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Charlene Hellson leads a double life as performing artist/writer and as a manger for the Aboriginal Mental Health Team for Alberta Health Services at the Elbow River Healing Lodge. She started her academic journey at Mount Royal's Aboriginal Education Program where she met her closest friends who are part of her life today. Charlene earned her degree in Psychology and Anthropology at the University of Calgary, where she became an accidental actor in her last year.
Marija attended Mount Royal's university transfer program to go on to graduate from the University of Calgary in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. She was actively involved as a volunteer and a member with the SAMRU Native Centre. She also graduated from the Aboriginal Education Program where she started her academic career.
A proud single mother of two, Marija is fortunate to have a son and a daughter who inspires her daily to work hard and assist her First Nations peoples to obtain higher education while inspiring and motivating aboriginal women to procure an enriched lifestyle by returning to work or school. Marija has worked for the Elizabeth Fry Society as an Aboriginal Employment Counselor, which supports First Nation's women who may be at risk at being involved in the criminal justice system.
Cory is a Cree/Dene from Saddle Lake First Nation Alberta, and is the proud father of three daughters.
Cory attended Mount Royal University from 1995 to 1998. He completed the Aboriginal Education Project, and then went on to major in Political Science in the General Studies program. Cory is very involved with Four Directions Lodge (the Aboriginal student group with the Students Association of MRU) and held the position of "Chief" for three years.
He has been employed with SAMRU since January 2002 and is the Coordinator of the Native Studies Centre. He has established programming aimed at assisting and empowering Aboriginal students who attend MRU on a daily basis.
Valerie is a Cree/Métis born in The Pas, Manitoba and socialized in Canada's north country. The Inuit world view is something that she holds close and continues to guide her in everything she encounters, Once fluent in Inuktitut, Valerie still understands the language and wants to learn to speak it again someday. She moved from the north with her family to southern Alberta at the age of 16 and completed her high school in Lethbridge, Alberta. She married and raised two beautiful children before studying at the Post Secondary level. She was granted a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Psychology by the University of Lethbridge and moved to Calgary in 2002.
Changing careers mid stream, Valerie began employment with Mount Royal early in 2003. She brings with her a strong background in large corporation and strengths in HR functioning and project management. She loves the opportunity that Mount Royal has afforded her to work with Aboriginal people from a diverse range of backgrounds, each rich with their own belief systems and culture. She is grateful to the people of this Treaty 7 area to be able to do this work on their traditional land.
Valerie makes her home in Calgary, where the mountains, great hiking and snowshoeing is only 45 minutes away. She loves music and theatre and enjoys living in Calgary for its rich offerings of both.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3E 6K6
403.440.6111
