SFU Beedie appoints Joy Cramer to lead Indigenous programs

Joy Cramer, SFU Beedie’s Director, Indigenous Programs

SFU’s Beedie School of Business has appointed Joy Cramer, a former Deputy Minister with the Province of Manitoba, to the newly created position of director, Indigenous Programs. In her new role, Cramer will lead the school’s strategy to grow Indigenous programming, integrate Indigenous learning into the mainstream curriculum, and increase engagement with Indigenous communities. 

To reach these goals, Cramer has several priorities. She aims to attract investment from corporate donors to support new research and create case studies and resources that focus on the unique issues around Indigenous business. She also plans to expand executive education in the discipline, and to build global partnerships with universities in the U.S., New Zealand and Australia.

“I am excited to build on the work that has already been done at Beedie, with the aim of creating a world-leading offering for Indigenous business education,” she explains.

“We are already speaking with potential partner companies that wish to support this important work, as we seek to develop the resources and tools we need to make real progress and move Indigenous business education forward.”

Cramer is a citizen of Sagkeeng First Nation, with maternal ties to Sandy Bay First Nation, both of which are in Manitoba and were signatories to 1871’s Treaty 1. She has a rich background of experience in senior governmental roles and in Indigenous advocacy. She worked for almost 20 years in various positions within the Manitoba provincial government, most recently as Deputy Minister, Family Services. She has also gained a deep understanding of the needs and aspirations of Indigenous people through her work in Indigenous communities. This includes on-reserve and urban social services delivery, serving on boards, and First Nation policy experience. 

She is also an alumnus of SFU Beedie’s Executive MBA in Indigenous Business & Leadership (EMBA IBL), which she completed as part of the 2014 cohort.

“We are very fortunate to welcome someone with Joy’s experience, expertise and enthusiasm to Beedie to lead our Indigenous programming at the school. This is an important area of priority for the school’s strategic vision moving forward, and I have every confidence that Joy will provide the leadership we need to continue developing our offering,” says Ali Dastmalchian, dean of the Beedie School of Business.

“I would also like to note the debt of gratitude the school owes to Mark Selman who has so effectively advocated for Indigenous programming within Beedie and developed the pioneering EMBA IBL program, of which Joy is an alumnus. We wish Mark well in his retirement.”