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Kathaleen 'Shannon' Loutitt Matriarch + Honour Runner + Bridge Builder
"The Question is the Answer..."
"The question is the answer that takes you on the journey."
Titled “Kickass Canadian” alongside the likes of Chris Hadfield and Clara Hughes, Kathaleen 'Shannon' Loutitt has been honoured by Harvard University, the Saskatchewan Legislature, and the Canadian Senate for her passionate acknowledgement of unsung heroes. As an award-winning honour runner and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal Recipient, Kathaleen understands what it means to go the distance to make lasting and meaningful change. Matriarch and Co-Founder of IISB and IISB Productions, Kathaleen has built multiple platforms, championing the voices and perspectives of Indigenous peoples, paving the way for a revolutionized education system for Indigenous knowledges and ways of being and doing.
A proud nêhiyaw (Cree), Métis woman, Kathaleen was born in Treaty 8 and raised in Treaty 6 territory, alongside her nêhiyaw, Métis, and Dene family. Born into a long line of Indigenous trappers and land people of the north, Kathaleen was instilled with a deep sense of pride in knowing who she is of. Her Indigenous roots connect her to a library of knowledge and ways of being that have been sustained by her ancestors for generations.
Born the eldest daughter of the eldest daughter of the eldest daughter, Kathaleen is the first to be named after her grandmother Catherine "Kathleen" Waniandy (Loutitt). A proud Indigenous woman, Kathleen was recognized as the grandmother to all children in her community, a role that is passed on to the eldest daughter in each generation. Kathleen taught Kathaleen that "no matter how little you have, you always have something to give." Great granddaughter of Billy Loutit, a devoted Métis dispatcher for the Hudson's Bay Company, Kathaleen echoes his loyalty, dedication, and endurance. Revitalizing the historical significance of his unbelievable journey, Shannon is called to honoring his legacy. Kathaleen acknowledges all her relatives like her grandfather/ godfather Paul Loutitt (Auger), son of Billy Loutit, through her honour running and recognition of those who came before her.
Kathaleen has a deep commitment to building bridges between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous worlds, creating transformative experiences. She acknowledges the resiliency of her relatives and ancestral guidance gifted to her, to expand every space she enters. An extraordinary honour runner, Kathaleen brings her heart and soul to all aspects of her life, raising awareness for Indigenous Peoples whether she is running the Boston Marathon to commemorate Tom Longboat, or running 100 miles in 24 hours to bring her grandfather's spirit home. She embodies this sacred role, illuminating the rippling effects of intergenerational knowledge sharing.
As the Momma Bear and Matriarch of International Indigenous Speakers Bureau (IISB), Kathaleen has created abundant possibilities for the world to experience what its like to walk together in two worlds. Kathaleen is transforming systems of education and knowledge sharing to instill meaningful and long-lasting change for Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities for all generations. Through reciprocity, honouring, and community gathering, she is reawakening the strength of Indigenous communities and their knowledge sharers.
IISB is a vehicle of movement "operating from a Matriarchal Indigenous business model, we work together to create reciprocal connections through honouring one another and redefining what it feels like to build relationships in community. By connecting our humanity, we are growing together, creating a long-lasting ripple effect that will benefit all of the next seven generations."
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Indigenizing Competitive Sports: Bringing Your Whole Being into Your Training and Purpose
Through sharing stories of her shared ancestral and lived experiences, Kathaleen is bringing Indigenous Worldviews and ways of life into Competitive Sports for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Historical contexts of competitive sports have shown that Indigenous peoples have been unjustly banned from participating as a result of their strengths in these sports. Indigenous practices and ways of life are at the source of these competitive advantages and need to be understood so that competitive sports may be understood in a better way and where all may participate.
In this presentation, audiences will hear stories and teachings from an honour runner and Knowledge Keeper as well as:- Learn about some Indigenous icons, such as Tom Longboat, Billy Mills, Billy Loutit and more
- Learn more about some of the Indigenous messengers and the original communications system on Turtle Island (North America)
- Gain a deeper understanding of elements missing in mainstream sport that may prevent indigenous communities from wanting to fully participate
- Learn more about honour running, how it is more than traditional running, and some of its deep roots in many indigenous communities
People in Culture: Re-thinking Western Organizational Frameworks
Utilizing an Indigenous and Matriarchal lens, Kathaleen has rethought how business can be heart-centred. She understood that the predominant patriarchal and masculine business model creates imbalance, and that the western framework of “human resources” is both impersonal and consumeristic. To foster a supportive, creative environment, Kathaleen has created a first-of-it’s-kind matriarchal business model where individual employees are encouraged to bring their whole selves into the work space.
Join Kathaleen to learn more about:- The differences between western frameworks and Indigenous Matriarchal frameworks in business
- How creating a space for individuals to be their whole selves at work is vital to innovation and sustainability in business
- How Kathaleen’s business, IISB, is an example of matriarchal values
Power of the Feminine: Challenging Male Dominated Industries
On a path to re-write what can and cannot be, Kathaleen 'Shannon' Loutitt has proven that women are effective and strong in consequential trade roles that have previously been male-dominated such as in mining and industrial maintenance. Determined and embracing her feminine energy, Shannon is carving out space for feminine energy to thrive in inclusive and diverse work environments, calling everyone to be their whole-selves.
