Robin Roberts
Adjunct Research Professor
Appointed in July 2025, Robin has a range of interests that include: student mentoring; leadership development; corporate performance and risk; and economic reconciliation. Robin is currently working on an Indigenous Navigator concept—focussed on respectful negotiations that balance economic and climate priorities– with partner allies from government, industry, finance, academia and NGOs.
Robin worked his way through school—obtaining degrees at McGill (BA Hons) and Concordia (MPA). He maintained his commitment to learning through his career in public service, obtaining certifications in: Negotiations (Harvard Law); Project Management (George Washington); Lean (Ottawa U-Telfer); Informal Conflict Management System (TBS-Carleton); and Coaching (CFC).
He retired from the Government of Canada, with 20+ years as an executive. At ESDC: he led a $2B indigenous economic development program; developed the Foreign Credential Recognition Loan initiative; built the corporate performance research and risk unit; and, led work in DMO with HR and Finance on two expenditure review exercises. At the RCMP Complaints Commission he led police oversight and community outreach. Robin postponed retirement to accept an offer from Health Canada to work pandemic response— he joined the Health Products and Food Branch, where as Associate Director General he co-led the team authorizing PPE and rapid covid tests, and advancing regulatory modernization with machine learning and AI.
His last assignment was Senior Director Reconciliation Implementation Branch, Natural Resources Canada. At NRCan, he led collaboration with department centres of expertise– including Strategic Policy, Critical Minerals and Mines, the Canadian Forestry Service, and Justice—on economic reconciliation, UNDRIP implementation, talent development, learning roadmaps and the indigenous knowledge and research ethics policy for the Government of Canada.
Robin, listed in the Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) Indigenous Business Directory, now facilitates and advises leadership teams on intergovernmental relations, infrastructure and sustainable economic development, reconciliation, budget and program reviews, corporate planning and risk management. He enjoys leading EX workshops, and advising new and aspiring leaders with the Executive Counseling Service— in collaboration with ISC colleagues and the Indigenous Coaches Circle. He has coached indigenous leaders and employees from the Black Leadership Development Program; he mentored a MOSAIC group of aspiring executives. His clients include(d): Finance, Health Canada, ESDC, CFIA, IRCC, PSPC, Impact Assessment Canada, Justice and the Forestry Products Association of Canada.
Raised in Montreal, Robin resides with family in Ottawa. He is fluent in English and French, and is a member of the Mohawk Nation (Kahnawake Band).