The UWinnipeg Alumni Association Council is proud to recognize Rosa Walker (BA 91) with the Distinguished Alumni Award. She will be honoured at the 125th Convocation on Friday, October 18.
Rosa Walker is a member of Peguis First Nation of Manitoba and an Indigenous business leader who has served Indigenous communities for over 40 years. She has dedicated her life to the advocacy of building leadership capacity and promoting good governance for Indigenous Peoples.
Rosa holds a BA in Anthropology and Public Administration from UWinnipeg. She also holds a Social Work Diploma from the Confederation College.
Throughout her career, Rosa has established key partnerships with institutions, government, the private sector, Indigenous Peoples and communities around the world to promote and advance First Nations participation in leadership and business development.
She is currently the Founder, President and CEO of the Indigenous Leadership Development Institute, Inc. in Manitoba, which aims to build leadership capacity in Indigenous Peoples.
Rosa is gifted with an extraordinary strong business acumen in fostering education, training and development opportunities to empower Indigenous youth, women, and communities.
In 2010, she launched the World Indigenous Business Forum (WIBF) to promote Indigenous economic development. WIBF has taken place in countries across the world including the USA, Australia, Namibia, Guatemala, Chile, New Zealand, Canada, Colombia, and Papua New Guinea.
She was a former board member of the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board. She served as an advisory member to the president of the Global College at UWinnipeg and was an advisory member to the Dean of Business Administration. She is the Past Chair, First People’s Economic Development Growth Fund; an Advisory Member, Premier’s Economic Opportunities Advisory Board; Panel Member, Expert Panel on Modernizing Canadian Labour Code; Board Member, Assiniboine Residential School Legacy Group; Board Member, Empowering Indigenous Youth in Governance and Leadership; and Board Member, Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre.
Rosa is known locally, nationally, and internationally for her vision, intelligence, and humility in her myriad accomplishments.
She was a recipient of the YM-YWCA Women of Distinction Award in 1999, named a trailblazer and trendsetter as one of 2014’s Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 by the Women’s Executive Network, and presented with an Indspire Award for Business and Commerce 2021.
“The Alumni Association is very pleased to bestow Mrs. Rosa Walker with a Distinguished Alumni Award,” said Alumni Association Council President, Brent Corrigan. “We are proud to celebrate Mrs. Walker and her accomplishments. She is an alumna whose interests and tireless work have firmly placed Manitoba on a global stage as a leader in Indigenous business leadership and advocacy for Indigenous communities.”
In recognition of exceptional service, achievement, and distinction, The University of Winnipeg presents a variety of awards to deserving members of the University and wider community at our Convocation ceremonies. Learn more about our 125th Convocation.
