Working in the intersection of industry, government and community.

Born in Amiskwacîwâskahikan, now commonly known as Edmonton, Alberta, Raylene is a proud member of the Métis Nation of Alberta.

The first generation to be born in the city, Raylene’s family is originally from the McRae and Andrew area of northeastern Alberta. She is the granddaughter of Raymond Whitford, a WWII veteran whose first language was Cree.

The first of her family to graduate from university, Raylene spent the earliest years of her career training as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in London, UK. After spending several years in financial audit she moved into Transactions and Restructuring and was seconded to British Petroleum’s Commercial Performance Improvement Unit where she completed projects in the North Sea and West Africa.

In 2014, Raylene took a sabbatical from her corporate role and worked as a roughneck on a triple-pad drilling rig in Northern Alberta to gain experience in the field. Spending six months mid-career working a manual labor job for a Canadian winter was a formative experience that served as a springboard for her career in subsequent years.

Her previous leadership positions include directing a company listed on the London Stock Exchange and leading a $42 billion capital efficiency project for an integrated energy company in the Middle East. She also spent three years living and working in Ecuador, where she founded Canative Energy which works with Indigenous communities impacted by the energy sector.

In 2019, Raylene returned to Canada to work in the intersection of industry, government, and community. She is passionate about ensuring the energy transition is not only inclusive - but co-created - with Indigenous Peoples. She is also an advocate for Indigenous youth gaining international experience and exposure.

A former equity partner with Deloitte Canada and Chile, Raylene is currently the chairman of TC Energy’s Indigenous Advisory Council, a member of the Advisory Committee for the Deputy Minister of International Trade. She is also the founder of INDIGI-X, a global exchange for Indigenous professionals in Canada and New Zealand.

Raylene has an MBA from Aberdeen Business School in the UK and is currently completing an interdisciplinary PhD in Indigenous Studies and Business at the University of Alberta.