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Minnie Grey has worked actively throughout her career to improve the quality of life for Inuit in Nunavik, Canada and internationally.

Born in Kangirsuk, Nunavik, she served as third vice-president of the Makivik Corporation, the official organization representing the Inuit of Nunavik, where she focused on self-government and community and economic development.

After leaving Makivik, Ms. Grey became Vice-President of the Canada office of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference for six years. She also chaired the Nunavik Education Task Force. From l99l to 2000, she was the Executive Director for the Ungava Hospital and Chairperson of the Nunavik Nutrition and Health Committee.

For two years, from 2000 to 2002, Ms. Grey served as Executive Director of the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, and was appointed to the Inuit Governing Committee under the National Aboriginal Health Organization. She led the implementation of the Tapiriilirniq process, an initiative by the Nunavik Regional Board of Health to address the issue of suicide, and from 2003 – 2005 was a member of the Institute of Aboriginal Health within the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. She is a former member of the Canadian Council of Learning, as well as an UN Advisory Group to the Inuit Circumpolar Conference and the Board of Nasivvik (a centre for Inuit Health and Changing Environment) under Laval University.

She is on the Circumpolar Inuit Health Steering Committee for ICC for the past 13 years. Since 2002 she was lead negotiator for ten years for the work on the creation of a Nunavik self-government. She was Chair for the Nunavik Regional Partnership Committee which was created to address social issues in the Nunavik communities.

She is a National Aboriginal Achievement Award Recipient for 2012 in the Public Service Category, and again in June of the same year received the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Award for Advancement of Regional Issues in Nunavik. In December of 2012, Ms Grey received the Queen’s Jubilee medal from the office of the Governor General. She has the title of Chevalier having received the Order of Quebec in June 2013. Was Special visitor to the Ã山ǿ¼é Institute for Studies of Canada – 2012-2013 academic year.

She became member of the Order of Canada in 2017. Was given a medal of honor by the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse for their 40 year anniversary.

More recently in 2022, she received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Montreal.

Since January 2013, Minnie held the position of Executive Director of the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, until her recent retirement in July 2022.

Natasha Ita MacDonald is Inuit, originally from Nunavik, and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education at Ã山ǿ¼é. There she contributes to the academic landscape with a keen focus on decolonizing systems and advancing intercultural communication in Indigenous education and health.

Currently pursuing her PhD at Concordia University, Natasha is deeply engaged in research at the intersection of education and Indigenous knowledge, employing Indigenous research methodologies to explore innovative approaches to pedagogy and healthcare.

Her work underscores the importance of culturally responsive practices in academic and healthcare settings, contributing significantly to the ongoing dialogue surrounding Indigenous issues in Canada.

Born and raised in Umiujaq, and now residing in Kuujjuaq, Alicia Aragutak currently serves as the Corporate Secretary for Makivvik, elected in February of 2022. Her journey with Makivvik began as the founding president of the Qarjuit Youth Council, an organization dedicated to the betterment of Nunavik's youth. In this capacity, she not only orchestrated initiatives that brought together Inuit youth and elders across all fourteen Nunavik communities, shaping the narrative of Inuit identity and community well-being but also laid the foundation for the organization.

This commitment earned her the prestigious 2020 Indspire Inuit Youth Award, marking her as the first Inuk in Nunavik to be honored in this category. In May 2024, Alicia was awarded the Meritorious Service Decorations (Civil Division) to recognize her remarkable contributions in many different fields of endeavour, from advocacy initiatives and health care services, to research and humanitarian efforts.

Beyond her professional achievements, Alicia Aragutak is a devoted mother of two daughters, balancing the responsibilities of leadership, advocacy, and motherhood. Her journey reflects the transformative power of youth activism, cultural preservation, and compassionate leadership.