This work sits at the intersection of story, policy, and people
I’m Todd Lyons—founder of Namekus, a Swampy Cree-led advisory practice focused on reconciliation, privacy, and people-centred change.
I spent over 18 years in the Government of Canada working across departments in roles spanning policy, privacy investigations, Indigenous engagement, change management, and storytelling.
Over time, I found myself drawn to the same kind of work again and again:
Complex files. Sensitive issues. Important work that wasn’t quite landing.
What I learned inside government
Government is full of good intentions—and real constraints.
Policies are sound. Programs are funded. Commitments are made.
But the work often gets stuck somewhere between:
- strategy and implementation
- language and understanding
- intention and impact
That’s the space I work in.
Selected experience includes:
- Indigenous Services Canada
- Treasury Board Secretariat
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
What I do now
Through Namekus, I help organizations move that work forward.
Not by adding more process—but by making the work clearer, more human, and more usable.
That might look like:
- Turning a reconciliation commitment into an actionable plan
- Translating privacy requirements into plain language
- Designing a podcast or narrative that helps people actually understand an issue
- Supporting change in a way that reflects how people actually experience it
How I work
I’m not a large firm. I don’t bring a team of analysts.
What I bring is:
- Deep experience inside the federal system
- The ability to work across policy, communications, and operations
- A calm, thoughtful approach to complex and sensitive work
I’m often brought in when:
- a file is stuck
- the message isn’t landing
- the work matters, but isn’t connecting
Why Namekus
“Namekus” reflects a way of working grounded in relationship, respect, and responsibility.
This work is shaped by my experience as a Swampy Cree person, and by years spent navigating systems that don’t always make space for Indigenous perspectives.
That perspective isn’t separate from the work—it’s part of how the work gets done.
Beyond advisory
This work also extends into storytelling and cultural learning.
Through collaboration with Métis Jiggers, Namekus supports cultural engagement that brings context, meaning, and lived experience into organizational spaces.
Working together
If you’re working on something complex, sensitive, or stuck—this is the work I do.