Mr. Buffalo is a proud member of the Samson Cree Nation, located approximately 100 kilometres south of Edmonton, Alberta. He graduated secondary school from Athol Murray College at Notre Dame, Saskatchewan. Mr. Buffalo then went on to complete a Business Administration program at Medicine Hat College, continuing on to the University of Lethbridge, where he completed a Management Degree in 1998. He began working at Peace Hills Trust two days after his convocation. Mr. Buffalo worked for Peace Hills Trust for 15 years. He reflects on his time with the organization stating, “Near the end of my tenure at the Trust, I felt I had reached a certain limit of job growth, I looked at the both the pros and the cons of my position and decided that it was time for a major career move.” Peace Hills Trust’s loss has been IRC’s gain. Mr. Buffalo is great asset exemplified in his eagerness to begin work in his new position. He notes, “the oil and gas industry is very exciting, and especially for First Nations. Oil and gas are natural resources that can help them build First Nations communities.” He continues, “having spent 10 years as a Regional Manager for Peace Hills Trust, I am confident in my abilities as a business leader. We need to be accountable and, at the same time, do our best to reach our mandates.” The IRC supports First Nations through working with government and industry. With this mandate in mind Mr. Buffalo notes, “With all the non-renewable resources, protecting the First Nations’ interests and ensuring that they maximize on their resources should be a common goal to sustainability.”