Cindy Sue Montana McCormack
Turtle Clan, Kanyen'keha:ka (Mohawk) Nation from Tyendinaga (Bay of Quinte)
Cindy Sue was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario and is a long standing active member of the Hamilton Urban Aboriginal Community; having served as a director and member of many Aboriginal agency boards and also participated in various social policy committees, affecting positive changes for Aboriginal peoples and representing this community at the municipal, provincial and federal levels throughout the years.
Cindy Sue is the Executive Director of CHIL.
Currently, Cindy Sue is the Executive Director of the Coalition of Hamilton Indigenous Leadership (CHIL), a collaborative of Indigenous organizational leaders founded on respect and wisdom, that responds to the needs of the Indigenous community and supports its’ member agencies by improving resources and advancing Indigenous voices in Hamilton. Previously, Cindy Sue was a Senior Social Planner (2003 -2020) on the Social Planning & Research Council’s Homelessness & Housing Team, who has co-authored reports and was the lead planner responsible for the delivery of the federal Aboriginal homelessness funding portfolio in Hamilton.
A lifelong volunteer, Cindy Sue has participated as the past Chair of the City of Hamilton’s Committee Against Racism; completed two four-year terms with the McMaster Research Ethics Board; and has been a member of the Aboriginal Advisory Committee, a Volunteer Advisory Committee to the City of Hamilton.Cindy Sue currently serves on the York University, Canadian Observatory on Homelessness – National Indigenous Advisory Circle for the promotion of aNational Indigenous Homelessness Prevention Research agenda; and is a founding board member, and currently Co-Chairs the National Indigenous Homelessness Council; recognizing a commitment to address the distinct and disproportional realities of homelessness that Indigenous populations face across Canada. She has completed various Kanyen’keha:ka (Mohawk) language courses with Aunties, nieces and friends, indicating her interest not only in knowledge transfer to the youth, but to the importance of the promotion, education and awareness of Aboriginal culture overall.
Her areas of interest include community engagement & development, anti-racism/anti-oppression, social justice, advocacy, and access & equity issues for all; enjoying her privilege to be a helper for the improvement of the quality of life for all “our brothers and sisters” wherever they may be.
Victoria Bomberry
Bear Clan, Kanyen'keha:ka (Mohawk) Nation from Ohsweken:'en (Six Nations of the Grand River)
In 2012 Victoria moved from Six Nations to Hamilton and faced numerous instances of housing discrimination. Victoria was fortunate to have been supported by the Indigenous community in her housing search and is passionate about advancing housing and homeless policies that are rooted in the "For Indigenous, By Indigenous" principle.
Victoria is the Indigenous Data and Policy Analyst for CHIL.
Victoria has worked with and for the Indigenous community of Hamilton since 2017. Drawing from her Indigenous research experience with the Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton, McMaster Indigenous Research Institute and Western University. Victoria is the Indigenous Data and Policy Analyst for the Coalition of Hamilton Indigenous Leadership. Victoria is also a founding board member of the National Indigenous Homelessness Council.
Victoria is a second-language speaker of Kanien'keha:ka (Mohawk) and holds an Honours Bachelor of Environmental Sciences & Geography degree from McMaster University as well as a Master of Arts - Geography degree from Western University.
Tristan Maclaurin
Bear Clan, Anishinaabe from Fort William First Nation
Tristan is a proud Two-Spirit, Bear Clan Anishinaabe from Fort William First Nation. Tristan came to Hamilton 5 years ago now, and more and more this community has become their home. Tristan's original background is in Medicine, and was a Registered Practical Nurse before they began transitioning into Indigenous Social Work at McMaser, seeking a more wholistic approach to health.
Tristan is the Resources Coordinator for CHIL.
Tristan's first social work position was at the Social Planning and Research Council where they acted as a Social Planning Assistant under the three Mohawk women (Cindy Sue, Yvonne, and Victoria) who welcomed Tristan into the community and continue to mentor Tristan to this day. Tristan has had the joy to work with or for nearly every Indigenous service provider here in Hamilton, to be a part of many celebrations, events, and ceremonies, and connect with Kin in ways they were never able to before.
Tristan is continuing their Bachelor of Social Work studies at McMaster University, and hope to pursue a Masters as well, with an eye towards improving Urban Indigenous folks access to safe, equitable, and culturally appropriate wholistic Healthcare.
