Kathleen Sawdo THRP, CIHRP

Questioner
DISC Type : c

Executive Director at Indigenous Works

Ontario, Canada

Overview

Kathleen Sawdo is the Executive Director of Indigenous Works HRD & Kocihta, bringing over 20 years of experience in human resources. She is a cultural strategist who integrates Anishinaabe teachings into her work, holding both THRP and CIHRP certifications. Colleagues describe her as professional, resourceful, and passionate about Indigenous inclusion and talent development.

Outside of her executive role, Kathleen is a dedicated artist, beadworker, and the founder of Sister Bear Designs, a family business that honors traditional knowledge. She is deeply connected to her heritage and the land, drawing inspiration from activities like harvesting on her traditional territory and spending time at her lake.

Unique fact: Kathleen is one of only two people in Canada to hold the Tribal Human Resources Professional (THRP) certification.

Personality Overview

Systematic

Value Seeker

Price-Sensitive

They generally do not appreciate an overfriendly approach and prefer to stay to-the-point.  They are more likely than others to negotiate on pricing and terms. They prefer to fully evaluate every situation.

Topics They Care About

Indigenous Inclusion
Her entire career is dedicated to advancing Indigenous employment, inclusion, and cultural respect in workplaces across Canada, moving beyond a "checklist" approach to build genuine relationships.
Relational Systems Change
She advocates for transforming organizations by embedding Indigenous principles of reciprocity, responsibility, and readiness into their core structures and leadership.
Anishinaabe Teachings
She explicitly grounds her leadership and professional approach in her Anishinaabe teachings, using a "two-eyed seeing" perspective to blend Indigenous and Western worldviews.

Media Appearances

Kathleen Sawdo - Indigenous Works. Featured in Indigenous Works

See Now

Work History

7-2025
Executive Director at Indigenous Works
4-2013
Founder/CEO/Artist at Sister Bear Designs
7-2024 - 7-2025
Acting Director of Human Resources at Indigenous Youth Roots - IYR (Formerly CRE)
11-2023 - 7-2025
Associate Director of Human Resources at Indigenous Youth Roots - IYR (Formerly CRE)
4-2023 - 11-2023
Human Resources Manager at Indigenous Youth Roots - IYR (Formerly CRE)

Education

3-2024 - 6-2024
Associate's degree from AFOA Canada
3-2021 - 4-2021
Mini MBA from Schulich School of Business - York University

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 12 Location : Ontario, Canada Job Level : Senior Designation : Executive Director at Indigenous Works
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Insights For Selling To Kathleen

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Emphasize on objective proof of ROI, help them do a thorough evaluation
  • Share as much information as possible regarding your product
  • Emphasise more on facts and measurable benefits

DONT's

  • Avoid rushing them, be polite and patient
  • Don’t depend too much on anecdotal evidence, it reduces their confidence
  • Don’t try to be too friendly or informal with them

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Kathleen is

  • Confidence that the product provides ROI, effective pricing and process adherence matter the most to them.

  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Kathleen

  • It doesn’t come naturally to them but they can say no if they are not convinced.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Kathleen move?

  • They can move at a reasonable pace while making their decisions if they have the necessary information.

  • Can Kathleen take some risk or not?

  • If they believe that they have analyzed the situation well, they can take a little risk.

You And Kathleen

Personality Compatibility


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