Robyn Soulier-Ritchot
Health and Human Services
Indigenous Business Strategist

It was the desire to help people that led Robin Soulier-Ritchot - a First Nations Oji-Cree Woman from Treaty 1 Territory - to the Bow Valley College Health and Human Services program.

By the time she was ready to pursue post-secondary education, Robyn had already been to 17 different schools due to her mother’s work as a nurse. She also grew up around alcoholism and drug abuse, and at 21 years old, was a high-functioning alcoholic with a drug addiction.

In her mid-20s, Robyn started studying psychology at university, but after two years, she knew the path wasn’t for her and recognized she needed to do some healing work for herself.

After taking some time off, Robyn decided to pursue her education again. While she wasn’t initially sure a business focus would allow her to help people in the ways she imagined, she felt a pull towards the Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship diploma program at Red River College. During her second year, Robin became pregnant and credits her firstborn son with helping her complete the program as it was that point, she decided she was going to become sober.

She graduated with honours and shortly after giving birth, came across Bow Valley College and knew immediately the Health and Human Services program would give her tools she was seeking to become a leader in formal spaces. The initial timeline for the program was two years, but Robin was eager to start working as soon as possible and completed it in one year.

After graduating, Robyn worked as a program director on the Indigenous psychology team at the University of Calgary until August 2023. During this time, she was also the Ecommerce Advisor with the Canadian Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) as part of a grant from the Canadian government, where she was made a Team Lead and was able to apply what she learned in her program about organizational behaviour. As that contract ended, Robyn’s manager at CDAP advocated for her to be offered a permanent position with Alberta Business Link as the Indigenous Business Strategist, where she’s been employed since November 2022.
In August 2022, Robyn – whose spirit name is Spotted Eagle with a Message - also established her own business after applying for a grant to create an online cohort for youth. The name, Eagle Medicine Coaching, came to her in a vision and she immediately registered it, understanding that there was much more to the name than the work she was creating at that moment. Through Eagle Medicine Coaching, she’s able to act as a mentor and speak about business in a way that aligns with her beliefs as an Indigenous woman.

“I am responsible for looking out for my community and relating that back to what kind of world I’m leaving in terms of being an entrepreneur,” says Robyn. “How can I put that all together? Honouring Mother Earth. Business. Kinship. Wâhkôhtowin - the Cree law, [meaning] ‘all our relations.’

Now the mother of two boys – a three-year old and an eight-month old – Robyn hopes to continue helping others step out of their comfort zone and inspire them to see the best in themselves.

“Fear comes from a place that disconnects us from our calling, our gifts, so when in doubt, do it. Face your fears and connect with your purpose, whatever that may look like to you,” she says. “I know that if I help myself, then I’m capable of helping others. But also, when I show kindness to someone and show people that they’re capable of loving themselves, I’m doing my job to make this a safer place for my children.