People
Randy Morse
ILC Co-Founder & CEO
Randy is a seasoned educational publisher, the founder of Reidmore Books and Oz New Media before helping create ILC in 2005. Randy brings an unusually varied assortment of life experiences and skills with him to ILC. Highlights include:
- doctoral work in political science, University of Alberta and the International Peace Research Institute (Oslo, Norway);
- President, Book Publishers Association of Alberta;
- National Council, Association of Canadian Publishers;
- Publisher, Alberta Native Education Publishing Project;
- Author of 5 books;
- Established artist;
- Speaks 4 languages (plus enough Spanish to easily get into trouble!)
- Married, 3 kids, 1 grandchild, 2 dogs & a cat
Rick Running Rabbit
ILC Co-Founder & President
Rick is a member of the Siksika (Blackfoot) First Nation of Canada. He has extensive experience in working with Indigenous people in Canada, and served in a senior management capacity for the second largest Indian Reserve in Canada for many years. In this position he was instrumental in developing policing, justice programs, elections, land claims and many other community-based programs that combined traditional indigenous customs and beliefs with current management practices and resources.
Rick is very active in various First Nations community and cultural areas. He was a founding member of the North American Indigenous Games, a North American celebration of indigenous sports and culture. He has also served on numerous national, provincial and community boards and committees.
Rick's intimate understanding of issues facing indigenous communities and his firm commitment to providing Aboriginal youth with every opportunity to succeed in an increasingly complex world, led him to co-found the Indigenous Learning Company with his colleague, Randy Morse.
Walter Schwabe
Manager, Business Development
Walter is a seasoned businessman, having served as chief operating officer and director on several significant information technology companies, and running his own successful consulting firm, fusedlogic inc., for over seven years. He also brings considerable experience in significant corporate fundraising, technology commercialization and business development to the ILC senior management team. Proudly Métis, he is committed to Aboriginal community development and encouraging young people to participate in education, sports and career development. Walter was born in Edmonton, Alberta, is married to Tracy, and has a daughter, Sydney.
Jeff Ward
Manager, Product Development
Jeff has worked with Aboriginal groups across Canada, developing web-based tools that aid in increasing communication throughout and between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal communities. His company Animikii Inc. has created web content management software that powers websites for national, provincial and local Aboriginal communites including the Aboriginal Youth Network, Aboriginal Healing Foundation and the New Relationship Trust.
He has worked at several educational multimedia companies in Canada and the United States coordinating the efforts of large production teams to develop web-based learning materials that engage and entertain students. He is particularly skilled at managing web development teams that are geographically dispersed.
Jeff is a proud Métis youth and is an active member of the Aboriginal community. Jeff regularily speaks at conferences and workshops on anything from Youth Entrepreneurship and Economic Development to Computer Programming and Internet Development.