Miigwetch!
Lyndsay Farnham
Turtle Clan, Kanien'keha:ka (Mohawk) from Tyendinaga (Bay of Quinte)
Lyndsay has resided in Hamilton her entire life but maintains close connections to her home community of Tyendinaga.
Lyndsay started her community service at a young age, growing up with an extended family that participated in many local Indigenous gatherings and events that helped embed Indigenous roles and responsibilities into her worldview and way of living.
Lyndsay is the Administrative Assistant for CHIL.
Volunteering in her community throughout her life, from being a little helper at events, to assisting with Elders and children, to participating in various Indigenous initiatives from a grassroots lens (i.e. Idle No More), to assisting the homeless through outreach, education & awareness events – collecting data while promoting Indigenous methodologies (i.e. Point-In-Time Counts, survey development & implementation) facilitating increased engagement with her compassion, bubbly personality and caring nature; recognizing her privilege and commitment to being a helper for her Indigenous community in Hamilton.
As a single mother, Lyndsay is dedicated in the promotion of Indigenous cultural education & awareness, hoping to ensure that the next generations grow up strong, aware, and proud of their heritage. Lyndsay is a recent graduate of Mohawk College where she obtained her Office Administration – General Certificate with Honours and is now humbled and grateful to part of such an amazing team and is looking forward to assisting in the organization’s goals and vision for the betterment of Indigenous people here in Hamilton and elsewhere – as we are all connected.
Volunteering in her community throughout her life, from being a little helper at events, to assisting with Elders and children, to participating in various Indigenous initiatives from a grassroots lens (i.e. Idle No More), to assisting the homeless through outreach, education & awareness events – collecting data while promoting Indigenous methodologies (i.e. Point-In-Time Counts, survey development & implementation) facilitating increased engagement with her compassion, bubbly personality and caring nature; recognizing her privilege and commitment to being a helper for her Indigenous community in Hamilton.
As a single mother, Lyndsay is dedicated in the promotion of Indigenous cultural education & awareness, hoping to ensure that the next generations grow up strong, aware, and proud of their heritage. Lyndsay is a recent graduate of Mohawk College where she obtained her Office Administration – General Certificate with Honours and is now humbled and grateful to part of such an amazing team and is looking forward to assisting in the organization’s goals and vision for the betterment of Indigenous people here in Hamilton and elsewhere – as we are all connected.
Michelle Miller
Sturgeon Clan, Anishinaabe-Ojibwe with family ties to Shoal Lake .40
Michelle is a Research Assistant - Archival for CHIL.
Michelle is born and raised in Hamilton with family ties to Shoal Lake .40.
Michelle is a student at Mohawk College, working towards a bachelor in Indigenous Studies using Mohawk’s 2+2 Pathways program to McMaster. She is in the process of re-connecting with her culture, and a loving mother of three children.
Michelle has a background in Early Childhood Education, with aspirations of bringing Indigenous Inclusion, and Land Based Learning to an urban setting. Her areas of interest include history, education, and Indigenous inclusion.
Laurie Froman
Wolf Clan, Cayuga Nation from Ohsweken:'en (Six Nations of the Grand River)
Laurie is the Indigenous Project Lead for CHIL's Action Research on Chronic Homelessness project.
Laurie Froman has joined the team as CHIL Indigenous Project Lead. Laurie is a member of the Cayuga Nation, Wolf clan from Six Nations. She has made her life’s work advancing the lives of Indigenous peoples with extensive experience in negotiation, partnership building and advocacy. It is her reverence for the continuation of Indigenous languages and cultures that brings her to CHIL. Laurie has been an advocate and committed supporter of the reclamation and preservation of language and culture throughout her career. She has training in both western and Indigenous ideology bringing both these approaches to CHIL.
Destiny Powless
Turtle Clan, Kanyen'keha:ka (Mohawk Nation) from Ohsweken:'en (Six Nations of the Grand River)
Destiny is Indigenous Data Governance Specialist for CHIL.
Born in Hamilton and raised in Brantford, she has lived in Toronto for the past 5 years and has previously worked within the indigenous non-profit community, as well as most recently for the City of Toronto, leading the research and development for City’s new indigenous-focused wellness benefit framework.
Destiny holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Mathematical Sciences from University of Toronto and is passionate about using her data science skills to teach and inspire others
within community and advance reconciliation efforts.