Rosa Walker

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 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 humbleness in her myriad of 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 in 2021.

The UWinnipeg Alumni Association Council is proud to recognize Rosa Walker with the Distinguished Alumni Award.