ESB Faculty

Leanne Bellegarde

Leanne Bellegarde

Director

Information

Room 91.1
PotashCorp Centre
25 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
S7N 5A7
Phone: (306) 966-1307
Fax: (306) 966-5408
Email: bellegarde@edwards.usask.ca

Biography

Leanne M. Bellegarde is First Nation woman who belongs to the Kawacatoose First Nation located in the Touchwood Agency in Treaty 4 territory. Leanne grew up in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan.

Leanne completed her law degree at the University of Saskatchewan in 1991. She was admitted to the Law Society of Saskatchewan in 1993 after completing her articles in the Saskatoon offices of MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman.

Leanne has worked with the Government of Canada on the Treaty Land Entitlement Agreement. As a Solicitor with the City of Saskatoon, Leanne provided comprehensive legal services to City Council and its committees, civic administration, the Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners, and all other civic Boards and Agencies. Leanne was also employed as a lawyer with SaskTel in their head office in Regina. She returned to Saskatoon in 1998 to work with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, providing a range of legal services, including, advising to the Office of the Chief, the Office of the Chief of Staff, Treasury Board, and administration of the First Nations Trust Fund.

After establishing a successful private law practice on the Muskeg Lake First Nation Urban Reserve in Saskatoon, Leanne was appointed the Senior Vice President, Corporate and Legal Affairs with the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority in June 2002. Leanne is currently the Director of Aboriginal Initiatives at the N. Murray Edwards School of Business (formerly the College of Commerce) at the University of Saskatchewan.

Leanne has served as the Chairman of the Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners, and been a member of the RUH Foundation, and the United Way. She was a volunteer coach for Team Saskatchewan at the North American Indigenous Games 2002. Her family has been a billet home for a Saskatoon Blades player. Leanne competed in the 2005 World’s Masters Games in Women’s Softball-Fastpitch and her team, Sask. Connextion, is proud to have brought home a gold medal. She currently serves as a Board member on SaskEnergy and with the Strength of Spirit Advisory Committee with the United Way Saskatoon and area.

Leanne is honoured to have been recognized for women’s leadership and excellence with the Athena award in 2003 and as one of Saskatchewan’s Top 10 Women of Influence by SaskBusiness magazine. Leanne has been recognized as one of Aboriginal Business Canada’s "Seeds of Success" and profiled in a number of publications such as SaskIndian, "Herstory" calendar, and the University of Saskatchewan’s "Green and White". She has been a speaker at the University of Saskatchewan’s "Women At the Top" series.