Keynote Speaker – Day 1
Kendal Netmaker
Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Author, and Indigenous Speaker
Monday, November 3 at 9:00 am – 9:45 am
An award-winning entrepreneur and author, Kendal Netmaker is a master storyteller who uses his natural gift to help people shift their mindset and find the success they seek. He speaks professionally to thousands of people worldwide on resilience, leadership, and the power of telling your story, weaving his real-life experiences into motivating lessons that empower and build more resilient leaders and organizations.
From Sweetgrass First Nation, Netmaker and his siblings were raised by their single mother. Life wasn’t easy growing up on the reserve surrounded by poverty and few opportunities, but one moment changed his life forever. In grade five, he and his best friend shared a love of sports, but his family couldn’t afford extracurricular activities. So, his friend’s family stepped in. They paid the fees and drove him to his games and practices. It wasn’t until he was older that Netmaker understood exactly what this family did for him, and how different his life would have been without them. It’s this that has motivated him throughout his life and drives him still to this day.
Today, Netmaker is a leading entrepreneur whose passion to succeed is contagious. He is the founder of Neechie Gear, a lifestyle apparel brand that gives back a percentage of their profits to help underprivileged youth take part in sports. Netmaker has won over 25 business awards, including being named one of Canada’s “Top 40 Under 40” and being runner-up at the YBI Global Entrepreneur of the Year. He is also the author of Driven to Succeed: From Poverty to Podium
Keynote Speaker – Day 2
Nalaine Morin
A nationally recognized leader with deep technical expertise in mining and environmental assessment processes
Tuesday, November 4 at 9:00 am – 9:45 am
Nalaine Morin is Senior Vice President, Environment and Social Affairs for Skeena Gold and Silver. She formerly held the role of Lands Director for the Tahltan Central Government, where she led environmental reviews for major resource projects.
Ms. Morin is a nationally recognized leader with deep technical expertise in mining and environmental assessment processes. She is widely respected for her commitment to building strong, respectful relationships that uphold the role of Indigenous Nations in decision-making on Indigenous Lands. She has more than 20-years of experience in environmental management and expertise leading companies and First Nation communities in negotiations, community consultations, environmental resource management, as well as providing technical and regulatory support. Ms. Morin was a member of Review Panel for the proposed Prosperity Gold-Copper Mine Project.
Nalaine is also the recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal (2025), Skookum Jim Award (2021), Indigenous Trailblazer Award (2018), and the Aura Award (2018). She also serves on the BC Hydro board. Ms. Morin continues to be a driving force in advancing Indigenous inclusion and environmental responsibility in Canada’s resource sectors.
Ms. Morin holds a Mechanical Engineering Technology Diploma from the British Columbia Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Metals and Materials Engineering from the University of British Columbia.