Previous Winners
2022
Christy Smith
Vice-President Indigenous and Stakeholder Engagement, Falkirk Environmental
Indigenous Trailblazer
Indigenous Trailblazer
Christy is a member of K’ómoks First Nation, living in her traditional territory on Vancouver Island. Christy has authentically navigated both Indigenous and non-indigenous worlds while working in the resource sector for over 25 years. Her work is deeply rooted in reconciliation and decolonizing the approach to ways of doing business. Engaging and building good relationships are at the core of what Christy does as a changemaker, mentor, liaison, project manager, and engagement expert. She has facilitated workshops, presented at national mining conventions, instructed at universities, de-escalated complex situations, mentored Indigenous entrepreneurs, negotiated countless benefits agreements, advocated on the behalf First Nations’ governments and industry proponents, and built capacity within every organization of which she has been a part. Christy has a BA in Native Studies from the University of Alberta and an MBA from the University of Northern British Columbia, and is a wife and mother. Christy currently serves as a Partner and Vice President, Indigenous and Stakeholder Relations with Falkirk Environmental Consultants Ltd. of Vancouver and Vice President, Sustainability with TDG Gold Corp. She is currently serving as Vice Chair for the Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Committee for the Association for Mineral Exploration in BC. She most recently co-authored a book called Weaving Two Worlds: Economic Reconciliation between Indigenous Peoples and the Resource Sector.
Christy was nominated by Michael McPhie.
Christy was nominated by Michael McPhie.
Nicole Julien
Geological Engineering Student, Queen's University
Indigenous Student Trailblazer
Indigenous Student Trailblazer
Nicole Julien is of Ojibwé and Mi’kmaq heritage and is currently studying Geological Engineering at Queen’s University. She was the Outreach Coordinator for the Queen’s chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, participating in STEM outreach in the Indigenous community in Kingston and at an elementary school in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. She strives to inspire women and nonbinary folks to consider a future career in the mining industry.
As the recipient of the Indigenous Student Trailblazer award, Nicole was awarded a $5,000 scholarship sponsored by Sprott.
As the recipient of the Indigenous Student Trailblazer award, Nicole was awarded a $5,000 scholarship sponsored by Sprott.
2021
Leona Aglukkaq
Director of TMAC Resources, politician and government administrator
Indigenous Trailblazer
Indigenous Trailblazer
Leona Aglukkaq is a highly-experienced politician and government administrator from the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut. She was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2008 and, in 2009, became the first Inuk in Canadian history to be appointed to Cabinet (as Minister of Health). In addition to her Federal government experience, Ms. Aglukkaq has broad public government exposure, including international diplomatic experience as a Chair of the Arctic Council (2012-2015), a leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic states, Arctic Indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants on common Arctic issues, in particular on issues of sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic. Ms. Aglukkaq also has territorial government experience as both an elected official and a public official in the governments of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, and in Institutions of Public Government (as defined by the Nunavut Agreement), as a founding member of Nunavut Impact Review Board.
Dr. Jeanne Paquette
Associate Professor, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, McGill University
Rick Hutson Mentor
Rick Hutson Mentor
Born in Montreal (1961), raised in rural francophone Quebec, Jeanne made a leap to McGill University and into geological sciences, where she became fascinated by the history of life and mineralogy. After a M.Sc. in sedimentology, she pursued a Ph.D. at SUNY at Stony Brook, NY, to explore the effect on impurities and aqueous chemistry on the morphology of calcite crystals. Back to McGill University since 1991, her research interests have spanned environmental geochemistry, economic geology and biomineralogy. An Associate member of the Redpath Museum and of the McGill School of Environment, she teaches undergraduate and graduate students in geology, environmental sciences and mining engineering programs.