In this presentation, Kathaleen will:- Discuss her experiences in creating rippling waves that opens spaces for women in male-dominant industries
- Highlight qualities that feminine energy inherently brings forward
- How her Indigenous lens assisted her in these uncharted spaces, defying limiting thoughts of self-consciousness or uncertainty
Indigenizing Management: Creating Matriarchal Organizational Frameworks
Many Indigenous nations have come from Matriarchal governance structures where intuition, emotion, and caretaking are necessary values for creating nurturing and harmonious work environments. Historically, Western business models, and its existing systems, place an intrinsic value upon aspects of the masculine such as the top-down hierarchies, instant gratification vs longevity, and high regard for the individual rather than the collective. The Matriarchal Indigenous business model restores balance between the masculine and feminine energies whilst places an emphasis on family and community well-being.
Join Kathaleen Loutitt to learn about:
- The Matriarchal Indigenous business model frameworks compared to Western frameworks
- How Kathaleen has brought forward sustainable business practices as co-founder and matriarch of her international business
- Reciprocity, honouring, and community as a means of transforming daily business practices and objectives
Indigenizing Data: The Path to Indigenous Data Sovereignty
Since time immemorial, Indigenous communities have maintained complex and sophisticated teachings and ways of being that have guided their existence here on Turtle Island and around the globe. Throughout history the sacred knowledge of Indigenous communities have been dismissed as archaic, and the systems for preserving it diminished entirely. In this digital information era, Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDS) is still in its infancy, and there are still significant data capacity gaps that hinder Indigenous communities’ abilities to protect, preserve, and reclaim Indigenous knowledge. Matriarch to IISB, Kathaleen has made it her mission to close the gap to ensure the safety and security of Indigenous Knowledge Sharers and to place the power over data back into the hands of communities which this sacred knowledge originates.
In this presentation, Kathaleen will:
- Outline how current copyright, intellectual property, and estate law do not protect Indigenous Knowledge Sharers, their perspectives, nor their communities
- Discuss the necessary frameworks and infrastructures for protecting Indigenous data now and into the future
- Provide an accurate compass to guide Individuals and organizations in their journeys to adopt IDS principles into their lives
Introducing Indigenizing Foundations: Embracing the values of reciprocity, honouring, and community
Reflecting on years of business, administration, and management experience built across multiple industries and within non-traditional roles, Kathaleen 'Shannon' Loutitt, CEO and co-founder of IISB and IISB Productions, illustrates the importance of connection between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous worlds and incorporating Indigenous worldview into your organization and daily operations. Through sharing the stories of her shared ancestral and lived experiences, Kathaleen will provide meaningful lessons on what it means to lead from your heart and ensure that the values of reciprocity, honouring, and community are at the forefront of your organization's objectives.
From this presentation, audiences will walk away with a deeper understanding of:
- How to build and maintain meaningful and mutually respectful relations with Indigenous organizations and communities
- Steps you can take to garner the opportunity to access and learn from the endless library of Indigenous knowledge and solutions that have been inaccessible to the non-Indigenous world until now
- The Dam Story and Tsunami Story
‘Changing The Game’ in Sport: Indigenous Perspectives on Coaching
Opening the doors to unexpected possibilities, Kathaleen ‘Shannon’ Loutitt brings forward ways of elevating teams and individuals, allowing them to tap into their full potential. Kathaleen has trained and taught honour runners, ‘New Messengers’, to run anywhere from 25 - 75 kilometers, feats they could never have imagined. Through an indigenous lens, Kathaleen transforms traditional western methods of coaching by honouring our reciprocal relationships to community and ourselves, pushing us beyond the impossible.
In this presentation, Kathaleen will:
- Share the extraordinary history of Métis despatchers/messengers
- Explore Indigenous perspectives on coaching
- Provide valuable insights into Indigenous ways of guiding individuals to tap into vast energies and inherent gifts
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Highlights/Awards
Awards
- 2021 CANIE Awards Indigenous Entrepreneur of the Year finalist.
- Winner of SREDA’s SOAR kihiw paskîyâkêwin Indigenous Entrepreneurship Competition, 2021.
- Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal Recipient in 2013.
- Honoured as a Kickass Canadian in 2011.
- In 2010, Shannon was one of nine women honoured by a first of its kind traveling exhibit, celebrating the resilience of Saskatchewan First Nation and Métis Women by Săsĭpenita Educational Exhibit Inc.
- 1st place in the 2007 Billy Loutit Despatch Triathlon in Athabasca, Alberta.
- 2nd place in the 2005 Billy Loutit Despatch Triathlon.
- 3rd place in the 2004 Billy Loutit Despatch Triathlon – Shannon’s first time competing in a triathlon and as an Honour Runner.
Highlights- Organizer of the 2018 Billy Loutit Legacy Run.
