Helping you elevate Indigenous perspectives through meaningful research, policy development, and training.
Jacknife Consulting is a boutique Indigenous-led research and education firm.
We specialize in Indigenous research and knowledge translation, helping organizations conduct research, understand complex Indigenous challenges and apply that understanding in policy, education, and decision-making. Our company has roots in Treaty 6 at Elizabeth Métis Settlement and is now based in Treaty 7 Territory.
We advance reconciliation by elevating Indigenous perspectives across every project we undertake. We work with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations—from government agencies and corporate clients to non-profits, educational institutions, and First Nations communities.
Research, policy, and training shaped by community
Our work spans conducting in-depth research on environmental racism for Environment and Climate Change Canada, designing culturally responsive training programs for corporate clients such as, ATB, and delivering Métis history education to non-profits nationwide. We partner directly with Indigenous organizations and governments to strengthen governance through policy development, organizational assessments, and educational research tailored to First Nations communities.
We take on nuanced topics and translate them into insights that are clear, respectful, and usable. Our approach is rigorous, strengths-based, and rooted in Indigenous gender based analysis.
We are a Certified Indigenous Business with the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business and a member of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. We also hold a Government of Canada ProServices Supply Arrangement.
Organizations We Work With
Our Team
Sarah Jacknife
Managing Director and Founder Sarah is an accomplished Indigenous relations expert with over a decade of experience in the field. Sarah was born and raised in her community, Elizabeth Métis Settlement, in Treaty 6, with connections to Saddle Lake Cree First Nation. With international experience, she has collaborated with Indigenous rightsholders in New Zealand and worked nationally in Indigenous higher education and telecommunications.
She is the founder and managing director of Jacknife Consulting Ltd, a Indigenous-women owned and operated firm specializing in Indigenous curriculum, facilitation, research, and policy development. She is the recipient of the BIPOC Foundation’s Indigenous Business of the Year award.
Sarah also teaches graduate-level Indigenous Policy as a sessional instructor at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy.
Her written pieces have been featured in Policy Options, The Hill Times, The Globe and Mail, CBC, and the Calgary Herald. She is also a member of the Indigenous Leadership Circle. Sarah currently resides as a guest in Mohkinstsis/Calgary, located on Treaty 7 Territory.
MacKenna Jardine
Research AssociateMacKenna Jardine supports research, communications, and knowledge mobilization initiatives at Jacknife Consulting Ltd. Her work focuses on translating policy and research into accessible content, including social media, educational materials, and communications that highlight Indigenous perspectives and issues.
She has expertise in policy analysis using Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) and intersectional frameworks, recognizing how overlapping identities shape people’s experiences and how policy impacts communities differently. MacKenna also has a background in disability policy, bringing an understanding of accessibility and inclusion to her work.
MacKenna holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy. She currently resides as a guest on Vancouver Island on the territory of the Esquimalt Nation.
Follow Us on Social
Contact us
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!