Tandi Purych

Background

About Tandi Purych

Hadih, My name is Tandi Purych, my pronouns are she/her — I am a proud Carrier, Cree, and Métis woman from Lheidli T’enneh Nation, with Irish and Scottish roots on my maternal side. I recently returned home to my Lheidli T’enneh territory, bringing with me all the lessons, experiences, and healing gathered from the many places that shaped me. I grew up moving back and forth between Prince George and Vancouver Island, and later built much of my career and education in Calgary. Each place holds a piece of who I am, and I carry deep gratitude for the lands and people who have guided me along the way. My professional journey has been dedicated to supporting children, youth, and families through culturally grounded, community-driven work. I’ve spent years building and leading programs for Indigenous youth, creating spaces for belonging and empowerment, and walking alongside families with compassion and care, supporting while they navigate their healing and our systems. Today, I serve as the General Manager of Lheidli Littles' Lodge, my Nation’s Child Care Centre, which I helped build from an empty building into a fully licensed, thriving Centre that now houses 17 dedicated staff. This work reflects my ability to bring vision to life — blending leadership, systems thinking, and heart to create programs that truly serve the community. The Childcare Center has been a labor of love for me. At the heart of my work is getting to the root of the issue — seeing what others might not, addressing it with honesty and care, and building bridges between people, systems, and perspectives. I’m passionate about creating spaces rooted in truth, safety, and belonging, where growth, healing and change can happen together. With a foundation in Social Work, an Executive MBA in Indigenous Business Leadership, and certification as a Prosci® Change Management Practitioner, I bring both structure and heart to my work. I don’t claim to specialize in one area — I integrate what I’ve learned to strengthen organizations, support staff, and nurture meaningful change in community. For me, leadership begins and ends with relationships — showing up with authenticity, humility, and purpose. I believe real transformation happens when we create space for truth, courage, and connection. Snachailya, Tandi Purych (Grandmother Stone Woman)"May you pray about it more than you worry about it"