Indigenous Leadership
Fireside Chat
Join the panel to hear about Indigenous leadership and how this worldview and cultural practices transfer to different levels of government.
Meet The Speakers
MLA Annie Blake
Annie Blake is a descendant of the Dagoo people and a Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Citizen.
Annie was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in April, 2021. She is a social worker by trade with a decade of experience helping people of all ages. Annie served as the Director of Health and Social Programs for the Vuntut Gwitchin government, where she oversaw the delivery of health and social services to Old Crow residents.
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Annie has also previously worked for the Council of Yukon First Nations, the First Nations Health Programs of the Yukon Hospital Corporation, Kaushee’s Place and the Yukon Child & Youth Advocate. She is a mom to three teenagers and is passionate about helping youth in her community.
Chief Amanda Leas
A Tagish Khwáan descendant, Dakhl’awèdí and member of the wolf clan. Southern Tutchone (mother), Han (father) is a citizen and newly elected Chief of Ta’an Kwäch’än Council. Born and raised in the Yukon, Amanda grew up around Lake LaBerge and was very involved in TKC from a young age. Starting as a toddler running around General Assemblies to organizing them in her youth, Amanda knew working for her First Nation was important and started her first permanent position out of high school. Moving around in various departments overs the years provided her the knowledge of TKC that she needed to eventually take the next big step. Leadership. Her Grandmother is the late Sophie Miller (Slim) and her uncle the last heredity Chief of the TKC, Glenn Grady. At a young age, it was pretty evident politics were in her blood. Elected in October 2021, she is transitioning into her role and believes positive outcomes in her 3-year term. It’s a humbling experience being the voice for your people and she takes that responsibility very seriously. A mother of 3 beautiful humans, her limited downtime is dedicated to making beaded pieces of wearable art. She has been featured at local stores and is a member the Yukon First Nations Arts program.
Minister Jeanie McLean
Jeanie McLean was elected to the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the general election of
November 7, 2016.
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During her time in office, she has been a strong advocate for women, Indigenous women
and LGBTQ2S+ folks, participating in significant legislative advancements around gender
identification, inclusivity and harassment in the workplace, rights for same-sex couples
and PTSD presumption for emergency workers.
MLA McLean has been instrumental in Yukon-wide response to the final report of the
national Inquiry into MMIWG. She has supported Heritage and Tourism across the
territory and implemented a groundbreaking Yukon Tourism Development Strategy on
sustainable tourism.
Jeanie is a Yukon innovator and community leader, she worked as Director of Justice for
Kwanlin Dün First Nation in the Mountainview riding for 7 years prior to her role in
Cabinet. She has strong skills in developing partnerships, negotiating agreements to
support collaboration and implementing action. Her practical approach is valued by
partners and her ability to maintain engagement, including working through conflict to
align interests, has been highly successful. She has a long history of participation on public
advisory and working groups, bringing a woman’s perspective and commitment to
improving quality of life for children, youth and families. She is also committed to learning
and passing on traditional and cultural values.
Prior to becoming an MLA Jeanie provided significant guidance in the Yukon Policing
Review, which resulted in the report Sharing Common Ground, a Review of the Yukon
Police Force. She participated in the review of Yukon Corrections as a Yukon First Nation
Advisor. She served as the Yukon representative to the RCMP Commissioner’s First
Nation Policing Advisory Board. She has served as a Kwanlin Dün First Nation
representative on the newly formed Yukon Public Safety Committee and Mental Wellness
Strategy—First Nation Partnership committee, as the President of the Yukon First Nation
Hockey Association (a hockey mom at heart) and as the Vice-Chair of the Tahltan Health
and Social Services Authority, for two terms.
Jeanie was born and raised in Yukon and is of Tahltan First Nation and Norwegian
ancestry. She volunteers locally and has worked with her home nation in organizing
cultural events and ceremonies. She has two sons—one in his 4th year at the University of
Victoria and one a successful Yukon tradesperson building his independent life as an
entrepreneur.
McLean brings a wealth of experience working for First Nation and public government in
BC and Yukon, with a background in criminology, business, and First Nation Governance.
Emily McDougall - Moderator
Emily McDougall is a born and raised Yukoner, based in her hometown of Whitehorse. She is a proud member of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and belongs to the Wolf Clan (Agunda). Her Indigenous background is Southern Tutchone and Tlingit on her maternal side. Emily’s family has been living in the Yukon for over seven generations. Her Grandmother, Virginia Lindsay (nee Slim) was born and raised at the Upper Village of Lake Laberge (Tàa’an Män). Her Great-Grandfather, Frank Slim (Tsenedhata), was a famous Yukon Riverboat Captain and her Great-Great-Great Uncle, Chief Jim Boss (Kishxóot), was an instrumental leader in Yukon Land Claims Agreements.
Emily graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography and Environmental Studies. She has spent many summers working with her family’s wilderness tourism company and has experience in the field of environmental consulting. She has spent the past three years working for the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Yukon Region as their Climate Change Coordinator and Policy Analyst. Emily has recently started a new role with Kwanlin Dün First Nation as their Sustainability Planner within the Heritage, Lands and Resources Department.