CEO, Wanuskewin Heritage Park

Ms. Darlene Brander is the Chief Executive Officer of Wanuskewin Heritage Park, an internationally acclaimed northern plains Indigenous interpretive site that is home to more than 6,400 years of history. Ms. Brander oversees all of Wanuskewin’s operations including overseeing the execution of Wanuskewin’s four pillars.  These four pillars signify the most extensive development campaign in the organization’s history and include:  1) Elevating Wanuskewin to an international centre of excellence in education, preservation and interpretation of Indigenous arts and culture, 2) Preservation of the Opimihaw valley, protection of the Park’s unique ecology and biodiversity of the land 3) Returning bison back to the park and 4) UNESCO world heritage designation. Darlene worked at Wanuskewin from 1998 to 2000, where she was an Aboriginal Awareness Education Manager.  Since that time, her 18-year career has included progressively responsible positions with not-for-profit organizations, gaming institutions, municipal governments and First Nations organizations.  The return to the park, in the CEO capacity, allows Ms. Brander to honour Wanuskewin’s past, thrive in the present, and realize it’s future. A Band Member of the Red Earth Cree First Nation, Darlene holds a B.Ed. from the University of Saskatchewan, as well as a Chartered Professional in Human Resources designation.  An active community member, Ms. Brander sits on several boards including, Chair of the Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners and the Canadian Association of Police Governance.  She is a past Director for the Saskatoon Aboriginal Professional Association and the Nutrien Wonderhub.