STAFF

KAREN SWAIN
Office Manager

Karen Swain is proud to be part of the important work of Eyaa-Keen Centre. She has been involved with Eyaa-Keen since its creation in 1999 - first as a participant, then as Assistant, and finally coming on board as its first staff person in 2001. In the years that Karen has worked at Eyaa-Keen, she has been Receptionist, Program Coordinator, and Intake Specialist, and is currently Office Manager. As well, she was a member of the team that achieved International Accreditation for Eyaa-Keen in 2005.

Originally from the Parklands area, Karen's previous work experience includes positions in adult literacy, and in Aboriginal Head Start programs as both an instructor and parent coordinator. She is dedicated to learning about her Anishinabe culture, is an avid reader, enjoys music, and loves being with family. She does as much volunteer work as time permits in cultural awareness, and for Aboriginal community events.

Karen extends her thanks to the thousands of callers she has spoken to, who have shared a little of themselves with her. She is grateful for the gift of Eyaa-Keen's work and the impact it has had in her life, and in the lives of those who have participated. She continues to be involved as a participant and Assistant:

"Every time I go to trainings, I learn more about who I am, and become more of who I want to be! Every day, I see how this work helps me."

WALLY SWAIN
Lead Elder/Cultural Advisor

Wally Swain is one of the original Board members of Eyaa-Keen Centre, where he served as Vice President for eight years. His career path included ten years as a cultural adviser to seven First Nation communities and chiefs. During this time he participated in many ceremonies and activities, and as part of his work traveled to New Zealand on First Nation Treaty issues, and worked with Nelson Mandela's Spiritual Adviser.

Wally worked with Corrections Service of Canada, where he met with many Elders, and helped start an Aboriginal unit in Stony Mountain Institution for inmates that wanted to learn about their culture. He spent nine years helping federal inmates deal with their issues, and begin their own healing processes.

When Wally realized that he needed healing himself, he began attending cultural awareness workshops. While they made him feel good, there was still something missing. It wasn't until he started going to ceremonies and listening to Elders share their teachings that his true healing began. He began to think of what the teachings meant to him as an Anishinabe man, and when he began to live the teachings in his everyday life, feelings surfaced that he did not know how to release the hurt from his trauma and abuse.

Wally has participated in ceremonies for over 30 years. When he started participating in healing sessions offered by Mel & Shirley through Being You Inc., he became aware for the first time how to release that his feelings from past abuses and trauma. This realization finally allowed him to truly move forward.

Today, Wally works with residential school survivors at Eyaa-Keen Centre, helping them heal from their own traumas. As Lead Elder, Wally facilitates Eyaa-Keen's cultural components and sessions. He is also an Assistant, and continues to participate in the processes and teachings at Eyaa-Keen for his own healing.

DENISE GUIMOND
Behavioural Health Specialist

Denise Guimond joined Eyaa-Keen Centre as an Assistant in 2003. She became a Behavioural Health Specialist in 2006, and is now in a supervisory role.

It was Denise's dream to attend post-secondary school, and she eventually achieved her dream by attending both Red River College and the University of Winnipeg. She worked at an Aboriginal Head Start and daycare program, and was also employed as a youth counsellor and a family treatment counsellor.

Originally from Sagkeeng First Nation, Denise attended Indian Residential School at a young age. Many years later, she found herself involved with Eyaa-Keen Centre as a participant, searching for her own healing from the hurts and traumas suffered while growing up. Denise has been attending Eyaa-Keen's trainings since its creation in 1999.

Today, Denise proudly follows the Anishinabe way of living. By attending Eyaa-Keen, she saw how much it changed her life. Denise now happily resides on the outskirts of Winnipeg with the two youngest of her four sons.