- Honour Runner, youth mentor and relations builder at the Saskatchewan leg of the impossible2Possible #ShareCanadaTour in May 2017, involving a local school, residential school survivors, and runners from 6 countries around the world.
- Co-founded the International Indigenous Speakers Bureau in 2014.
- Organizer for the Road to Peace and Unity run to honour Métis war veterans (2014).
- Completed the 2010 Journey Back to Batoche in her moccasins, alongside the youth she introduced to honour running called the “New Messengers”.
- Completed the 100-Mile Journey in 2008, retracing her grandfather Billy Loutit’s footsteps.
- Coordinator and youth mentor in the Canada ONExONE Run, Saskatchewan leg (2008).
- 2007 Boston Marathon runner in honour of Tom Longboat.
- Participant in the 2006 Queen City Marathon, Regina.
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Client List
- Venture for Canada ǀ VFC: Employer Advisory Council, committee member (2022)
- Innovators & Entrepreneurs Foundation ǀ IEF: The CANIE Round Tables Report – Rise Together, round table participant (2022)
- City of Saskatoon: IWG2S* Coming Home report, interviewee (2021)
- Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce (2021)
- Homelands: Interview show on CFCR 90.5FM Saskatoon and YouTube, guest (2021)
- SaskMétis Economic Development Corp. ǀ SMEDCO: Entrepreneur, Saskatchewan (2021)
- Women Business Collaborative ǀ WBC x IBM: Voices of Diverse Women – Weaving a Movement for the Future, guest panelist (2021)
- Melanie Shaw: The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World by Melanie Shaw, survey respondent (2021)
- IBM: Relationship builder (2020)
- Just in Canada: Social Change-Makers interview series, guest (2020)
- impossible2Possible: #ShareCanada Tour Saskatchewan leg coordinator, relations builder, and youth mentor, Saskatoon (2017)
- Isewewuk E-wichiwitochik ǀ Women Walking Together: Final report, friend of the organization, Saskatoon (2016)
- Westmount Local Area Planning Committee: Westmount Local Area Plan Final Report, contributor, Saskatoon (2011)
- New Breed Magazine: Winter 2008, contributing writer (2008)
- Alberta TrailNet: Alberta TrailTracker Newsletter, Fall 2008, contributing writer (2008)
- Linda Wagar: Canadian Marathon Stories: A Book of Extraordinary Inspirations edited by Linda Wagar, contributing writer (2007)
Speaker Categories:
Youth Champions Athletes Authors and Storytellers Education Elevating Business and Entrepreneurship Indigenous Protocol Leadership and Mentorship Motivation Social Change Spirituality Indigenous Awareness and Diversity Womens IssuesA proud nêhiyaw (Cree), Métis woman, Kathaleen was born in Treaty 8 and raised in Treaty 6 territory, alongside her nêhiyaw, Métis, and Dene family. Born into a long line of Indigenous trappers and land people of the north, Kathaleen was instilled with a deep sense of pride in knowing who she is of. Her Indigenous roots connect her to a library of knowledge and ways of being that have been sustained by her ancestors for generations.
Born the eldest daughter of the eldest daughter of the eldest daughter, Kathaleen is the first to be named after her grandmother Catherine "Kathleen" Waniandy (Loutitt). A proud Indigenous woman, Kathleen was recognized as the grandmother to all children in her community, a role that is passed on to the eldest daughter in each generation. Kathleen taught Kathaleen that "no matter how little you have, you always have something to give." Great granddaughter of Billy Loutit, a devoted Métis dispatcher for the Hudson's Bay Company, Kathaleen echoes his loyalty, dedication, and endurance. Revitalizing the historical significance of his unbelievable journey, Shannon is called to honoring his legacy. Kathaleen acknowledges all her relatives like her grandfather/ godfather Paul Loutitt (Auger), son of Billy Loutit, through her honour running and recognition of those who came before her.
Kathaleen has a deep commitment to building bridges between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous worlds, creating transformative experiences. She acknowledges the resiliency of her relatives and ancestral guidance gifted to her, to expand every space she enters. An extraordinary honour runner, Kathaleen brings her heart and soul to all aspects of her life, raising awareness for Indigenous Peoples whether she is running the Boston Marathon to commemorate Tom Longboat, or running 100 miles in 24 hours to bring her grandfather's spirit home. She embodies this sacred role, illuminating the rippling effects of intergenerational knowledge sharing.
As the Momma Bear and Matriarch of International Indigenous Speakers Bureau (IISB), Kathaleen has created abundant possibilities for the world to experience what its like to walk together in two worlds. Kathaleen is transforming systems of education and knowledge sharing to instill meaningful and long-lasting change for Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities for all generations. Through reciprocity, honouring, and community gathering, she is reawakening the strength of Indigenous communities and their knowledge sharers.
IISB is a vehicle of movement "operating from a Matriarchal Indigenous business model, we work together to create reciprocal connections through honouring one another and redefining what it feels like to build relationships in community. By connecting our humanity, we are growing together, creating a long-lasting ripple effect that will benefit all of the next seven generations."
Speaker Summary
Location: Canada
Language: English
Website: Click Here
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