Our Board of Directors

Chair

Nicole is a proud member of the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan, born and raised in Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis Nation. With over two decades of experience spanning public policy, philanthropy, and governance, she has dedicated her career to advancing Indigenous well-being and self-determination.

Nicole’s philanthropic leadership began at the McConnell Foundation as Director of Indigenous Initiatives, and continued at MakeWay, where she served as Director of National Programming. In both roles, she championed Indigenous-led solutions and cross-sectoral collaboration. In 2024, she co-founded Indigenous Philanthropy Advisors (IPA) to strengthen trust-based relationships between funders and Indigenous communities across Turtle Island.

Her earlier work in the federal public service included contributions to major national programs such as the Indian Residential School Resolution, the Urban Aboriginal Strategy, and Canada’s Initiative on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Now living in Quebec on Anicinape territory, she is guided by the strength of her community and the inspiration of her five grown children.

amanuel melles (aman) is the Executive Director of the Network for the Advancement of Black Communities (NABC). He brings more than 28 years of management and senior management experience in various sub-sectors of the non-profit sector: settlement and immigration, community health, social services and community development, and funding & sector capacity. aman was on the Senior Management Team at United Way Toronto and the Director of Programs & Capacity Building where he led the development of the Organizational Capacity Building Unit and was responsible for leading the introduction of several innovative and creative leadership, capacity building, evaluation and granting programs aimed at building various capacities of non-profit agencies and communities in Toronto. Prior to his role at United Way Toronto, aman held various roles at OCASI, Lawrence Heights Community Health Centre and Family Service Toronto.

Over the years, aman has contributed to the vibrancy of the non-profit sector and communities as a Board member, executive officer and civic leader at: Distress Centres Toronto, Social Planning Toronto, Ontario Council for International Cooperation, Inclusive Cities Canada’s Toronto Civic Panel, Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs, African Canadian Social Development Council. In 2018, aman was appointed, for a two-year term, by Toronto’s Mayor to sit on the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit’s, City of Toronto, Partnership and Accountability Circle. Currently, he’s the President of InterChange Community-Based Peacebuilding International Institute, sits on the Board of Social Innovation Canada and chairs the Board of Institute of Change Leaders. aman is an alumnus of the Maytree Foundation Leaders for Change and the Maytree-York University Management programs. As a former marine ecologist, aman often brings ecosystem thinking to his work with organizations and communities. aman is the recipient of the Jane Jacobs Prize, the New Pioneers Award, the African Canadian Leadership Award, and the Emancipation Day Underground Freedom Train Ride – Community Service Award.

Bill McCrea’s career has taken him through private-sector business leadership positions to senior-level public service roles. He co-chaired the Mutual Policy Holder Committee in negotiating the Economical demutualization agreement. He has proven results in the areas of corporate governance, legislation and regulation, finance, compliance, privacy law, mediation and negotiations, communications, and leadership. In his volunteer life, Mr. McCrea has led community-based organizations which included chairing a local Scouts Canada parent advisory group. He has been heavily involved with the United Way, being responsible for the largest division in the Region of Waterloo campaign for many years. Mr. McCrea oversaw the Ministry of Finance Provincial Employees Community Services Fund for the Province of British Columbia for several years. Under his leadership, these organizations saw improvements in how they were run and, more importantly, the success they achieved, growing year over year and assisting their communities in even more ways. In addition to earning a Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University, he is a Fellow of the Insurance Institute of Canada.

Innes Dey has been Senior Vice-President, Corporate Affairs at Definity Financial Corporation since January 2026. He joined the company in November 2011, serving in various senior executive roles, including as Chief Legal Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, and Chief Risk Officer, and was a key member of the senior management team behind the historic demutualization of Definity Financial’s founding company, Economical.

With more than 20 years of experience in the Canadian P&C insurance industry, Innes is a business transformation strategist and leader of multiple functional areas, including the company’s Legal team, Corporate Strategy Office, and Risk department.

Innes chairs the company’s Sustainability Steering Committee and has been a director of the Definity Foundation since April 2021.

