Assembly of First Nations
Valerie Bellegarde is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Indigenous Languages Revitalization Associates, where expertise in policy development played a key role in supporting the Assembly of First Nations’ negotiations regarding the Act Respecting Indigenous Languages, which received Royal Assent in June 2019. As a Steering Committee Accredited Observer for UNESCO, Valerie contributed to the establishment of the United Nations’ Global Proclamation for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages from 2022 to 2032. In the role of Senior Advisor to the Assembly of First Nations, strategic leadership was provided to implement the National Chief’s vision. Valerie also managed multiple successful national political campaigns for the Perry Bellegarde Campaign, significantly influencing Indigenous funding priorities. Additionally, extensive consultancy work has involved crafting essential policy documents for university presidents and national organizations, alongside an academic background with a Master of Arts in Canadian Studies from Trent University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Wilfrid Laurier University.
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Assembly of First Nations
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is a national advocacy organization that works to advance the collective aspirations of First Nations individuals and communities across Canada on matters of national or international nature and concern. The AFN hosts two Assemblies a year where mandates and directives for the organization are established through resolutions directed and supported by the First Nations in Assembly (elected Chiefs or proxies from member First Nations). In addition to the direction provided by Chiefs of each member First Nation, the AFN is guided by an Executive Committee consisting of an elected National Chief and Regional Chiefs from each province and territory. Representatives from five national councils (Knowledge Keepers, Youth, Veterans, 2SLGBTQQIA+ and Women) support and guide the decisions of the Executive Committee. The AFN is honored to be named as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2023 and National Capital Region’s Top Employers 2023. View our current list of employment opportunities here: https://afn.ca/about-us/work-with-afn/