BHJ, BA (Indigenous Studies), MSC (Cultures and Development Studies)
My name is Roy Pogorzelski, and I am Métis from Saskatchewan. I convocated from the University of Regina in 2006 with a Bachelor of Human Justice and a Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous Studies. Following this, I performed my Advanced Master's of Science in Cultures and Development Studies at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium and convocated cum laude. Currently, I work as an inclusion consultant for the City of Lethbridge, a sessional instructor in the Department of Native American Studies and Department of Management at the University of Lethbridge and am a small business owner with Pogo Bros Inc.
I am very involved in the community of Lethbridge as the incoming president of the Rotary Club of Lethbridge Mosaic, a member of the chamber of commerce in Lethbridge and I sit on the Senate at the University of Lethbridge and am the Chair of the University of Lethbridge Student's Union. Previously, I have instructed in the Department of Indigenous Studies at the First Nations University of Canada, worked in non-profit, provincial government, contracted work at the municipal, provincial, federal and international levels.
Formerly, I worked as a research assistant with the University of Vienna, volunteered for Meldpunte Discriminatie in Leuven, Belgium, worked a contract for INCOMIDIOS in Geneva Switzerland and worked a contract in Vilhelmina Sweden with Saminuorra. Finally, I represented UNESCO Canada at the International Coalition of Cities Against Racism (ICCAR) as a representative of the City of Lethbridge for my work at the national level with the Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination (CMARD). I was also a collaborative editor on Advancing Equity and Diversity: A Guide to Municipalities with representatives from the cities of Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Strathmore, PEI.
I was awarded the 2016 John Humphrey Centre for Peace & Human Rights Human Rights Champion Award in Edmonton and operate a festival in Lethbridge called Oktoberfest YQL, which received a tourism award in 2016 for Event/Festival of the Year. I am excited for the opportunity to contribute to developing Métis content in support of Indigenous education at Selkirk College.