On her second day as the new Chief Executive Officer of NiGiNan Housing Ventures (NiGiNan), Keri Cardinal Schulte was welcomed to the team with a pipe ceremony held in her honour. Overwhelmed with emotion and warmth, she recognized that her new role will be unlike anything she has experienced in the past.
Nearly two months into her position as the new CEO of NiGiNan, Keri Cardinal is busy getting familiar with operations of the organization and meeting everyone on the team while ensuring the work continues as usual. The team at pipikwan pêhtâkwan was able to catch up with Cardinal while she was nesting in her new office to discuss her role and her passion for decolonizing leadership.
She believes that Indigenous women are natural leaders. Cardinal currently has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Native Studies and Canadian History from the University of Alberta. With plans to return to post-secondary to pursue her Master’s Degree, she hopes to learn more about the distinct leadership qualities of Indigenous women. “I want to lead with love and compassion rather than rules and authority,” she says.
"I got a lot of my leadership skills from non-indigenous men, but I want to look at different ways of doing things."
─ Keri Cardinal, CEO, NiGiNan Housing Ventures
As a member of the Bigstone Cree Nation, Cardinal has lived in Northern Alberta for most of her life. Currently, she calls amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton) home. She lives with her husband and two dogs. She has three adult children, two grandsons and twin granddaughters.
Most of Cardinal’s career has been in public service, primarily working with the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program in Slave Lake and Edmonton. When asked about making the transition into her new role, she said it felt natural to explore a related industry with strong advocates who operate from a place of compassion. Her new role started in October 2022, and since then, she has already felt closer to her Indigenous identity. Cardinal says she’s happiest when she feels connected to Indigenous Peoples and that this work makes it possible for her to stay meaningfully involved.
"I am thrilled to come to work every day. I feel welcome here."
─ Keri Cardinal, CEO, NiGiNan Housing Ventures
When asked about what sets NiGiNan apart from other housing agencies, Cardinal explains the value of an Indigenous-led philosophy and worldview guiding the programming. “What you'll find here is that we all have a communal vision. We come in with our individual ideas, and once we start working and talking and building up these relationships, our visions all change.” NiGiNan operates in a way that reflects traditional Indigenous ways of knowing and being, including centering the importance of ongoing community support and facilitating individual growth through love.
Another feature that sets NiGiNan apart from other housing agencies is the ongoing support component. “You can't just think everybody has a place to live—like, they're all in hotels, and now we can move on with our lives. It's not like that; it's not sheltering—it’s providing people with permanent, supportive homes. It’s ongoing,” she says.
Cardinal speaks fondly of the community aspect of Ambrose Place, one of four housing developments operated by NiGiNan, and the type of people that make it feel like home. “You think unhoused people are tough, and you get to know them and they're not. They need compassion and support. They need love, and that's what we're here for,” says Cardinal.
Much like her predecessor, Carola Cunningham, new CEO Keri Cardinal believes that a home is where you feel accepted for who you are, and her vision is to continue providing that space of acceptance for the community at NiGiNan.
New Chief Executive Officer of NiGiNan Housing Ventures, Keri Cardinal Schulte