is a member of the Samson Cree Nation, located in Maskwacis, approximately 100 kilometers south of Edmonton. Mr. Buffalo has a management degree from the University of Lethbridge, and he worked for Peace Hills Trust for 15 years. Since 2014, Mr. Buffalo has been President and CEO of the Indian Resource Council of Canada, which supports First Nations by working with government and industry.
Bosgoed, Gary
Gary Bosgoed, P.Eng. is the President & CEO of Bosgoed Project Consultants, a project management, management consulting and consulting engineering company headquartered in Edmonton. The company currently manages projects and provides business advisory services across Alberta and Saskatchewan. He is a member of the Peepeekisis First Nation and has worked on over 100 First Nations projects. His experience also includes project delivery of large resource development, pipeline, energy, power and infrastructure projects for global service providers.
Boucher, Jim
Littlechild, Ruby
Ruby Littlechild is Plains Cree and originally from Maskwacis, Alberta. She has made Edmonton her permanent home over the past 10 years. Ruby is of Treaty 6 descent and comes from the bloodline of Wandering Spirit, one of Big Bears’ revered spiritual warriors. Ruby's primary passion is promoting inclusion, equality, higher education, diversity, mentoring, healing from colonization for Indigenous people, and working towards the alleviation of systemic barriers, stigmas and stereotypes associated with Indigenous people. She has completed a Master’s degree in Education, and is currently working on her Master’s degree in Business Administration. Ruby has previously worked for the Government of Alberta, the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta and is currently the Manager of the Alberta Aboriginal Construction Career Centre at NorQuest College. She has previously sat on Alberta’s Child and Family Services Authority Board for the Government of Alberta and is currently the National Student Director for the CANDO Board, a national Indigenous economic development board. Ruby believes that collaboration, stakeholder engagement, reclaiming Indigenous identity, and the understanding of historical and cultural awareness are key factors in successful Indigenous community economic development. She advocates for Indigenous employment inclusion in not only the Alberta construction industry, but all industries that impact the economy.
Milentyev, Vitaliy
Born (1977) and raised in Odessa, Ukraine, Milentyev moved to Canada in 1999 in pursuit of a second Master’s Degree in Economics at the University of Manitoba (Winnipeg). Milentyev’s professional path has been always in the area of investments and finance, starting from an investment analyst to the current position in the executive capacity at one of Edmonton’s independent investment firms. In 2005-2008, Milentyev was privileged to work back in Ukraine on building an Investment Desk for one of the large international banks. Community service and helping people has also been part of Milentyev’s life, by way of serving in various community organizations and teaching assignments. Currently, Milentyev serves as the president for Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce – Alberta Chapter and a member of the Synergy Network. Throughout the years, Milentyev has been a member of or served on the boards of such organizations as the Rotary Club of Edmonton, Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Ukrainian Research and Development Centre. Milentyev has also taught several finance courses at the University of Lethbridge (Edmonton campus). Ukraine remains a point of great interest and passion for Milentyev, due not only to his origins, but out of a desire to see the country as a prospering and democratic society. Milentyev is privileged to be using his experience and skills to help bring that dream closer to reality.