Endorsements

Waneek’s presentation at our conference was timely, relevant and inspiring. Her messages that “reconciliation is an action” and that we are all humans first, combined with her personal story of perseverance in the face of adversity served to challenge and inspire our audience, advancing the discussion of reconciliation among our members. She also managed to inject several truly funny stories from her life into a discussion of an often-challenging topic, using that humor as a bridge to connect with her audience. Waneek was remarkably generous with her time, engaging with members of the audience to address their questions and speak about her experiences long after her presentation was over. Her genuine interest in others, warm spirit, and clear commitment to advancing the cause of reconciliation were evident to all who had the opportunity to hear her speak. Countless attendees approached the event organizers over the balance of the event and in the days and weeks following to comment on how much they enjoyed Waneek’s presentation.
Physiotherapy Alberta - College + Association

Waneek was an absolute hit with our students (and staff and faculty!). She was definitely the highlight of the event for many students. She hit all the right notes for us, connected her core message with our theme in a beautiful way that was exactly what we wanted to convey to our students. She talked about Aboriginal issues, a topic that many students and staff do not feel confident or comfortable speaking about, in a way that was relatable and comfortable, and I firmly believe she’s paved the way for many students to feel more comfortable learning more about and engaging in discussion around Aboriginal issues. I’ve had so many students and staff tell me that she was the best keynote they’d ever seen. I would definitely have to agree. Our First Nations Studies Program students were absolutely thrilled to have lunch with her. One student thanked our committee, saying that meeting Waneek was the highlight of her life so far. This lunch meant quite a lot to our department as well. It helped us forge better relationships with other units on campus and helped us delve more into Aboriginal issues. At our reception after the conference, there was constantly a line of students waiting to talk to her. She was incredibly personable and generous with her time. On a personal note, I got to spend some time with Waneek backstage. She was absolutely lovely and has an incredible gift for making others feel like they are part of her family. I feel so very lucky to have spent time with her and I know everyone else who got the opportunity feels the same way. Please pass on our deepest thanks to Waneek and thank you for your work in putting all of this together. It’s been so easy to work with you and the Lavin Agency this year.
University of British Columbia

Everything was fantastic! We heard nothing but great feedback regarding Waneek and her time with us. Waneek was able to shift the energy from the first half of the event to leave everyone with that hopeful, good feeling to end the day on.
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

Waneek was fantastic! She was one of our top rated keynote speakers ever. Her talk was timely, relevant and inspiring. She was also very generous with her time and stayed to speak to audience members following her talk. We really appreciated her talk.
Physiotherapy Alberta

I have to say we were beyond thrilled with Waneek. She was everything we expected and more. We had a small group of 100 people but there was not a single person who wasn’t completely focused on her story and the journey she spoke about. I would recommend Waneek to anyone who is thinking about booking her; she was fantastic.
Algoma Family Services Foundation