Ann Deer (she/her) is the Indigenous Recruitment & Initiatives Coordinator for the Smith Commerce program. She is Mohawk from the Wolf Clan, of Akwesasne. Ann brings her professional Indigenous network and living traditional Haudenosaunee knowledge. She is passionate about lifelong learning, plants as medicine, cultural foods, and its ties to sovereignty, building community and supporting our young leaders.

Ann completed her Bachelor of Arts with Honours in both Native Studies and Canadian Studies at Trent University and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership at St. Lawrence University.

She supports Commerce students through:

• 1 to 1 support for Indigenous students on community connections, professional Indigenous business network building, Indigenous culture connection, safe space to talk, finding resources, Indigenous Bursaries, and Indigenous job postings (in collaboration with Commerce Career Centre)
• Organizing events (beading circles and tea, cultural events, Indigenous Business/Finance guest speakers, Feast nights)
• Assisting with the Smith Commerce Indigenous Council, and the Annual Reconciliation on Bay St. Conference

Ann also meets 1 to 1 with other Commerce students to talk confidentially about Indigenous issues on campus, in class, and how to support one another in building a safe space. She provides culturally appropriate teaching for student(s) to understand Indigenization of space that they can carry with them into their professional career.