Profile
“No matter how many clients I have, I make sure to call each one personally every quarter. It’s a chance to not only update them on their portfolio, but also check on how they’re doing personally”
Kelvin Rampersad,
Carte Wealth Management
Buffy Mills has never waited for permission to create change. She has always stepped forward, ensuring Indigenous communities have the financial security, benefits, and support they deserve.
“Giving back in such meaningful ways is the greatest measure of success,” she explains. “I am so blessed to be able to uplift others and create lasting impact.”
Mills knew from the start that her work would centre around advocacy, equity, and systemic change. While the exact path wasn’t always clear, she positioned herself where she could make the greatest difference.
As a respected leader in Indigenous benefits and financial advocacy at Acera Indigenous Benefits, the Indigenous employee benefits consultant is transforming an industry that has historically overlooked the unique needs of Indigenous organizations.
BPM recognized Mills as an Elite Woman 2025 for her significant impact and contributions to the sector.
Mills has a profound understanding of the structural barriers Indigenous women face in business, which comprise multiple layers of systemic barriers from underrepresentation in leadership to the ongoing need to prove their expertise in industries that have historically undervalued Indigenous perspectives.
While Mills has spent her career ensuring that Indigenous organizations receive equitable, culturally relevant benefits and financial solutions, too often, she has seen boilerplate policies and outdated structures failing to serve Indigenous clients in meaningful ways.
Instead of accepting the industry status quo, she pushes for solutions that align with Indigenous ways of knowing and leading. She is known for her relentless approach, which is rooted in community.
“We often have to navigate the challenge of being taken seriously in professional spaces where our knowledge and contributions may be overlooked or questioned,” she notes. “This also includes managing unwanted attention that can undermine our professionalism and authority.”
For Mills, advocacy is the driving force behind everything she does. She approaches her career with a sense of service and responsibility.
“It’s never just about the job; it’s about the impact,” she says.
She is heavily involved in her community, where she has actively contributed to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS), helped fund the construction of the OKIB Cultural Immersion School, and supported youth programs for the Westbank First Nation.
She has also sponsored events such as the Kehewin Powwow, Yellowhead Tribal Council initiatives, and leadership development for Indigenous youth.
One of her proudest contributions was ensuring that contestants in Miss Penticton had access to professional public speaking coaching, equipping them with the skills and confidence to use their voices effectively. She also strongly supports Miss Indigenous Canada Jessica McKenzie, believing that visibility and representation are powerful tools for change.
She strives to ensure that Indigenous professionals, especially women, are present and leading in decision-making spaces.
If she could change one thing about the industry, it would be how leadership opportunities are structured. Indigenous women often find themselves in supporting roles rather than at the decision-making table, and she is determined to change that.
“I want to see more Indigenous women leading in financial, insurance, and benefits spaces, not just being included but shaping the industry,” she says.
Her ultimate goal is to reshape the financial and benefits sector so that Indigenous organizations no longer have to fight for fair treatment. She envisions a future where culturally relevant solutions are the norm and built into the system the way they should have been all along.
104-35000 Carrington Road, West Kelowna, BC V4T 3C1
250 860 2426
buffy.mills@acera.ca
linkedin.com/in/_buffy-mills-9708a434
acera.ca
Buffy Mills
Indigenous Employee Benefits Consultant/Employee Owner
Acera Benefits
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“I strongly believe in working smarter, not harder. I think it’s one of the keys to living a great life, and I want to share that with as many people as possible”
Kelvin Rampersad,
Carte Wealth Management
2012–2015
2014–2015
2021–2023
2018–present
2019–present
Wellness Mentor/Youth Counsellor at Westbank First Nation
2012–
2015
WFN Representative at Okanagan Nation Crisis Response Team
2014–
2015
Board Member of Accelerate Okanagan
2021–
2023
2018–present: Indigenous Employee Benefits and Pension Consultant at Acera Insurance
2021: Recipient of the Chairman Circle Award - Canadian Broker Network
2024: Acera Excellence Award
2018–
present
2019: Transitioned to head of strategic accounts and client relations
Present: Head of payer services, responsible for health benefit management and adjudication services associated with public and private payers in Canada
2019–
present
Milestones
Milestones
ELITE WOMEN 2024 JUDGE