She started her studies at the University of Ottawa in 1987, later graduating from the Faculty of Arts in 1993. She then attended the Common Law Section of the University's Faculty of Law, graduating in 1997. While studying she founded a First Nations student association to help improve indigenous representation at the university.[1]
Career
University of Ottawa
She is a professor at the University of Ottawa, teaching with the Institute of Women's Studies at the faculty of social sciences, as well as at the faculty of law and the faculty of education. She also worked with the Indigenous studies program at the faculty of arts, where she taught courses relating to First Nations Women, Native education, First Nations people and history, and Indigenous traditions and decolonization.[1]
While at the university she also served as the chair of the Aboriginal Education Council.[6] She also established an Indigenous resource centre which eventually became the Mashkawazìwogamig Indigenous Resource Centre.[2]
In 2017, following work done by the Indigenous Law Student Association at the University of Ottawa, the faculty of law created the position of elder in residence to support Indigenous law students through cultural, social, and career related events as well as to provide guidance and advice.[7] Commanda was chosen as the inaugural holder of the position. She was also the special advisor on reconciliation to the dean of the faculty of law.[1]
In 2022 she was chosen as the 15th chancellor of the University of Ottawa, replacing Calin Rovinescu, who had served in the role since 2015.[1][2][3] With this she became the first Indigenous person to hold the role in the university's history, as well as the fourth woman to serve as chancellor, following Pauline Vanier, Gabrielle Léger, Huguette Labelle, and Michaëlle Jean.[8] This also made her the first Indigenous person to serve on the university's board of governors.
Other work
Commanda is the CEO of the First Nations Confederacy of Cultural Education Centres, a non-profit national organization which protects and promotes the culture, languages, and traditional knowledge of First Nations people.[9][10] She is also the CEO of the Maclean Day Schools Settlement Corporation (MDSSC), serving on its board of directors. The MDSSC runs a legacy fund through which it supports Federal Indian Day School Survivors and their families by funding projects related to language and culture, healing and wellness, commemoration, and truth telling.[9][11]
She also served two terms on the board of governors for the First Nations University of Canada, and three terms on the Kitigan Zibi band council.[9]
^Although the University's news release referred to her as the third female to hold the role, a total of four women served as Chancellor prior to Commanda