Board of Directors

Minwaashin Lodge is governed by a dedicated Board of Directors.

President

Velvet Migwans

Christina Hodgins-Stewart

Velvet Migwans is from Prince George, B.C. She has lived in Ottawa for the past twenty years. Velvet has been sitting on Minwaashin’s Board for numerous years and is currently filling the role of Board President.She currently works full time at the Metis Nation of Ontario and works part time teaching at Algonquin College.

Jo McCutcheon

Treasurer

Christina Hodgins Stewart is a passionate advocate for human rights and mental health. While raising her young family, Christina completed a small business program and operated a successful baking business. She is a trained Birth and Postpartum Doula and has had the honour of holding space for many women as they navigate pregnancy and childbirth. Christina was employed as an Early Childhood Educator in licensed childcare centres in Ottawa before having children of her own. Since then, she has enjoyed enriching employment as Project Coordinator for both the Canadian Association of the Deaf and Ontario Association of the Deaf. She is currently employed by the Federal Government.

When she isn’t helping her two school aged boys create costumes for Comic-Cons, planning fun adventures for her family, or volunteering with their local Scouts Canada group, Christina enjoys camping and cozying up with a good book. She is an avid gardener who also enjoys foraging and cooking over an open fire.

Vice - President

Jo McCutcheon was born in Calgary, raised in Winnipeg and has been in Ottawa studying, volunteering, researching and working. She has served on Minwaashin’s Board for several years as a Director; Treasurer and currently as Vice President. She teaches part time at the University of Ottawa in the Department of History & Canadian and Indigenous Studies and is the Executive Director at the Association of Canadian Archivists.

Lane Bourbonnière

Director

Pamela Wolfe-Roberge

Lane Bourbonnière is a Métis woman and she is the youth representative for the Minwaashin Lodge’s Board of Directors. She works for the Métis Nation of Ontario as a Program Coordinator. Lane is also currently in the process of attaining a Human Rights and Social Justice degree from Carleton University, where she is also minoring in Indigenous Studies and History. She believes that Minwaashin is a wonderful organization, and hopes that we can continue to strive within the Indigenous community to better the lives of those who need some assistance through our informative and culturally based programs & services. Miigwetch.

Director

Pam Wolfe-Roberge is Ojibwe, member of Zhiibaahaasing First Nation in Ontario; and, grew up in Ottawa. Pam has served on Minwaashin Lodge's board since 2014, and as Treasurer since 2017. Pam works at Indigenous Services Canada, in the area of Indigenous health policy and program delivery. Pam is passionate about the work Minwaashin Lodge does and the direct positive impacts it is having for women and families, and the community of Ottawa as a whole.

Irene Goodwin

Director

Katelin Peltier

Director

Katelin Peltier (née Gillis) is from Fort Nelson, B.C. and a proud mother of three children and has lived in Ottawa for the past twenty years. Throughout her career, she has worked with various Indigenous organizations and currently works for Indigenous Services Canada in the field of Communications supporting First Nations and Inuit Health. Katelin joined Minwaashin’s Board in 2019 and is currently filling the role of Member at Large.

Irene Goodwin is an Anisknabe-kwe from the Treaty 3 and Treaty 9 area and grew up in a remote Indigenous community in northwestern Ontario, before moving to Thunder Bay and later to Ottawa. Irene is a passionate and a lifelong advocate for Indigenous people, women and girls, and survivors of genocidal policy and initiatives such as; the Residential School system and Sixties Scoop. Irene was directly impacted by these policies while attending Indian Day School. Irene works with the Legacy of Hope Foundation as Manager of Exhibitions and Curatorial Projects. She is the proud mother of three children and three grandchildren. She is also a budding screenwriter and author who enjoys nature walks, gardening, and baking. Irene joined the Minwaashin Board in the fall of 2021.