Ruth Scalp Lock & Jim Pritchard

Ruth Scalp Lock, a Siksika woman; her Father, Blackfoot, and her mother, Cree. She was raised in her traditional culture. As a young child, she was placed in the Indian Residential School, where she suffered much abuse. She survived that experience and the following years of addiction and violence. In 1974, she experienced spiritual reawakening and chose a healing path. She worked in many helping places until she had the vision to address the legacy of her people, working for many years to establish a shelter for Aboriginal women based on a cultural approach.

Ruth ran for the position of MLA in southern Alberta in 1992 for the NDP. She then ran and was subsequently elected as a Band Councillor at Siksika Nation, where she sat for 18 years.

In 2014, she released her book My Name Is Shield Woman: A Hard Road to Healing, Vision and Leadership. Her book has been on a Calgary non-fiction best-seller list several times, and she hopes that one day, her book will be used to inform curriculum development in Alberta schools.

Today, Ruth is a healer, community builder, and Elder. She is currently involved in the issue of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women in Canada.

Ruth is a voice for cross-cultural understanding and forgiveness, as the beginning of reconciliation of the past and building the future.

Jim Pritchard, MSW, RSW, has worked in the Public and non-profit sectors over a long career. He has worked with Alberta Children's Services as a front-line child welfare worker, court worker, Team supervisor, contract management, and Senior Director. He also served as Regional Children’s Guardian for Southern Alberta.

Jim has extensive experience in systems change and design, focussing on community-based service delivery and the Provincial Redesign of Children's Services. He has facilitated many groups and processes and has led and participated in many collaborative initiatives across organizations and systems. Jim served as Senior Director of Community Services and Organizational Development at Hull Services for many years. Jim also served on the Board of ALIGN, including the role of President.

Jim co-wrote the book My Name Is Shield Woman: A Hard Road to Healing, Vision and Leadership, along with Elder Ruth Scalp Lock.

He is passionate about learning and developing the capacity of people, organizations, and systems.

Keynote Session

January 25

My Name is Shield Woman: The Writers tell their Story

Ruth Scalp Lock, Siksika Elder and Indigenous Leader, and her co-author Jim Pritchard share their partnership and journey, resulting in Ruth’s Biography, My Name is Shield Woman. Using Story, conversation, and photography, Ruth and Jim will reflect on working together, reconciliation, relationship and building the Future together. Join us in sharing this powerful personal story of healing, vision and leadership.

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