100% Indigenous-Owned · Indigenous-Focused · Executive Search
Executive search guided by Indigenous values.
Most things in life don't run in a straight line — including work and careers. Pathways Executive Search is an international Indigenous recruitment firm, uniquely qualified to support the attraction, evaluation, hiring, and onboarding of individuals for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous clients. Respect and reciprocity are at the heart of what we do.
01 · THE STAKES
Every day, Pathways navigates many paths — helping remove the barriers and challenges organizations and individuals face. Whether looking for talent or employment, the routes are different but the destination is similar: a place where talented people are paired with respectful work environments where everyone belongs. A generalist firm cannot get you there. Here is what a leadership vacancy actually costs when the seat stays empty — or is filled without cultural discernment.
Qualified racialized and equity-deserving professionals are overlooked by traditional recruitment processes every day. Pathways is guided by Indigenous values and principles of Indigenous inclusion — building an inclusive process that surfaces talented, qualified candidates a generalist firm never sees.
Generalist misses themBuilding trust is fundamental to how we operate. At every step we are guided by Indigenous values that underscore an executive search process that is fair and balanced for all. Without relationships in community, a generalist search starts from zero trust — and it shows in every shortlist.
Generalist has no trustPathways attracts and recruits talent in culturally grounded ways — agile and flexible in response to clients' needs and the cultures and environments in which they operate — striving for workplaces and boardrooms where different perspectives are welcomed at the most senior levels.
Generalist misses culturally groundedEvery day we navigate many paths, helping remove barriers and challenges organizations and individuals face. A search that ignores those barriers simply reproduces them — leaving the seat empty longer and the organization further from the leadership it needs.
Generalist keeps barriersPer week — the compounded cost of a vacant leadership seat: lost belonging, reconciliation delay, and barrier persistence. A generalist mismatch multiplies it. Run the full formula in the Leadership Vacancy Cost Calculator below.
Open the calculator02 · THE METHOD
Trusted partners. Great results. A clear vision for change. The journey of Pathways Executive Search started many years ago with a vision for bringing companies, governments, and communities together to create lasting economic and social change — and today that vision lives and breathes in every member of the Pathways team, and the clients and candidates with whom we work.
"knucwentwécw-kt — we help one another."
One of our colleagues uses this word from the traditional Secwépemc language — it reflects the rich, nuanced spirit of reciprocity. This is what we do at Pathways: making recruitment and career journeys less difficult, acting as trusted advisors and champions on the path of reconciliation and inclusion.
We come at every interaction with authenticity, humility, kindness, and compassion — and we listen before we search. We learn your needs, your culture, and the environment in which you operate.
Building trust is fundamental to how we operate. At every step we are guided by Indigenous values and principles of Indigenous inclusion, both of which underscore our capacity to build an executive search process that is fair and balanced for all.
We are agile and flexible in response to our clients' needs and the cultures and environments in which they operate — attracting talent to workplaces and boardrooms where different perspectives are welcomed and opportunities exist for all people to be successful.
We have high standards of professional practice and a clearly defined executive recruitment process and approach — flexible and responsive to the specific needs of our clients and candidates, confident in the knowledge, expertise, and experience we bring to the table.
From attraction and evaluation to hiring and onboarding, we travel alongside clients and candidates. And we prove our value time and time again with real results — over the last seven years, more than 325 successful placements.
We care about finding the right people for Indigenous, Tribal, and Native American communities and organizations to meet socioeconomic and operational goals — searched in culturally appropriate ways.
We care about finding the right people for corporations and businesses living out their values and commitment to creating workplace cultures where people flourish.
We care about placing qualified people on Boards within organizations where they will grow and thrive as leaders at the most senior levels — commercial, governmental, and non-profit sectors.
We walk with those looking to broaden candidate pools and find qualified candidates — living out their values and commitment to creating workplace cultures where people flourish.
