Shanda Lynn Poitra Log 1

The Bush Fellowship has been nothing short of amazing! The continuous recognition of becoming a fellow has been overwhelming – I’m a part of this elite group of powerful individuals who are working hard to make our communities better, it’s such an honor to be a part of this cohort. I quickly realized that this fellowship journey was going to relieve some financial burden to help us focus on the more important issues within our leadership journeys, but I’m at a point where I can truly see the bigger picture of why this is so important and why the Bush Foundation is determined to support it. I’m acknowledging a magnitude of transitions in myself and my work due to this life-changing opportunity.

While I still carry the role of Executive Director, operations/management/networking, I’m also delegating more tasks to others and getting more organized with the business aspect of things so I can take a more active role in participating in our community events/activities; this is with thanks and gratitude to my leadership coach who has been guiding my journey. I’m no longer buried by a mountain of to-do lists, but instead, I’m using more online applications to file and keep track of rosters, funding, budgets, project plans, etc. I truly feel a sense of relief that I’m getting so much better in my leadership skills.

I sacrificed my sabbatical last year because my departure would’ve shut down our surgery department, leaving many without access to urgent surgical intervention. However, now that I have fully trained two individuals to replace me, (who will be independent later this summer), I feel I have fulfilled my duty of care in the medical realm and am looking forward to my resignation in early August. I’m all signed up to complete my BA at TMCC in Ogimiwaawiwin Leadership & Management where I will learn more about how to sustain a non-profit organization on sovereign tribal land. During this time, I’ll be directing my self-defense program fulltime and building a healthy relationships curriculum for middle and high school students.

The Bush Fellowship has created so many opportunities for family time, ceremony & self-care, relief of financial burden, learning and improving leadership skills, networking, travel, and so much more. I’ve been to trainings and conferences that I’ve either needed or wanted to attend, like the Natives in Philanthropy conference, training with other IMPACT chapters, and Non Profit Leadership Labs. I’m not just organizing events and ceremony, but I’m able to fully take part in ceremonies and cultural activities alongside my family members. This has been huge for my mental health and emotional wellbeing. I still have another year to go on my fellowship journey, and I plan on making it count. My plans for this year will involve advancing my leadership skills in business management, and evolving as a knowledge keeper in my indigenous community.