The Ignite Team

Firecircle Ignite Facilitator

Neala MacLeod Farley

Neala is of Scottish and Irish ancestry and grew up in Northern Ontario, climbing trees and picking wild blueberries. Her love of the outdoors and her curiosity led her to study Environmental and Agricultural Sciences in Montreal, and to participate in community-led research in Délı̨nę, Northwest Territories. Spending time on the land and canoeing under the midnight sun with Dene Elders, leaders, and youth, was a powerful and formative experience for Neala. It shaped her desire to support Indigenous leadership and cultural revival, and to help people to build healthy relationships with each other and with the land, throughout her career.

Having grown up with entrepreneurial parents, Neala gained much of her business sense through conversations around the dinner table. After graduating, Neala joined the family business and is enjoying working for First Nations clients across the country on culture, tourism, and economics related community projects. Neala sees tourism as a powerful tool for relationship building, healing, and cultural revitalization, and was excited for the opportunity to join the Firecircle team in April 2023.

As someone who deeply values meaningful relationships, helping others, and trying to make positive changes in the world, the facilitator role is a natural fit for Neala. While idealistic and imaginative, her practicality, humility, and sense of humour keep her grounded and having fun along the way. Her favourite things include campfires with friends, being on the water, playing ultimate frisbee, cuddling with her cat, and good books.