September 10, 2026
KUUJJUAQ – Ciera Avinga Lee-Kooneeliusie is the recipient of the 2026 Award for Inuit Excellence presented by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. The first Inuk woman to hold a leadership position within the Canadian Coast Guard’s Inshore Rescue Boat Program in Nunavut, Lee-Kooneeliusie advocates for community-based approaches that recognize Inuit knowledge, culture, and priorities in Coast Guard operations, ensuring programs are delivered in ways that reflect Inuit ways of knowing and local realities, tailoring the CCG’s training and operational approaches for cultural and community relevance.
Today, during ITK’s annual general meeting in Kuujjuaq, President Natan Obed presented the award to Lee-Kooneeliusie, who joined the meeting virtually.
Raised in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Lee-Kooneeliusie currently serves as a Senior Search and Rescue Program Officer. In addition to leading the Rescue Specialist program, acting as one of the Arctic Region’s lead first aid instructors, and developing and delivering training tailored to include Inuit knowledge and informed by local realities, Lee-Kooneeliusie supports recruitment, mentorship, and training opportunities for Inuit within CCG’s programming, encourages community involvement, and contributes to the development of local search and rescue capacity.
The ITK Awards have been presented annually for more than 20 years. In 2023, the program expanded to allow anyone to nominate an Inuk doing exceptional work to advance Inuit self-determination. The 2026 program received 41 nominations. Past recipients have been recognized for their efforts towards advancing youth, women, language and culture, health, elders, cultural repatriation, Inuit knowledge, and volunteerism.
Last year’s recipient was Diana Neill-Anawak, a Nunavut speech-language pathologist providing culturally responsive speech-language therapy. The 2024 recipient was Julie-Ann Berthe, a childcare and language specialist from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik.
Lee-Kooneeliusie will receive a $2,500 cash prize as well tickets to attend Tapiriit 2027 in Ottawa.
