Ivan J hails from the Mi’kmaw community of Flat Bay, on the west coast of Newfoundland. He is currently completing a Masters in Applied Literary Arts at Memorial University’s Grenfell Campus. 

A sharer and connector at heart, Ivan J combines his experience in audio and communications to facilitate and reveal authentic stories that contribute to Mi’kmaw pride and progress. Most of this work has been in the building of spaces, guidance of others, and platforming of Mi’kmaw and Indigenous peoples voices. 

Ivan J has worked professionally in multiple fields including arts administration, event management, and journalism with credits in multiple disciplines including; writing, music, and filmmaking.

When you condense Ivan’s practices down to base parts – the admin, the filmmaking, the writing, the music, the guidance, the building of spaces, the platforming of voices – you end up with ‘storyteller’ being the common thread with the ultimate goal being the support of people’s voices.

Ivan J lives in Shallop Cove, Newfoundland with his wife Crystal and their two children Isabella and Ivan Jr.