Introducing Amelia Pruchnicki
What inspired you to join AHF?
Joining the Anishnawbe Health Foundation (AHF) is deeply personal to me. Like many urban Indigenous people, I’ve been walking a path of reconnection — learning, reclaiming, and healing. AHF’s commitment to culturally grounded care and the strength of its partnerships with community make it a place where I can align my skills with my spirit. I was drawn to the vision of a future where Indigenous health is shaped by Indigenous people, and I wanted to be part of building that future.
What does reconciliation mean to you and how do you bring that into your leadership?
Reconciliation is both a personal and collective responsibility — it’s about truth-telling, repairing relationships, and restoring what colonization tried to erase. In my leadership, reconciliation shows up through action and listening: creating space for Indigenous voices, honouring ceremony and tradition as well as advocating for systemic change. It also means leading from a place of humility, love, and responsibility to future generations.
What helps bring you closer to your Indigenous roots?
Spending time with my family and my community, being on the land, participating in ceremony, and speaking with other Indigenous people walking their own paths all help bring me closer. I also find connection through my children, we are on a deeply personal reconnection path, together, we engage in storytelling, food, language and ceremony which creates learning and respect— even small moments of learning or reflection help me strengthen my spirit and identity.
What does community mean to you?
Community is everything. It’s where we find belonging, strength, and purpose. To me, community means interdependence — knowing that we are responsible for one another and that our health, our healing, and our futures are shared. It’s also about joy and celebration, even amidst struggle. Community means showing up with open hands and an open heart free from judgement
What are you most excited about accomplishing in joining AHF?
I’m most excited to help build sustainable pathways for Indigenous-led health and healing. That includes growing our circle of supporters, lifting up Indigenous stories and achievements, and ensuring that our children, youth, and Elders can access care that honours who they are. I’m also excited to deepen our foundation’s role as a bridge — between generations, between cultures, and between vision and action.
Where do you love to be when you’re not working?
When I’m not working, I love being with my family and friends — backyard gatherings with food, sitting around a fire or swimming in the lake. I also love quiet time with my kids, especially when we’re cooking together or having deep, funny, or spontaneous conversations. These moments keep me grounded and remind me why this work matters.