We support Indigenous, Tribal, and Native American communities and organizations in culturally appropriate ways — searching for experienced, competent candidates who meet specific needs and requirements.
We travel alongside those looking for growth and change — opportunities to share their skills and gifts in positions and organizations where they thrive.
Pathways helps organizations find and hire highly qualified candidates for C-suite, executive, and senior management roles across sectors including financial services, retail, natural resources, heavy industry, academia, and the public sector. We also support Indigenous, Tribal, and Native American communities — increasingly active participants in the global economy — to find senior executives to lead organizations and business entities.
Pathways Board Search recruitment services focus on finding and selecting qualified candidates for non-executive director and advisory committee member positions on boards across the commercial, governmental, and non-profit sectors.
Some Pathways clients require deeper engagement and consultation processes with community partners, constituents, and interest groups as part of executive search processes for management teams and board members. If required, Pathways creates a separate, complementary plan for clients to ensure the right information is collected and shared in appropriate ways.
03 · THE INSTRUMENTS
Four working instruments, one desk. Every formula is transparent, every assumption traceable — tagged as verified firm data or clearly marked as pattern-based synthetic illustration. No decoration: the numbers update as you move.
A vacant leadership seat costs $25K+ per week in lost belonging, reconciliation delay, and barrier persistence. Price your own mandate below — every number is computed live from the inputs you set.
METHODOLOGY · Lost belonging = daily community value × days vacant. Reconciliation delay = days vacant × $1,200/day (synthetic benchmark for reconciliation & inclusion delay). Barrier persistence = days vacant × $800/day (synthetic benchmark for barriers organizations and individuals face). Total = sum of the three lines. Benchmarks are pattern-based synthetic illustration; role framing uses verified active mandates.
EVERY LINE TRACEABLE · DAILY VALUE × DAYS + ($1,200 × DAYS) + ($800 × DAYS)
National averages for Indigenous executive searches run 90–120 days DIY and 60–90 days through generalist agencies. Pathways — with over 30 years' cumulative experience and more successful Indigenous executive search engagements than any other firm in Canada — works in culturally grounded ways with a clearly defined, flexible process. Move the model slider to compare.
Retained search
METHODOLOGY · DIY national average: 90–120 days (pattern-based synthetic benchmark). Generalist agency: 60–90 days (pattern-based synthetic). Pathways estimate: 55–72 days depending on model, anchored to 325+ successful assignments since 2017 (verified), over 30 years cumulative experience (verified), and more successful Indigenous executive search engagements than any other firm in Canada (verified firm claim). Days saved = national midpoint − Pathways estimate. Belonging preserved = days saved × daily value.
Fit is more than the resume. Our inclusive process for all racialized and equity-deserving professionals weighs five dimensions: culture fit, Indigenous values alignment, inclusion & equity, honesty & reciprocity (Gwekwaadziwin), and community understanding. Candidates reach the shortlist only at an overall score of 80 or higher.
METHODOLOGY · Overall fit = mean of the five dimension scores. Shortlist threshold: ≥ 80. Dimensions reflect the values Pathways states guide every engagement — self-determination, diversity, reciprocity, Gwekwaadziwin (honesty), and seeking always to understand. Scoring rubric shown is concept illustration.
A mapped pool of leaders who are changing the face of workplace leadership in Canada and beyond — literally. Roughly 80% are passive candidates reached through trust, not job boards. X-axis: typical time-to-fill. Y-axis: mandate complexity. Dot size: organization scale. Filter by sector, then scroll the placement archive beneath.
METHODOLOGY · Pool visualization is pattern-based synthetic (1,240 generated records). 80% passive ratio reflects the stated firm approach of culturally grounded, relationship-based attraction. Placement archive below tracks 2017–2026 — 325+ verified successful assignments; individual rows are synthetic illustrations tagged as such and include post-placement implementation support in every mandate.
