About Walks Far Consulting
Walks Far Consulting is an Indigenous-led consulting practice grounded in lived experience, relational accountability, and practical support.
Founded by Shantelle Robillard, Walks Far Consulting exists to support organizations, teams, and communities doing Indigenous-facing work – and to help them move beyond performative commitments toward relationships that are real, respectful, and sustainable.
Shantelle brings over a decade of experience working across corporate, nonprofit, and community spaces, with a focus on Indigenous recruitment and retention, program and policy development, facilitation, and workplace culture. Her work is informed by both professional experience and lived reality – navigating Indigenous and non-Indigenous systems, supporting Indigenous candidates and staff, and holding space for the emotional labor that often goes unseen in workplaces.
At the heart of Walks Far Consulting is the belief that work is relational. Hiring, leadership, policy, and engagement all impact real people with real histories, responsibilities, and identities. When organizations slow down, listen deeply, and build with care, stronger outcomes follow – not just on paper, but in day-to-day practice.
Walks Far Consulting offers contract-based and project-based support that is:
~ Indigenous-informed, not extractive
~ Trauma-aware, without being clinical
~ Honest, practical, and grounded
~ Focused on follow-through, not just intention
This work is not about checking boxes or using the right language. It’s about building ~ and meaningfully ~ Indigenizing systems people can actually survive – and thrive – inside of.
What Makes This Different
I don’t show up as a “parachute consultant.”
I show up as someone who understands:
~ What it’s like to navigate Indigenous and non-Indigenous spaces at the same time
~ How much invisible labor Indigenous staff are often carrying
~ Why retention matters more than recruitment
~ and why culture, care, and boundaries aren’t “extras” – they’re essential!
I blend Indigenous ways of knowing with real-world workplace experience. That means conversations are honest, sometimes uncomfortable, and always grounded in respect.
I’m not here to make anyone look good on paper.
I’m here to help build systems people can actually survive and thrive within.
Who I Work With
Walks Far Consulting partners with organizations and teams committed to doing Indigenous-facing work with integrity and accountability.
This includes organizations that are:
~ Hiring Indigenous staff and seeking respectful, informed recruitment practices
~ Supporting Indigenous employees and leaders in sustainable ways
~ Developing programs or policies for Indigenous communities
~ Seeking facilitation that is interactive, grounded, and human
~ In need of reliable, short-term or contract-based support
I work across a range of settings, including:
~ Non-profit and community-based organizations
~ Corporate and professional services organizations
~ Indigenous-serving agencies and initiatives
~ Educational institutions and training providers
~ Boards, leadership teams, and people managers
~ Small teams navigating capacity gaps
You don’t need to have everything figured out – but you do need to be open to listening, reflection, and meaningful follow-through.
My “WHY”
I do this work because I’ve lived the gaps.
I’ve navigated Indigenous and non-Indigenous systems where expectations were unclear, emotional labor went unnamed, and support often stopped at intention instead of follow-through. I’ve watched Indigenous candidates get hired into environments that weren’t built with them in mind and then quietly burn out, shut down, or leave.
I’ve also seen what happens when things are done differently.
When leaders slow down.
When hiring is relational, not transactional.
When people are treated as whole humans, not roles or optics.
That’s where I come in.
My work is rooted in real experience – supporting Indigenous people through recruitment, onboarding, and retention; advising organizations trying to do better; and holding space for the complexity, grief, humor, resilience, and responsibility that often come with this work.
I don’t believe in perfection or purity tests. I believe in honesty, accountability, and learning in real time. I do this work to help create environments where Indigenous people don’t have to harden themselves to survive – and where organizations are equipped to confidently show up with care, clarity, and consistency.
Why Walks Far Consulting?
Walks Far Consulting was created because meaningful change doesn’t happen through quick fixes or one-off initiatives. It happens through relationship, presence, and endurance. It happens when someone is willing to walk alongside the work, even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it takes time, and even when the path stretches far beyond what’s easy or visible.
The name Walks Far carries intention, honoring the spirit of the Warrior Woman Who Walks Far – a life-seasoned, earth-connected guide who walks barefoot, rooted in humility, wisdom, and care. This is work done fully, deliberately, and for the long journey, not for the quick win.
Every step matters. Every action is sacred.
This practice exists to support organizations ready to move beyond surface-level reconciliation and toward Indigenous engagement that is grounded, ethical, and sustainable. That means clear scope, realistic expectations, and practical action – not just good intentions.
Walks Far Consulting meets organizations where they are, while holding a high standard for relational accountability. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is to create systems and practices that people can walk inside of – with pride, dignity, support, and room to grow.
Whether you’ve been in this space for some time or this is your first step, let’s take the next one together and really show up. Committing to the work with courage, care, and intention.
Because real change is a journey and every step matters.