Annie E. Johnson is familiar to everyone who reads our newsletter UINR Marten...she’s our resident cartoonist! What you might not know is that Annie has other, more serious responsibilities at UINR.

 “I started at UINR as a summer student since 2005, and I’ve been with the organization ever since. In that time, I have been Administrative Assistant, Assistant to the Administrative Assistant, Finance Assistant, Finance Officer, and most recently, Director of Administration.”

A graduate of Eskasoni High School Class of 2000, Annie completed her Bachelor of Arts Community Studies degree AND a Bachelor of Business Administration degrees in May 2007. She has taken courses to attain a Certified Aboriginal Finance Manager designation with the Aboriginal Finance Officers Association of Canada, but as that designation is a combination of courses and experience, she has put the courses on hold while gaining more practical experience.

Before joining UINR in 2005 Annie worked for several years with Eskasoni Economic Development’s entrepreneurship summer camps for youth all over Nova Scotia. She also worked as a substitute teacher aide in Eskasoni Middle School. Annie is currently busy with her own social media based makeup business, helping out with the annual Mi'kmaq Run for the Cure, and heads the committee for the annual Acho Man Disco Dance organized in memory of her uncle.

When not volunteering or working Annie spends as much time as possible with her dogs Kalypso and Puks. Staff members say she bought her current vehicle (a small SUV) because she needed it to lug the dogs around with her!

An avid reader, Annie spends a good chunk of the her time reading–mostly fiction, but a variety of genres. Annie also travels as much as possible. "I'll always come back to Unama'ki/Cape Breton, but the world is too big to just always see the same bit of it!"