Red River Métis Inclusion Coordinators

Red River Métis Inclusion Coordinators (MICs) are full-time MMF employees who are situated on the campuses of post-secondary institutions to offer one-on-one support and cultural programming to Red River Métis post-secondary students. The current MICs are situated at the University of Winnipeg, the University of Manitoba, and Brandon University. In addition to helping students apply for citizenship and connect with the appropriate resources within the MMF and their post-secondary institutions, MICs are integral in making sure Red River Métis students feel represented and welcomed on campus.

Candice Allard 

University of Winnipeg

Candice is the Red River Métis Inclusion Coordinator at The University of Winnipeg, working within the Indigenous Student Services Centre.  On campus, she facilitates a beading club twice a week that welcomes participants of all skill levels.  Candice is available to support students with funding information, cultural programming, and access to resources through the MMF.

Candice grew up in St. Ambroise, a small Métis village in the Southwest Region along Lake Manitoba, surrounded by Red River Métis culture.  Her childhood was shaped by traditional practices such as net making for commercial fishing, as well as hunting, trapping, and picking saskatoons.  Her mother’s strong involvement with the MMF instilled in Candice a deep desire to be an active community member and to continue contributing to the MMF and Red River Métis communities.

candice.allard@mmf.mb.ca
(431)-278-9548

Jessica Burzuik

University of Manitoba 

Jessica Burzuik grew up in Selkirk, Manitoba and is a Red River Métis citizen with mixed ancestry of Dutch, Ukrainian, and Scottish-Métis. She has strong family ties in the St. Andrews/Selkirk area. She received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Winnipeg, majoring in Psychology.

Jessica is available at all three U of M campuses to help students apply for MMF funding, like the Louis Riel Bursary and the Post-Secondary Education Support Program, connect students with MMF and U of M programs and services, and helps students reconnect with their culture. Jessica hosts Red River Métis cultural events that are available for any student to attend.

j.burzuik@mmf.mb.ca
(431) 294-7446

Nicole Braun

Brandon University 

Nicole is the Red River Métis Inclusion Coordinator in the Indigenous Peoples’ Centre at Brandon University. She is very proud to be a Red River Métis citizen of the Southwest Region. Nicole is committed to empowering Red River Métis students by connecting them with funding opportunities through the Manitoba Métis Federation, as well as creating meaningful ways for them to engage with their culture. She hosts weekly beading groups in the Métis Room, along with Red River Métis Elder Joan Church, where they teach different beading techniques and welcome beaders of all skill levels.

Nicole grew up west of Portage la Prairie on a small acreage with one sister and one brother. Raised with a deep respect for Métis traditions, she spent her childhood hunting and fishing with her late father, who instilled in her the importance of honoring the land, preserving their ways, and cherishing time spent learning from one another. Now, Nicole and her husband share these traditions with their son and enjoy spending time together hunting and fishing or harvesting berries at their home. Nicole’s greatest passion is helping students embrace their Red River Métis identity, firmly believing that everyone should take pride in who they are and where they come from.

nicole.braun@mmf.mb.ca
(431) 294-7451