Learning Opportunities

Nicole Polukoshko is a proud Métis educator who draws strength and inspiration from her Métis roots in the Northern Alberta Métis Homeland. With over 20 years of experience in K–6 classrooms, her career has been passionately devoted to education—particularly in the foundational years of early childhood learning. With a Bachelor of Education, she graduated with distinction from the University of Alberta. Nicole draws on her deep appreciation for Traditional Knowledge, cultivated through teachings from Métis Knowledge Holders and Elders. Her work is dedicated to bringing Métis-specific knowledge into schools and advancing Truth and Reconciliation.

Leanne Traverse is a proud Métis woman and certified educator with almost 20 years of classroom teaching experience.  Leanne holds both a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Education in Educational Policy Studies, with a specialization in Indigenous Peoples Education from the University of Alberta.  In her current role as Métis Education Consultant at Rupertsland Institute, Leanne is passionate about honouring Métis worldviews and the Michif language in Alberta’s classrooms. She is dedicated to supporting all learners on their educational journeys as they build their Métis foundational knowledge and is looking forward to building kinship and community connections in this role. 

Jory is a proud citizen of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, with ancestral roots tied to St. Albert and Lac Ste Anne. Jory is a recent graduate of the University of Calgary’s Bachelor of Education program, with a specialization in Secondary Social Studies. Jory has worked with Rupertsland Institute for nearly five years, previously in a Marketing and Communications role. He brings a deep love and appreciation of Métis history and culture, but is also passionate about continuing the progress of Métis-centred teaching and learning.