Rachelle Venne is the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women (IAAW). She has a wealth of experience in the non-profit, corporate and government sectors which results in the delivery of well-rounded, transparent and caring decisions.

As a single mom of twenty-two holding down three part-time jobs with three children under six, Rachelle returned to school to obtain a Business Administration/Management Training certificate. Shortly after graduation, she began working at a large corporation, starting as an administrative assistant and progressing to a community relations specialist in 1994. It is here that Rachelle gained her expertise in community development through her work with nationally-recognized specialists and trainers from Boston College in Boston, Mass. The corporation was recognized as one of the ten best companies in Canada for its innovative and respectful Aboriginal programs.

Rachelle has held a variety of positions to build her business repertoire. She has extensive knowledge of the non-profit sector and government contracts. Most recently, Rachelle was the coordinator of the Urban Aboriginal Strategy, a federal program to deliver project funding to Aboriginal organizations in Edmonton. Currently, Rachelle is leading the IAAW into specialized training initiatives for Aboriginal women that address the major issues of poverty, discrimination and isolation.

Rachelle has learned the value of hard work and dedication from her mother, Muriel Stanley Venne, a nationally-recognized advocate for human rights and justice for Aboriginal people. Her daughter Kandis and son-in-law Will Hiscock live in Valleyview, daughter Kerri and son-in law Nathan Brisson are in Edmonton, and her son, Robert Langton lives in St. Albert.