Milton Tootoosis was raised on the Poundmaker Indian Reserve west of the Battlefords in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Since his university education days he has enjoyed a fourty year career in management roles and continues to research and share his findings. He served a term as a TLE Trustee and as an elected Headman for the Poundmaker Cree Nation (2016-2020). He was instrumental in getting the legendary Chief Poundmaker posthumously exonerated, for alleged crimes associated with the North West Rebellion / Resistance of 1885, by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2019. He owns his own consulting firm aside from serving as SREDA’s first ever Chief Economic Reconciliation Officer.

Dr. Mendez received his MD and PhD from the University of Western Ontario, where he also completed his post-graduate training in Neurosurgery. His research Fellowship was done at the Department of Medical Cell Research, University of Lund, Sweden. Dr. Mendez was the Chairman and Founding Member of the Halifax Brain Repair Centre and Head of the Division of Neurosurgery at Dalhousie University and the QEII Health Sciences Centre for more than a decade. He was the Fred H. Wigmore Professor and Provincial Head of Surgery for Saskatchewan from 2013-2022. Dr. Mendez is the Director of the Virtual Health Hub, a highly innovative facility designed to provide virtual healthcare services, currently being built at the Whitecap Dakota First Nation in Saskatchewan.

Erin is the CEO of SREDA, the economic development organization dedicated to advancing the Saskatoon Region. Appointed in June 2023, she is the first female CEO in the organization's history. Erin joined SREDA in 2015, serving most recently as the Chief Marketing Officer. Born and raised in Saskatoon, Erin holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan. Under her leadership, SREDA champions the people, potential, and prosperity of Saskatoon and surrounding communities. Erin is passionate about fostering meaningful relationships and collaboratively ensuring a diverse and dynamic economy. Committed to being a steward of progress, she is dedicated to addressing community needs and creating opportunities for growth and success. Erin takes pride in leading an organization that plays a vital role in shaping Saskatoon, a City she’s proud to call home.

Chris Lane is the President & CEO of Economic Development Regina (EDR), the agency tasked with driving investment attraction, sector growth and leading a cooperative approach to marketing Regina around the world. Prior to leading EDR, Chris was CEO at Canadian Western Agribition, one of North America’s premier agricultural events and international marketplaces. Chris graduated from the University of Regina in 2002 with a degree in Journalism and spent 15 years working in local and national news across Canada.

Christina Birch, founder of The Community Cafe, provides vital support to regions, communities and entrepreneurs by crafting innovative solutions to address the unique challenges they face. A rural enthusiast and community builder at heart, her passion for supporting rural communities has been evident throughout her many years of experience in community and economic development.