Dr. Mason Ducharme is the Executive Director of the Centre for First Nations Governance (CFNG) and the National Community Research Director for the Rebuilding First Nations Governance (RFNG) project—a national research initiative co-led by CFNG and Carleton University. A proud member of the Lil’wat Nation within the St’át’imc Nation, Mason has over a decade of leadership experience in Indigenous governance, policy development, and community-based research. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Public Administration at the University of Victoria.
Mason holds a BBA from Capilano University, an MPA, and a PhD in Public Administration from UVic. His dissertation, Turnover and the Retention of Indigenous Executives in Indigenous Organizations, earned him the Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Doctoral Scholarship and a nomination for the Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal. He has led and facilitated dozens of workshops with First Nations governments across BC and has published extensively on Indigenous governance, language revitalization, citizen engagement, and the implementation of Bill C-92. Mason also co-produces Inherent Rights, Informed Voices, a podcast series highlighting self-determination in action. As a former Band Manager, Director of Education, and Research Advisor, Mason is committed to supporting practical, community-driven pathways toward Indigenous self-government.