Announcing Isabelle Allen as Director of Stewardship

Kwe, Ahnii, Wacheyay,

On behalf of Wahkohtowin Development, we are so pleased and excited to share the transition of Isabelle Allen, R.P.F., from Senior Project Forester to Director of Stewardship. Please take the time to welcome Isabelle into her new role as we hold her up in this way and have you all witness this accomplishment and recognition of her deep commitment and service to work that is for the eliloo – Anishinaabe (the people).

Isabelle canoeing at the Canoe Launch 2025

Isabelle has been with Wahkohtowin Development for 8 years, as we were fortunate to meet at a Forest Products Association of Canada – FPAC event acknowledging annual recipients of the Aboriginal Youth – Skills Award for female and male. As always, it comes with a story; this was the first time meeting Isabelle, and it happens my son was being acknowledged for the male award in 2017. My son – Tristan pointed out that ‘that is Isabelle Males – she is from New Liskeard too’ – I had no idea! We sat together through the event, and I could sense immediately her dedication and commitment to always be present, listening and attentive to the speakers, new people she met, and more importantly, responsive to the idea of me, in my role as General Manager (1.5 years into the start-up of Wahkohtowin Development), offering her a job or career opportunity. Within 30 days, Isabelle followed up, and as we do at our Social Enterprise model, found a way to onboard Isabelle in an internship using Northern Ontario Heritage Fund program funds for a two-year period. In our world view, we say – things happen for a reason, and I am humbled how this life-changing moment happened.

Isabelle (left) and Tristan (right) at the Skills Awards for Aboriginal Youth

If you have had the opportunity to work with Isabelle to date, you are well aware of her calm and deliberate way. She continues to thrive in her work and provide a standard of care and professionalism that is inspiring. Isabelle leads with kindness, patience, and always with a ‘how can I help’ attitude. In her new role as Director of Stewardship, she will continue mentoring and building the work of other young professionals at Wahkohtowin in Indigenous Natural Law, Conservation, Forest Management, and Nature-Based Solutions. Isabelle joins the Executive Team that is responsible for 14 staff in total, as we celebrate our 10-year anniversary and plan for the work that our three owner Nations – Brunswick House First Nation, Chapleau Cree First Nation, and Missanabie Cree First Nation – have set out for us under the living Strategic Plan.

Isabelle in 2019

On special note, Wahkohtowin Development has a mandate to engage up to 16 sister First Nations in the region, including Timiskaming First Nation, which Isabelle is a proud member of. Through our Innovation Center – 40 Pine St, Chapleau, ON – we explore the pathway of achieving full participation in the benefits derived from forestry and forest management, and how to share them in various ways. In 2022, in Bali, at an FSC International General Assembly, Isabelle and I sat down, and I shared that we need to action this vision – extension and engagement. Isabelle responded, ‘you mean hosting an event, David?!’ and I said yes – but it has to be focused and strategic and have a hosting feel like we do in our culture. From there, the annual gathering of the Indigenous Land Symposium was birthed. We have now hosted 4 ILS events and grown from 65 participants at the first event in Chapleau in 2023, to 340 participants at Science North – Sudbury, in 2026. We are now planning the Indigenous Land Symposium for Ottawa, March 1 to 5, 2027, and anticipate 500+ participants.

Isabelle at the Indigenous Lands Symposium 2025 in Sault Ste. Marie

Since her first day in 2018, then Isabelle Males – became a Registered Professional Forester, Projects Forester, Senior Projects Forester, married her husband Chris, and is now Isabelle Allen, a mother to two young children, Walter and Lucy – plus two puppies, Juniper and Holly, as they now outgrow their cabin in the woods and build their new family home at Henwood Tree Farm – Kenabeek, ON. From the very start as a sponsoring RPF and employer, I have always considered Isabelle a peer, someone I could also learn from, and after eight years, I call friend or nishiime (sister).

As we say in our language – Indinewemanidigog (all my relations), please join me in celebrating that our common future is brighter knowing Isabelle Allen, RPF, is involved in supporting and directing stewardship work in our collective region.

Written By: David Flood