Indigenous peoples make up for more than 5000 distinct tribes.
Indigenous peoples represent a rich diversity of cultures, religions, traditions, languages and histories.
Deanna Burgart Diversity + Education + Mentorship
“Indigeneer”
AISES-Blazing Flame Award winner, Deanna Burgart is a highly sought after expert in uniting diverse communities, through understanding each other and identifying common goals. A Self-Proclaimed ‘Indigeneer’, Deanna dedicates her career to combining Engineering principles and commitments with an Indigenous respect for Mother Earth, to find solutions to today's challenges. Burgart focuses on the power of integrating Indigenous worldviews, to assist both industry wants and the public needs.
Deanna Burgart is an experienced speaker, trainer, engineer and mentor that has a talent for identifying gaps and providing solutions to systemic, organizational and transformational change. She brings over 20 years of experience and education in oil, gas, renewables and pipelines and is passionate about global energy transitions and the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and UN Declaration of Rights of Indigenous People. She helps STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) focused organizations move forward in operationalizing Indigenous inclusion and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action.
Her lived experience as a child expatriate in Singapore, First Nations adoptee and Indigenous youth mentor has developed her love for finding cross collaboration opportunities between youth, government, Indigenous communities and industries. She believes that cross mentoring and the fact that everyone we meet has something to teach and something to learn from us will create innovative opportunities for all to grow.
Her experience from a young age as a formally trained pianist, vocalist and musical theatre performer led to her belief that incorporating the Arts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math will engage future diverse perspectives into STEM (making STEAM). She is the President of Indigenous Engineering Inclusion Inc. and co-founder of the Empowered Innovation Institute, an initiative with Artist Researcher, Yvette Dubel, that brings diverse groups; from Energy Senior Leadership to Indigenous Post-Secondary STEM students to explore collaboration through gamified play. She is also the co-founder of IndigeSTEAM – A non-profit youth initiative that connects Indigenous professionals, post-secondary students and youth in the spirit of mentoring and collaboration.
Deanna is a dynamic speaker and storyteller with over 10 years of teaching experience in Canada and Kazakhstan. She has delivered keynotes and workshops across the country on the energy industry, Indigenous inclusion, sustainability and pipelines.
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A Journey in Aboriginal Awareness
This talk will address the value of Aboriginal Awareness and Aboriginal Engagement from the perspective of a First Nations oil and gas engineer and adoptee through her journey of learning about the relationship between Indigenous people and industry. Participants will leave with a greater understanding of First Nations, Metis and Inuit history, an awareness of myths and things to avoid in the workplace when working towards an inclusive environment, and an introductory understanding around “Duty to Consult”. Participants will also leave with some tools and action items they can implement immediately to support their organization’s Aboriginal Engagement strategy – regardless of their role in the organization.
The Three Ps of Pipelines – Sustainability is Everyone’s Business
Sustainability is a term that is used in an ever increasing frequency, but how we take steps towards a more sustainable industry? This talk will introduce participants to the UN definition of Sustainability, and translate it to the pipeline industry. It will outline new developments in North American pipeline safety and environmental protection initiatives, and introduce the structure of codes, standards and regulations. Finally, participants will be called to action to play their part in making the pipeline industry more sustainable – whether they work in the industry or are individuals affected by pipeline projects or operations.
The New World of Mentoring – Be a Mentor First!
Knowledge transfer is an important topic on the minds of all organizations. With the impending exit of thousands of baby boomers, the pressure is on employers to capture lessons learned. This talk is a call to the next generation to learn all that they can before the skills and expertise have gone, by being mentors themselves. In the process, they can build on their own experience.
A Corporate Culture of Diversity
Diversity is often viewed with the perspective of human rights issues – from the perspective of gender, race and disability profiles. This talk challenges that perspective of diversity and approaches it from the perspective of “cognitive diversity”. Understanding the different perspectives, life experiences and paradigms each individual brings to an organization. Part of that understanding comes from being willing to explore and harness the skills and strengths all personality and behavioural types a person brings to their role. This talk will discuss the specific issues around cultural and gender related diversity and inclusion, including unconscious bias – but will challenge the participants to view diversity as an asset and benefit to achieving an organizations vision and objectives.
