Behind the scenes, there are many people who shape The Forks into a meeting place that welcomes about four million visitors a year, and Jessica Floresco’s perspective on conservation, sustainability and Indigenous representation is invaluable.
As the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for The Forks for the past three years, she has led many initiatives that are shaping the site in new ways, including overseeing the Railside at The Forks development. Jessica is also a citizen of the Red River Metis nation and her accomplishments and career were recently recognized by the Manitoba Metis Federation.
Jessica discovered her Métis identity late into her university career. This was a pivotal turning point for her as she grew up neither talking about nor fully understanding that part of her heritage. Since then, she has allowed her Indigenous roots to ground her and dedicated herself to understanding traditional ways of knowledge and learning.
In her current role as COO, she brings her heritage and passion for environmental conservatism and sustainability. She most recently worked with MMF to organize Louis Riel Day, bringing 17,000 visitors to The Forks site.
Congratulations to Jessica for this deserved recognition. You can read more about her on the MMF website!