Michael Lickers

Associate faculty

Leadership Studies
Environment & Sustainability
Michael Lickers

Michael Lickers teaches in the Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL) and Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) programs and Introduction to Indigenous Environmental Leadership program (IELP) in the School of Environment and Sustainability and supported the development of the MA in Climate Action Leadership. He has a unique role within the MA Leadership program, serving as the Indigenous Scholar in Residence. Providing students and faculty the opportunity to ask questions regarding Indigenous Peoples, delivering plenary sessions and meeting with students one on one. Academically, his focus is on Indigenous ways of knowing and being, Indigenous methodologies, Indigenous youth leadership, storytelling, youth leadership, international youth leadership development, land based cultural education and outdoor education.

Experience

Lickers’ eclectic background has taken him from section foreman for CP Rail to quality control of Aerospace laser guidance systems, digital Landsat photographer, serving in the military, and counselling in jails and criminal and family courts. He has worked as a youth counsellor and coordinator of therapeutic foster care. He founded and developed a non-profit organization that provided cultural outdoor education in Canada and internationally with Indigenous youth and communities. Lickers says "it is my pleasure to be working with Robin Cox and her team on the development of a new course the MA in Climate Action Leadership in the School of Environment and Sustainability. As one of the Indigenous consultants working to ensure that there is relevant and current information pertaining to Indigenous ways of knowing and being, I am truly honoured to be part of the development and implementation team working on this."

Education

2016
Doctor of Social Sciences

Royal Roads University

2007
Master of Arts in Leadership and Training

Royal Roads University

2004
General Management Certificate

University of Calgary

Awards

2016
Founders Award

From Royal Roads University convocation

2019
Calgary Police Commission Community Policing and 20-year Service Recognition

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2011
Diversity Leadership Award

From Calgary Chamber of Commerce

2011
Chief David Crowchild Award

For contributions to improving relations between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in the City of Calgary

2004
Chief David Crowshoe Award

From the University of Calgary, for outstanding contributions to Aboriginal education

Publications

Miller, K. M., & Berg, G. (2025). Indigenous Knowledge Keepers of Churchill. et al. Coexistence between people and polar bears supports Indigenous knowledge mobilization in wildlife management and research. Commun Earth Environ 6, 74 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02017-6 

Miller, K., Berg, G., Lickers, M., & Henri, D. (2024). “Bears are like family”: Indigenous knowledge of human-polar bear coexistence amidst rapid social-ecological change.

Lickers, M. (2023). Indigenous considerations in non-profit management. In K. Seel, (ed.). Management of nonprofit and Charitable Organizations in Canada. (5th edition), Chapter 16. LexisNexis

Lickers, M., et al, (2023). The Indigenous Scholar in Residence: Supporting Students in Decolonizing Research, pp.353-370. In Hamilton, D.N., Kool, R. & Childs, E. (Eds). Active Learning for Real-World Inquiry. Royal Roads University. 

Lickers, M., & Higgins-Parker, L. (2023). Virtues: Original teachings and leadership. In T. Newstead, R. Riggio (Eds), Leadership and Virtues: Understanding and practicing good leadership, pp. 181-196. Routledge.

Lickers, Michael (2018) "Your Still Not Listening To Us: What First Nations Youth are Saying”. Journal of Indigenous Research: Vol. 6 : Iss. 2018 , Article 1. 
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/kicjir/vol6/iss2018/1

Lickers, M. (2018). Indigenous considerations in non-profit management. In K. Seel, (ed.). Management of nonprofit and Charitable Organizations in Canada. (4th edition), pp. 561-604. Markham, On;  LexisNexis

Lickers, M. (2017). Giving Voice to First Nations Youth Leadership. The Canadian Journal of Native Studies, XXXVII, (1).

Lickers, M. (2016). Indigenous youth leadership development: Rediscovering youth leadership (Unpublished Doctoral dissertation) Royal Roads University, Victoria. BC.

Lickers, M. (2008).Urban Aboriginal Leadership; The Delicate Dance Between Two Worlds. Calgary, Ab: VDM Publishers.

Lickers, M., White, L. (2008) International Indigenous Youth Leadership Education: International Indigenous Education Journal, First Nations University.

Lickers, M. (2007). Rediscovering Identity; Aboriginal Youth and Substance Abuse: Educational Journal Lobstick, Volume 5.