Innes is a corporate finance lawyer by profession, holding an LL.B. from Queen’s University and a B.Sc.(Hons) from Western University.

Past Chair

Justin Wiebe is a Métis citizen from Saskatoon in Treaty 6 and Métis Territory. He joined the Mastercard Foundation in 2019 where he serves as Head, Partnership Development. Through his role, Justin is focused on building and supporting meaningful partnerships focused on improving the lives of Indigenous youth and their communities. He is passionate about rethinking philanthropy, systems change, and building movements of solidarity across different communities. Prior to joining the Mastercard Foundation, Justin worked at the Ontario Trillium Foundation in the Youth Opportunities Fund, supporting grassroots and systems change initiatives led by Indigenous and Black youth. He is also a Board Member at Philanthropic Foundations Canada, a WEF Global Shaper, and a co-founder of The Mamawi Project. Justin is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan and the University of British Columbia, and holds the ICD.D designation.

Katie has extensive experience working in responsible investment, community development, Indigenous rights recognition, and environmental sustainability. Today, based in Montreal, Quebec, Katie serves as Head of Canada for the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), which unites responsible investors to work towards sustainable markets that contribute to a more prosperous world for all.

Previously, Katie directly supported asset owners in developing and furthering their approach to responsible investment governance while at SHARE. Prior, she led the award-winning Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Initiative, which collaborates with Indigenous and non-Indigenous investors to build capital markets that advance reconciliation goals and respect for Indigenous rights. This was informed by earlier direct work for First Nation governments in Western Canada to uphold their rights and title. Katie has also published peer-reviewed literature on Indigenous rights recognition, human-nature interactions, and oil sands governance.

Katie holds a BA in Joint Honours International Development and Anthropology from McGill University and an MA in Environmental Anthropology from the University of Saskatchewan. In 2022, Katie was recognized by Corporate Knights as a Top 30 under 30 Sustainability Leader in Canada.

Math’ieya (Ma-THEE-Yah) Alatini is the Grand Chief of the Council of Yukon First Nations, elected in 2025, and a proud Southern Tutchone matriarch from Kluane First Nation. Known for her fearless leadership and deep community commitment, she brings decades of experience across government, industry, and Indigenous governance.

A former Chief of Kluane First Nation, Math’ieya led her community toward energy self-sufficiency and economic resilience. She also served as CEO and Board Chair of One Yukon Coalition, where she advanced public health initiatives across all 14 Yukon First Nations.

With a Bachelor of Commerce and a background in infrastructure, green energy, and Treaty relations, Math’ieya is committed to Indigenous sovereignty, innovation, and getting things done “in a good way” – with courage, clarity, and integrity.

An engineer and MBA by education, and an investor by profession, MJ hopes to use his skills and experiences to help build a fair, just, and equitable world.

Over the last decade, MJ has worked with Canadian and international asset owners across all aspects of the investment lifecycle. Through this work, he has helped deploy over C$400M through private-market impact investing and another C$500M through responsible-investment strategies for foundations, family offices, governments, and others. Additionally, MJ has served as the inaugural Chief Investment Officer of one of North America’s largest affordable-housing acquisition vehicles. MJ also has prior experience in oil and gas risk management in Asia, microfinance in India, global-health investing, and corporate strategy in Canada.

MJ enjoys working at the intersection of social change and financial returns, and helping asset owners understand the difference their capital can make. He greatly enjoys running the complete investment lifecycle and feels grateful to do work that aligns with his values.

He is a Board Director and Treasurer for the Definity Foundation; Board Director and Investment Roundtable Chair for Philanthropic Foundations Canada; Board Director for MakeWay Foundation and Tapestry Capital (and its Weave Community Capital Fund); and a member of the Impact Investment Committee for the Laidlaw Foundation.

MJ loves reading, travelling, cooking, staying active, history, and following global politics. He has his own personal library and has traveled to over 80 countries so far.

MJ’s take on life: “The only things you regret are the things you don’t do.” — Michael Curtiz