Raylene Whitford is a scholar-practitioner working at the intersection of climate policy, capital markets, and Indigenous rights. She was raised in amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta) and is a member of the Otipemisiwak Métis Nation. 

Raylene is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) and holds an MBA from Aberdeen Business School (UK). She is currently completing an interdisciplinary PhD in Indigenous Studies and Business at the University of Alberta, where her research examines how corporate sustainability disclosures represent Indigenous Peoples’ rights and how reporting systems can better reflect Indigenous rights and governance.

Her work focuses on strengthening the role of Indigenous perspectives in climate governance, clean growth, and corporate accountability. She works with investors to develop rights-based investment frameworks that integrate Indigenous jurisdiction, consent, and governance into decision-making. She brings nearly two decades of experience in energy and finance, including roles as an equity partner at Deloitte and an executive of a London Stock Exchange-listed company.