Heather Exner-Pirot has over fifteen years of experience in Indigenous and northern economic development, governance, health, and post-secondary education. She has published on Indigenous economic and resource development, energy security, Indigenous workforce development, First Nations taxation and own source revenues,  distributed & distance education, Arctic human security, regional Arctic governance, the Arctic Council, and Arctic innovation.

Exner-Pirot obtained a PhD in Political Science from the University of Calgary in 2011. In addition to her role at MLI, she is currently a Global Fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington DC, a Special Adviser to the Business Council of Canada, and a Research Advisor for the Indigenous Resource Network. She has published over 45 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and edited volumes, and presented at over 75 conferences and events nationally and internationally. She has chaired or moderated dozens of provincial, national and international panels, workshops and conferences.

Furthermore, Exner-Pirot is a Principal Consultant at Morris Interactive, and a Research and Communications Advisor for the Indigenous Resource Network. She has formerly held positions at the International Centre for Northern Governance and Development, the University of Saskatchewan, and  the University of the Arctic Undergraduate Studies Office.

Exner-Pirot sits on the boards of the Saskatchewan Indigenous Economic Development Network, the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation and The Arctic Institute. She is a member of the GlobalArctic Mission Council and the Canadian Defence and Security Network, and a Network Coordinator at the North American and Arctic Defense and Security Network. She is the Managing Editor of the Arctic Yearbook (an international, peer-reviewed annual volume), and the former Chair of the Canadian Northern Studies Trust.

She has published over 45 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and edited volumes, and presented at over 75 conferences and events nationally and internationally.

She is currently based in Calgary.