Claudette Commanda is a Canadian university professor, cultural advisor, indigenous rights activist, and an Algonquin Elder who was appointed the 15th Chancellor of the University of Ottawa, becoming the first indigenous person and fifth woman to serve in the role.
15 Facts About Claudette Commanda
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Claudette Commanda started her studies at the University of Ottawa in 1987, later graduating from the Faculty of Arts in 1993.
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Claudette Commanda then attended the Common Law Section of the University's Faculty of Law, graduating in 1997.
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Claudette Commanda is a professor at the University of Ottawa, teaching with the Institute of Women's Studies at the faculty of social sciences, as well as at the faculty of law and the faculty of education.
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Claudette Commanda worked with the Indigenous studies program at the faculty of arts, where she taught courses relating to First Nations Women, Native education, First Nations people and history, and Indigenous traditions and decolonization.
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Claudette Commanda established an Indigenous resource centre which eventually became the Mashkawaziwogamig Indigenous Resource Centre.
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Claudette Commanda was chosen as the inaugural holder of the position.
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Claudette Commanda was the special advisor on reconciliation to the dean of the faculty of law.
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Claudette Commanda is the CEO of the First Nations Confederacy of Cultural Education Centres, a non-profit national organization which protects and promotes the culture, languages, and traditional knowledge of First Nations people.
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Claudette Commanda is the CEO of the Maclean Day Schools Settlement Corporation, serving on its board of directors.
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Claudette Commanda served two terms on the board of governors for the First Nations University of Canada, and three terms on the Kitigan Zibi band council.
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Claudette Commanda was featured as an interview subject in two episodes of the true crime documentary television series Taken, which details stories of Canada's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
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Claudette Commanda was featured in the season 1 episode discussing Maisy Odjick and Shannon Alexander, as well as the season 2 episode discussing Hilary Wilson.
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Claudette Commanda was inducted into the Common Law Honour Society of the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law in 2009.
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Claudette Commanda received an Indspire Award in 2020 for Culture, Heritage, and Spirituality.