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North American Introduction to Pipelines
- Overview the stages of a pipeline project
- Leave the learner with a greater understanding of the industry
- Dispel “fear-based” myths that pipelines are severely environmentally damaging and unregulated
- Increase the understanding of the safety aspects and new developments in pipeline risk management
Introduction to Upstream Petroleum Fundamentals - Overview the upstream oil and gas industry.
- Geology
- Drilling and Completions
- Well Operations
- Well abandonment
- Overview of upstream petroleum regulations with a view into the continuous improvement of responsible petroleum development
- Introduction to upstream petroleum regulations in Canada
Petroleum and Pipelines – A Regulatory Overview
- Overview of standards and regulations related to the petroleum and pipeline industry
- Discussion on history of regulations
- Review of acts, codes and standards
- Future vision and objectives of the new Alberta Energy Regulator
Building Team Effectiveness through Diversity Awareness and Skill Capture
- Review of diversity and inclusion as a human rights issue
- Discussion on how to develop internal diversity and inclusion networks – affinity based networks
- Review of diversity as it pertains to Canada’s engineering based industries
- Discussion around cognitive diversity, including an introductions to Myer-Briggs, DISC profiles and other methods of personality and behavioral type assessments
- Action plans for teams to understand their individual contributors and how to harness their skills for the benefit of the team and the organization.
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“We had the pleasure of hearing Deanna speak at our 1000 Women Rising fundraising campaign launch event in June 2015 to a room full of professional women. As BVC is proudly a part of her own personal story of growth and overcoming obstacles, we have called upon her a number of times to speak at college functions (Alumni or Institutional-focused) and as usual, her words were from the heart and delivered with grace and professionalism. In fact, there was not a dry eye in the house. I overheard a few comments from guests in attendance on their way out who enthusiastically raved about Deanna’s contribution to the program and what an impactful and memorable speaker she was. From an event organizer’s perspective, Deanna was given her speaking time and key messages and she delivered an impactful talk in the time given, with enthusiasm and master storytelling skills. She was prepared, articulate, and thoughtful and projected her voice clearly across a large room of people. Deanna’s talk left our guests impressed, and reeling with her impactful sharing. We can’t wait till we can have her back on campus again!”
Tina Overwater, Stewardship Officer Bow Valley College
“Deanna has appeared in a video for the College, as well as speaking at the launch of our 1000 Women Rising campaign in 2015. In both cases she shared her personal story in a very moving way that engaged the audience, drew them in, and provided a lasting and uplifting message about the power of reaching out to others, for the amazing things every person is capable of achieving given the opportunity and support. We are tremendously proud of Deanna as one of our BVC alumni, not only for her personal accomplishments, but even more for her devotion to helping others rise through her volunteer and public speaking efforts.”
Ron Burke
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AWARDS
2018 American Indian Science and Engineering Society(AISES) - Blazing Flame Award for creating paths for Indigenous people in STEM careers
2017 Women of Inspiration - Award for Trailblazer in STEM
2015 Oilweek Magazine Rising Star
HIGHLIGHTS
President, IndigeSTEAM (indigesteam.ca)
Successfully completed 8th Indigenous youth STEM camp in July. 60 Indigenous youth from grade 4 - 12.
