Human Resources & Aboriginal Engagement

Kari has joined our team drawing on her twenty-three (23) years’ experience in the Human Resources field, Kari provides human resources compliance, cultural awareness training as well as employee compensation services. 

During the course of her career, Kari has held a wide range of senior, high level executive positions at Mikisew Group of Companies culminating in her role as Director of Human Resources. She is well-regarded in the Human Resources field for her leadership skills and extensive knowledge of Indigenous relations. Kari combines this with a special interest in establishing and managing corporate brand identity to assist clients to create a positive working environment for employees.

These strengths are evident in one of Kari’s most strategic projects. Under her direction, Mikisew Group of Companies (MGOC) successfully launched the first Applicant Tracking System (ATS) resulting in their client’s Key Performance Indicators being met promptly as well as additional scopes of work being awarded. The ATS provided the company with the ability to on-board new employees remotely as well as create custom reports that were critical in developing strategic recruitment initiatives. One area of concern in this field of work is attrition. With the implementation of the ATS program, MGOC saw a decrease in the attrition rate from 63% to 27% in an industry with typically high attrition rates, improving overall revenue.

In 2018 Kari was appointed to the Skills, Development, Training committee (SET) for Mikisew Cree First Nation. This committee is composed of Industry and First Nations representatives to develop Indigenous capacity building. This project required a skill set for building strong relationships and understanding the cultures, skills and needs of Indigenous people.  Kari’s contribution within this committee was highlighted when she spearheaded an unprecedented partnership with a private vocational educational institution (Emergency Services Academy) and Imperial Oil to bring an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) program to the community of Fort Chipewyan. This gave 12 First Nations residents of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta the opportunity for education with guaranteed employment at Imperial Oil’s Kearl Lake site upon successful completion of the program. 

In addition to her executive work, Kari has a passion for helping the less fortunate. In 2017, Kari began a Christmas project handing out care packages, coffee and donuts to the homeless in Edmonton. In this role, she helps the less fortunate feel the Christmas spirit by also including her three young children.  With her perseverance, Kari has been able to increase the budget for this project from $300.00 in 2017 to $3000.00 in 2019 with plans for continued annual growth.

In 2018, Kari and MGOC’s executive team, received The Bud Tozer Most Improved Award by the Canadian Safety Achievement Awards (CS2A). The CS2A recognizes organizations whose leadership style exemplified continual improvement and instilled a culture of camaraderie. 

Kari lives in Sherwood Park with her husband and their three (3) children. In her free time Kari enjoys camping, boating, and anything outdoors with her family.