Âsokan Generational Developments Launches ‘Bush to Boardroom’ Podcast on Indigenous Business and Reconciliation

FORT MCMURRAY, AB, CANADA, April 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The first episode of Bush to Boardroom, a new podcast from Âsokan Generational Developments (AGD), features Chana Martineau, CEO of the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation (AIOC), in a candid conversation about Indigenous identity in corporate spaces, the realities of equity partnerships, and what trust actually looks like when Indigenous nations and industry come to the table.

Hosted by AGD founder and CEO Justin Bourque, the series brings Indigenous executives, entrepreneurs, and community leaders into conversation about how their indigeneity has shaped their careers and the work they do today. Each episode moves between the personal and the professional, examining what it means to carry Indigenous identity into boardrooms, financial institutions, and partnership negotiations.

Martineau, whose career spans more than 30 years in financial institutions and capital markets, and Bourque discuss the courage it takes to show up fully as an Indigenous professional in spaces that haven't always made room for that identity.

"I grew up just wanting to fit in in the corporate world," said Martineau. "I was scared of making a mistake. I made sure I was always dressed perfectly and perfectly corporate so that I just wanted to fit in. And I was afraid, honestly, of being judged."

Martineau describes a turning point when she wrote a personal blog for National Indigenous Peoples Day at Canadian Western Bank and took weeks to find the courage to submit it. The response transformed her understanding of what was possible.

"That outpouring of support and wanting to understand and wanting to learn and the celebration that I am Indigenous, I am a female leader, I'm a leader in the bank, and I can be all of those things together," said Martineau. "I always thought those pieces were separate."

Bourque, who has spoken openly in previous podcast episodes about suppressing his own indigeneity early in his career, said the series is designed to surface exactly these kinds of stories.

"Many of us Indigenous folks that have operated in the corporate space have some sort of a similar type of realization, it's okay to embrace your indigeneity now," said Bourque. "This podcast is about exploring those moments and the leaders who are creating new paths forward."

The episode also covers the state of Indigenous equity partnerships in Canada, the role AIOC plays in bridging corporate and community interests, and advice for the next generation of Indigenous leaders entering business and governance.

Bush to Boardroom is available on Spotify and at agdev.ca.

Bourque is available for interviews to discuss the launch of Bush to Boardroom, the state of Indigenous equity partnerships in Canada, and the stories of Indigenous leaders working at the intersection of community and industry.

Ryan O'Donnell
CIPR Communications
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