2020
2019
Mary Caesar
Indigenous Trailblazer
Mary Caesar is a Kaska Dena elder, artist, writer, poet, mother, grandmother, cultural presenter and residential school survivor. Mary is a member of the Liard First Nation in Watson Lake, Yukon. Mary was born in Upper Liard, Yukon, on Oct 4, 1995. Her parents Alfred and Minnie Caesar taught her the traditional teachings and skills of the Kaska Dena. Mary attended Lower Post Residential School in Lower Post, BC, for four years, from 1961 to 1964. Her experience in Lower Post Res. School devastated her life, her family, her community and affected every aspect of her life. After she left Lower Post Residential School, she attended St. Anne's School in Watson Lake, Yukon, then on to Watson Lake Secondary. Mary has two sons, and numerous grandkids. In Sept. 1999, Mary left the north to study Fine Arts at the Malaspina College University, now Vancouver Islan University in Nanaimo, BC on Vancouver Island for 4 years. Mary obtained a 2 yr Fine Arts Diplome from Malaspina University. In Sept. 2005, Mary travelled to Switzerland with 10 other Yukon First Nation's artists to exhibit her art at NONAM Art Gallery in Zurich, Switzerland for a week. In May 2010, Mary travelled to Germany with 3 other artists from the Yukon for a 6-week art project in Germany. Then in March 2014, Mary travelled to Germany for her book launch and book tour with her publisher, for a 3-week book tour. Her book "My Healing Journey" was published by TraumFänger Verlag, a publishing company in Germany. Mary's art and her book have helped her on her healing journey. Although her experience in the residential school was devastating, Mary has learned to survive and thrive. Her upbringing and teachings from her parents and Kaska elders have instilled in her a pride for her Kaska culture and identity. Mary teaches art workshops in the Watson Lake schools, Adäka Cultural Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon and in the communities of Watson Lake and Ross River, Yukon. She's a cultural presenter and storyteller and shares the stories that her parents have passed on to her and also her stories of being survivor of the residential school system. Mary is currently learning to speak her Kaska language. Mary is involved in the Elders in Residence program with the Golden Predator Mining company in Kaska traditional land. Mary feels that the Kaska elders need to be pro-active in the mining industry and need to speak up for the future and well-being of our Kaska Nation.
2018
Patricia 'Patti' Tirschmann
Retired, Former Vice President, Exploration, North American Nickel Inc.
Trailblazer
Trailblazer
Patti Tirschmann is a specialist in magmatic nickel-copper sulphide deposits with over 29 years of exploration experience. Ms. Tirschmann obtained her BSc Hon and MSC degrees in Geological Sciences from the University of Manitoba. During her career, Patti held the position of Vice President, Exploration for both North American Nickel Inc. and Continental Nickel Limited and of Senior Geologist, International Nickel Sulphide Exploration with Falconbridge Limited/Xstrata plc. She developed, implemented and supervised exploration programs in the major Canadian nickel belts of Sudbury, Thompson and Raglan and has international experience on projects in Tanzania, Norway, Greenland, Alaska, Chile and Australia. In Tanzania, she established and led an exploration team that discovered new nickel sulphide zones and established NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimates at the Ntaka Hill Project. Throughout her career, Patti has supported the hiring, training and mentoring of young geologists and geology students and has acted as company liaison for geological research studies. More recently, she has enjoyed mentoring female geology students from the University of Manitoba.
“I firmly believe that key ingredients for a successful career are equal opportunity from employers, mentoring from supervisors and mutual respect of colleagues. With this platform, the individual will take care of the rest.”
“I firmly believe that key ingredients for a successful career are equal opportunity from employers, mentoring from supervisors and mutual respect of colleagues. With this platform, the individual will take care of the rest.”
2017
Patrick McAndless
Mentor
Rick Hutson Mentor
Rick Hutson Mentor
Patrick McAndless is a former award winning geoscientist, now retired, who has turned his attention, following a successful career, to “helping others discover their greatness”.
He has given over 500 workshops, world-wide, to help students and graduates discover the pathway to their dream job by developing their personal brand.
He has given over 500 workshops, world-wide, to help students and graduates discover the pathway to their dream job by developing their personal brand.