More than 325 successful executive-search assignments since 2017 — over the last seven years, the executive-search professionals on the Pathways team have completed more than 325 successful placements. Every mandate includes post-placement implementation support.
| Role | Sector | Community / Client Type | Level | Year | Days | Indigenous Values Emphasis |
|---|
04 · OPPORTUNITIES
Check out the open opportunities below, and learn more about the Pathways Process for creating workplaces where everyone belongs. We care about finding the right people — for communities meeting socioeconomic and operational goals, for corporations living out their values, and for boards where leaders grow and thrive at the most senior levels.
Kitikmeot Corporation
Kitikmeot Corporation (KC) is seeking a strategic, relationship-driven Director of Business Development to help shape the continued growth of a diverse portfolio of businesses and partnerships across the North.
Read moreKyah Development Corporation
Lead economic growth and build strategic partnerships that help advance the vision of Witset First Nation — a chief executive mandate anchored in community prosperity.
Read moreUnited Church of Canada
A senior national leadership opportunity helping shape the future of the Indigenous Church within the United Church of Canada. Working with dual accountability to the General Secretary and the National Indigenous Council, the role provides strategic, relational, and operational leadership across governance, ministry leadership development, healing, reconciliation, and justice.
Read moreFirst Nations Major Projects Coalition
Help strengthen First Nations participation in major resource and infrastructure projects across Canada — a knowledge and policy leadership mandate at a national scale.
Read moreOshkiigmong Economic Development Corporation
Some executive roles manage organizations. This one builds one. As inaugural CEO, the successful candidate will play a foundational role in shaping Oshkiigmong EDC's direction, culture, governance, and long-term success at an important stage in the Corporation's development.
Read moreIndigenous Connectivity Institute
An Indigenous-led organization advancing digital equity and connectivity for First Nations, Inuit, Métis, American Indian, Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native communities across Canada and the United States.
Read moreTsa Group of Companies
Drive economic development that delivers real outcomes for community — a hands-on mandate at the intersection of enterprise and shared prosperity.
Read moreMushuau Innu First Nation
Mushuau Innu First Nation (MIFN) is one of only two Innu communities in Newfoundland and Labrador. MIFN is seeking a principled, community-minded Chief Financial Officer to guide a transformative phase in the Nation's financial evolution.
Read moreCoast Funds
Coast Funds is an Indigenous-led conservation finance organization serving First Nations of the Great Bear Rainforest, Haida Gwaii, and other coastal communities — seeking a new Director of Communications & Engagement.
Read moreAccounting Standards Board / CNC
Are you interested in contributing to accounting standard-setting in Canada? This is the opportunity. Aimeriez-vous participer à l'établissement des normes comptables au Canada? Le Conseil des normes comptables (CNC) vous offre l'occasion.
Read moreWhispering Pines/Clinton Indian Band
Whispering Pines/Clinton Indian Band (WPCIB) is seeking a Director of Capital, Infrastructure, Housing & Lands to help shape the physical foundations of the Community at an important time of growth and transition.
Read moreSimon Fraser University
A senior academic leadership chair advancing Indigenous arts practices and pedagogies — shaping how the next generation of artists, scholars, and leaders learn and lead.
Read more05 · THE EVIDENCE
Respect and reciprocity are at the heart of what we do. At every step we are guided by Indigenous values and principles of Indigenous inclusion — to help identify talented, qualified candidates who might otherwise be overlooked in traditional recruitment processes. The archive above in the Intelligence Desk tracks the work; the values below explain how it gets done.
