Indigenous, Government, and Community Affairs

Jennifer Rattray - Biography

Jennifer Rattray is The University of Winnipeg’s first Associate Vice-President of Indigenous, Government, and Community Affairs and a member of the Peepeekisis First Nation.  In this capacity, Jennifer is responsible for leading interaction between the University and Indigenous communities and governments, as well as the federal, provincial and municipal governments and the community-at-large.

Jennifer works at the PSE and K-12 levels to improve the educational experience for Indigenous students and to break down the barriers to university education.  She led the creation of the University’s Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre which serves thousands of Indigenous youth and community members every month, worked with Kevin Chief to support the creation of the Innovative Learning Centre, helped to develop the Opportunity Fund which has provided funding to more than 850 Aboriginal and inner-city children and youth, and led the Aboriginal University Education Roundtable which for the first time brought Indigenous leaders together with university presidents from throughout Western Canada.  

Jennifer also works with all levels of government and with partners in the public and private sectors to raise funds for the University’s strategic capital and access initiatives.  She is fortunate to work closely with Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, President and Vice-Chancellor, an honorary member of Sagkeeng First Nation, and Canada’s foreign affairs minister from 1996 to 2000, to achieve these goals.  

Prior to joining the University in 2004, Jennifer spent 15 years as an award-winning journalist and one of very first First Nations women to anchor the news in Canada.  During her career she anchored the CBC news in Manitoba and produced documentaries for The National, anchored the ABC News in Colorado, and anchored, reported, and produced for WTN in Toronto and CTV in Winnipeg.  She was recognized with a Manitoba Motion Picture Blizzard Award and two Gracie Allen Awards presented by the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television in New York City, as well as RTNDA and Can-Pro awards.  

Jennifer is actively involved in the community, volunteering her time as Co-Chair of the Ka Ni Kanichihk Council, as a member of the Ma Mawi board and the Manitoba Museum Foundation board, and as an emcee, moderator and panelist.  Jennifer speaks nationally on Indigenous education and hopes to make the learning experience better for her son and nephews and the generations that follow.      

Jennifer recently earned a joint Masters of Public Administration (MPA) with distinction from The University of Winnipeg and The University of Manitoba with a focus on Indigenous education, organizational structure and policy, and a specialization in Business and Government Relations from the Asper School of Business.  She also recognizes the knowledge she has gained by listening to Elders, leaders, youth, and the community.