Leslie Bonshor is an Indigenous matriarchal leader, coach and consultant.
Leslie Bonshor is from the Stó:lō Nation, Ch’iyaqtel community, and a member of the Nooksack Indian Tribe; with ties through marriage to the Dzawada’enuxw First Nation of Kingcome Inlet. She is a grandmother, mother, auntie, friend and caretaker of her community, and a visionary leader and knowledge keeper with Thélá:ylexw awtxw Foundation—The House of Life Givers—a non-profit dedicated to amplifying the voices and leadership of Stó:lō womxn and fostering Indigenous resurgence and social change.
Leslie has spent decades leading transformational change to advance reconciliation and Indigenous inclusion within large institutions. In health care, she played a catalytic role at Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health during a pivotal time when organizations were beginning to confront systemic colonial harms but lacked clarity on how to take meaningful action. Leslie helped chart a path forward—working collaboratively to embed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action, UNDRIP and Indigenous priorities into policy, leadership and service delivery, while growing the capacity of other leaders to advance this work.
Her cross-sector leadership extends through roles with the Visions First Nation Planning Group, multiple Indigenous-led research initiatives with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and advisory work with the Vancouver Foundation and UBC. A respected knowledge keeper, community leader and systems change strategist, Leslie brings cultural depth, relational leadership and practical expertise to her coaching and facilitation. She creates supportive spaces where corporate leaders can engage in courageous learning, deepen their understanding of reconciliation and decolonization and build their own capacity to lead meaningful change within their organizations.