Self-Determination · Diversity · Reciprocity
"The teachings and traditional values that drive me professionally include self-determination, diversity, and reciprocity. These values have shown up in every leadership role I have ever had — from running a non-profit and building dozens of partnerships, to forging a path for Indigenous peoples to work in the mining and energy sectors in highly skilled careers."Laurie Sterritt — Founder & Managing Partner
Gwekwaadziwin · Honesty
"The traditional value of Gwekwaadziwin — Honesty — is what guides me in all aspects of life, encouraging me to face every situation with truth, kindness, and compassion."Jennifer Pelletier — Search Associate & Project Administration
Successful executive-search assignments since 2017 — over the last seven years, the executive-search professionals on the Pathways team have completed more than 325 successful placements for corporations, Not-For-Profit institutions, and Indigenous (First Nations, Non-Status, Métis, and Inuit) communities and organizations. Verified firm claim More Indigenous searches than any firm in Canada
06 · THE TEAM
15 employees (Apollo company details; TheOrg lists 11–50), over 30 years' cumulative experience, and more successful Indigenous executive search engagements than any other firm in Canada. This is the team behind every mandate — headquartered at 100 Park Royal, West Vancouver, on the traditional territories of the Skwxwú7mesh, Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh, and xwməθkwəy̓əm Nations.
Founder & Managing Partner
A mixed-heritage woman of both Gitxsan and European descent, Laurie is an executive based in the Greater Vancouver Metropolitan Area (500+ LinkedIn connections, 6K followers). She holds the C.Dir designation and has spent her career forging paths for Indigenous peoples in highly skilled careers — from running a non-profit and building dozens of partnerships to opening doors in the mining and energy sectors.
"The teachings and traditional values that drive me professionally include self-determination, diversity, and reciprocity. These values have shown up in every leadership role I have ever had."
Search Associate & Project Administration
Guided by Gwekwaadziwin — Honesty — facing every situation with truth, kindness, and compassion across search and project administration.
Senior Consultant
Senior search counsel on executive and board mandates, bringing seasoned judgment to every shortlist and every client conversation.
Consultant
Search consultant working across attraction, evaluation, and client engagement on executive mandates.
Consultant
Consultant supporting culturally grounded recruitment across corporate, public-sector, and community files.
Consultant
Consultant on candidate attraction and engagement, helping pair talented people with respectful work environments.
Consultant
Consultant contributing to search delivery and community-informed candidate engagement.
Consultant
Consultant supporting executive recruitment files from market mapping through to offer.
Search Associate
Search associate supporting research, candidate coordination, and the clearly defined Pathways process.
Search Associate
Search associate working alongside consultants on active executive and board mandates.
Project Manager
Project management for search engagements — keeping every mandate on its path, on time, and on values.
Administrative Assistant
Administrative support holding the day-to-day together so the team can stay focused on people.
07 · THE TERMS
We are an international executive recruitment firm known for its ability to attract and recruit talent in culturally grounded ways — with high standards of professional practice, a clearly defined executive recruitment process, and an approach flexible and responsive to the specific needs of our clients and candidates.
| Dimension | DIY Hiring | Generalist Agency | Pathways Executive Search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ownership & Focus | Internal only | Varies | 100% Indigenous-owned & Indigenous-focused — respect and reciprocity at the heart of every mandate |
| Cultural Discernment | Committee only | Occasional | Baked in — guided by Indigenous values, Gwekwaadziwin (honesty), self-determination, diversity, reciprocity |
| Time-to-Fill | 90–120 days (national DIY avg) | 60–90 days | Faster — 325+ placements since 2017, culturally grounded attraction, clearly defined process |
| Candidate Pool | Whoever applies | Active resumes | Mapped leaders changing the face of leadership — ~80% passive, reached through trust and relationship |
| Confidentiality | Varies | Low | Enforced — building trust is fundamental; we seek to understand, always |
| Inclusion Practice | Ad hoc | Checklist | Inclusive process for all racialized and equity-deserving professionals — candidates overlooked elsewhere |
| Community Engagement | Rarely | Rarely | A dedicated service — separate, complementary consultation plans when required |
| Cost Structure | Upfront + time | Upfront + fee | Retained boutique — headquartered on the traditional territories of the Skwxwú7mesh, Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh & xwməθkwəy̓əm Nations |
08 · GET IN TOUCH
Let's start a conversation to learn more about what you need and how we can help. Every inquiry is treated under confidential protocol — respect and reciprocity are at the heart of what we do.
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