Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak is congratulating one of its staff members for being the first Indigenous woman to be appointed as the province’s Advocate for Children and Youth.

Sherry Gott graduated with a Master’s degree in Social Work in 2019, and had been working with MKO’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Liaison Unit until last week.

Gott says this new role allows her to develop needed relationships with Indigenous people and communities to support the ongoing effort to reduce the number of Indigenous children separated from their families.

A member of Sapotaweyak Cree Nation, Gott starts her role as advocate on Monday.