Denise Augustine, M.Ed, a First Nations woman of mixed ancestry, lives in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, the unceded lands of the hul’q’umi’num people. Denise is on a secondment with the Ministry of Education where she serves as the Superintendent of Indigenous Education. With over 25 years as an educator and a recipient of the Indspire Indigenous Educator Award for leadership, Denise is a passionate champion for systemic changes that support Equity for Indigenous learners. She and her husband, Greg, are proud parents of two grown daughters and a grandbaby was recently added to their family. Grateful for easy access to the wilderness, Denise makes time to enjoy the many hiking trails on Vancouver Island with her canine buddy, Dexter.