Indigenous Advisor to United Way Calgary
Director on APEGA Foundation Board
Fellow with the Energy Futures Lab
Advisor on Canadian Indigenous Advisory Council to the American Indian Science and Engineering Society
First Indigenous Engineer in Residence at University of Calgary
Consultant to National Energy Board as facilitator with their Indigenous Monitoring training
Indigenized curriculum for 5 pipeline monitoring courses at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, with 5 more courses on the way
Trained over 60 First Nations and Metis students in pipeline monitoring from BC, AB, SK and MB
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Canadian Federation of Engineering Students
Yukon Government, Industry Conference
Canadian Association of Science Centres National Conference
Canadian Engineering Education Association
First Nations Power Authority
Husky
Schlumberger
Canadian Coalition for Women in Engineering Science Trades and Technology
Association for Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Alberta Professional Development Conference
Diversity 4.0 - National Diversity Conference in Washington DC
University of Calgary
Speaker Categories:
Duty to Consult Education Elevating Business and Entrepreneurship Engineering and Science Environment Leadership and Mentorship Legal and Ethics Ted/RED Talks and WE Day Champions Indigenous Awareness and Diversity Womens Issues Oil Gas and MiningDeanna Burgart is an experienced speaker, trainer, engineer and mentor that has a talent for identifying gaps and providing solutions to systemic, organizational and transformational change. She brings over 20 years of experience and education in oil, gas, renewables and pipelines and is passionate about global energy transitions and the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and UN Declaration of Rights of Indigenous People. She helps STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) focused organizations move forward in operationalizing Indigenous inclusion and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action.
Her lived experience as a child expatriate in Singapore, First Nations adoptee and Indigenous youth mentor has developed her love for finding cross collaboration opportunities between youth, government, Indigenous communities and industries. She believes that cross mentoring and the fact that everyone we meet has something to teach and something to learn from us will create innovative opportunities for all to grow.
Her experience from a young age as a formally trained pianist, vocalist and musical theatre performer led to her belief that incorporating the Arts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math will engage future diverse perspectives into STEM (making STEAM). She is the President of Indigenous Engineering Inclusion Inc. and co-founder of the Empowered Innovation Institute, an initiative with Artist Researcher, Yvette Dubel, that brings diverse groups; from Energy Senior Leadership to Indigenous Post-Secondary STEM students to explore collaboration through gamified play. She is also the co-founder of IndigeSTEAM – A non-profit youth initiative that connects Indigenous professionals, post-secondary students and youth in the spirit of mentoring and collaboration.
Deanna is a dynamic speaker and storyteller with over 10 years of teaching experience in Canada and Kazakhstan. She has delivered keynotes and workshops across the country on the energy industry, Indigenous inclusion, sustainability and pipelines.
Speaker Summary
Location: Canada
Language: English
Website: Click Here
Categories
Duty to Consult Education Elevating Business and Entrepreneurship Engineering and Science Environment Leadership and Mentorship Legal and Ethics Ted/RED Talks and WE Day Champions Indigenous Awareness and Diversity Womens Issues Oil Gas and MiningWhat People Say
"
“We had the pleasure of hearing Deanna speak at our 1000 Women Rising fundraising campaign launch event in June 2015 to a room full of professional women. As BVC is proudly a part of her own personal story of growth and overcoming obstacles, we have called upon her a number of times to speak at college functions (Alumni or Institutional-focused) and as usual, her words were from the heart and delivered with grace and professionalism. In fact, there was not a dry eye in the house. I overheard a few comments from guests in attendance on their way out who enthusiastically raved about Deanna’s contribution to the program and what an impactful and memorable speaker she was. From an event organizer’s perspective, Deanna was given her speaking time and key messages and she delivered an impactful talk in the time given, with enthusiasm and master storytelling skills. She was prepared, articulate, and thoughtful and projected her voice clearly across a large room of people. Deanna’s talk left our guests impressed, and reeling with her impactful sharing. We can’t wait till we can have her back on campus again!”
Tina Overwater, Stewardship Officer Bow Valley College
“Deanna has appeared in a video for the College, as well as speaking at the launch of our 1000 Women Rising campaign in 2015. In both cases she shared her personal story in a very moving way that engaged the audience, drew them in, and provided a lasting and uplifting message about the power of reaching out to others, for the amazing things every person is capable of achieving given the opportunity and support. We are tremendously proud of Deanna as one of our BVC alumni, not only for her personal accomplishments, but even more for her devotion to helping others rise through her volunteer and public speaking efforts.”
Ron Burke
"-
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