Staff and Associates
We are extremely proud of the work that our staff does in furthering the goals and the mandate of the organization. Each staff member is proud of his or her own Treaty story, and dedicated to helping Canadians find the information that they need to discover how they are all Treaty people.
Monique Lariviere
Manager of Research and Public Policy
Monique was raised in Swan River, Manitoba and is a member of Sapotaweyak Cree Nation. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Education (University of Toronto), a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in literature (McGill) and law degrees in both the common law and civil law (McGill). She has a strong interest in Indigenous legal traditions and oral history. She has worked as a teacher, lawyer, and researcher for numerous First Nations communities and organizations. In her time off, she enjoys spending time outdoors through cycling, photography, and travel.
Chantel Jackson
Operations Manager
BIO TO COME…..
Amanda Simard
Education Manager
Amanda is the youngest of 12 children and grew up in a small Métis community of Manigotogan, Manitoba along the shores of Lake Winnipeg. Amanda graduated from Wanipigow School on the Hollow Water First Nation, where she is a band member. After graduation she moved to Winnipeg to attend the University of Manitoba, with hopes of becoming a teacher. However, life had other plans, and after completing year one, Amanda decided to take a year off to work and 30 years later, she is still working, now in the education field, most recently as the Education Manager at the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba (TRCM). Education has always been an important aspect of her life. After graduating from Business Administration at Red River College, she began completing courses toward an Aboriginal Governance Degree at the University of Winnipeg. While valuing her time spent at work with TRCM and working with teachers that attend the Treaty Education Initiative training sessions, she and her husband are proud parents of three young men.
Jeremy Daniels
Speakers Bureau / Outreach Coordinator
A member of the Swan Lake First Nation located in Treaty 1 territory and a member of The Navajo Nation on his mother’s side, Jeremy was born and raised here in Winnipeg. Jeremy obtained a business degree from Red River College Polytech in 2008 from the Business Administration program and majored in Marketing. Since graduating and throughout his career he has worked with First Nation leadership and community members along with different levels of government on various community economic development projects. In his current role with the Commission as Speakers Bureau and Community Outreach Coordinator, Jeremy hopes to bring strength and longevity to an already prominent position. Along with his work experience and knowledge. With our Speakers Bureau Members, Jeremy will continue to provide the dialogue and information sharing to create an understanding about historical and contemporary issues related to the Treaties and the Treaty Relationship. Outside of his work with the TRCM, Jeremy is a proud husband to Jessica and their four children.
Brittany Thomas
Education Administration Assistant
Brittany was raised in Selkirk, Manitoba and is a member of Fisher River Cree Nation. She attended Red River College Polytech in 2017 to complete the Administrative Assistant program. She has been with the Treaty Relations Commission since November 2018 and looks forward to a long career with them. Brittany enjoys her role at the TRCM, because she is able to gain new learning experiences and feels very honoured to work with TRCM’s Council of Elders. In her spare time, she enjoys the outdoors, fishing, and spending time with her family/friends.
Connie Wyatt Anderson
Facilitation Lead
Connie grew up the small community of Mafeking at the north end of Manitoba’s Swan River Valley. She holds a Bachelor of Education with a double major in history and geography (University of Winnipeg) and a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction (Concordia University). Connie taught high school history and geography on the Opaskwayak Cree Nation for 22 years; leaving in 2014 to focus her time on pedagogical writing. She has been involved in the creation of student learning materials and curricula at the provincial, national, and international level, and has contributed to a number of textbooks, teacher support guides and school publications. Her articles have appeared in the Globe and Mail, Canada’s History, and Canadian Geographic magazine. Connie was awarded the 2014 Governor General’s Award for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History and in 2017 was recognized as the Manitoba Metis Federation’s Distinguished Leader in Education. She lives in the Carrot Valley, west of The Pas, with her husband and two daughters.
Cynthia Bird
Consultant and Education Advisor
Cynthia Bird (Wabi Benais Mistatim Equay) of Peguis First Nation is a long time First Nations educator whose most recent work has been with the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba as the Lead and Advisor to the K-12 Treaty Education Initiative. In recognition of her accomplishments and contributions to education, she received the Aboriginal Circle of Educators’ Research and Curriculum Development Award (2011) and the TRCM’s Treaty Advocacy Award (2014). Mrs. Bird is most honoured to have worked with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba’s Council of Elders since 2009 to the present, which has continued to influence and inform her work as an educator. Mrs. Bird’s career in education has included developing specific knowledge and skill sets in Treaty education curriculum development, research on urban homelessness impacting Indigenous peoples, program development and evaluation, policy and strategic development, as well as, a training facilitator. After having worked in various full-time positions for fifteen years, Mrs. Bird established her own consulting business in 1995 and continues to work both in Manitoba and Alberta. Her ongoing interests include advancing First Nations peoples’ education philosophy, worldview, methodologies, ways of knowing and being, that honours both the oral tradition and the written word.
Tammy Field
Agowiidiwinan Centre Coordinator
Tammy is a proud Métis woman originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba. With over 20 years of experience in Administration, she has built a career grounded in service, learning, and community support. She attended the University of Winnipeg, where she received her Career Coaching Certification, and went on to dedicate 13 years to the Manitoba Métis Federation. There, she supported individuals in accessing employment and training opportunities to better engage with the workforce. Tammy relocated to Gillam, a northern Manitoba community, where she became a foster parent and joined the Awasis Agency of Northern Manitoba as a Child & Family Services Worker. Each role in her journey has allowed her to grow, develop valuable skills, and deepen her commitment to supporting Indigenous families and communities. February 2022, she joined the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba (TRCM) as an Administrative Assistant. In July 2025, she stepped into the role of Agowiidiwinan Centre Coordinator. She is honoured to lead this centre of learning, which is dedicated to offering a balanced understanding of the Treaties between First Nations and the Crown—sharing the histories, laws, cultures, and customs of First Nations peoples. Tammy feels deeply privileged to work alongside and learn from the TRCM Council of Elders and is proud to be part of the dedicated team at TRCM. Outside of work, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, children, and grandchildren.