Our President

Paula Isaak, President – Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor)

Paula Isaak became president of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency on 9 October 2018.

Prior to her appointment to CanNor, she was an employee of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) for over 20 years. She began her career in Ottawa where she determined that she had a strong interest in working with ISC's regional offices. She pursued that interest through postings in a variety of regions from the Atlantic to the Pacific and the North.

Paula has worked in a variety of program areas including land claim and self-government negotiations in the Yukon and NWT, economic development, strategic policy, intergovernmental affairs and natural resource and environmental management. She was the Regional Director General of the Yukon regional office of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs which delivers a wide range of programs and services to Indigenous and northern residents. Prior to being appointed as President, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, she was the Assistant Deputy Minister of Education and Social Development Programs and Partnerships at Indigenous Services Canada.

Paula has an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Manitoba and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Carleton University.