Mason Ducharme
National Community Research Director
Mason Ducharme recently advanced from Inherent Rights Fellow to National Community Research Director. In this role, he ensures community research needs are met with appropriate expertise and resources, and supports Inherent Rights Fellows, Research Assistants, and First Nation community members in documenting and sharing their stories to aid other First Nations in their transition to self-government. Mason also serves as Co-Executive Director of the Centre for First Nations Governance.
Proudly acknowledging his Lil’wat and Samahquam Nation heritage, Mason holds a BBA from Capilano University, an MPA from the University of Victoria, and is nearing completion of his PhD in Public Administration at the same institution. His dissertation focuses on retaining Indigenous executives in Indigenous organizations, earning him the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Graduate Scholarship. Additionally, he is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School’s Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities certificate program.
With over five years of experience as an Indigenous executive, Mason’s roles include Research Assistant (March 2021 – September 2023), Inherent Rights Fellow (October 2023 – July 2024), and Research Advisor at the First Nations Public Service Secretariat (FNPSS) (November 2022 – July 2023). He also taught Indigenous Values in Business and HR Management at Vancouver Island University and Indigenous Governance in Canada at the University of Victoria.
Mason’s publications include:
- “Making Indigenous Self-Government Happen in Canada” in Positive Public Administration (forthcoming).
- “The Retention of Indigenous Executives in Indigenous Organizations” in Research in HRM On Native American Persons’ Work Issues (forthcoming).
- “How to Support Core Governance Needs of British Columbia First Nations” for FNPSS (2023).
Mason’s panel and conference presentations include:
- “Language and Lawmaking” at the Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Symposium (2024).
- “The Retention of Indigenous Executives in Indigenous Organizations” at the BC AFOA’s Indigenous Governance & HR Conference (2023).
- “What do First Nations Government leaders need from public administrators?” at the CAPPA/ACPAP Conference (2022).