Hello! My name is Lilia Yumagulova, I am a Bashkir woman born and raised in the Soviet Union, in a low-income area prone to recurring floods on the outskirts of a large urban centre. It was witnessing these regular disasters affect my community that

influenced my choice of profession. 

With an academic and professional background in
emergency management, a Masters of Science in risk analysis (King’s College London, UK), and a PhD in planning (University of British Columbia, Canada), I bring over 20 years of international experience in government, NGOs, media, and communities in
Europe and North America. My research focuses on climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and regional resilience. For my Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship, I am focusing on Indigenous self-
determination and the role of women in disaster displacement and planned relocation.
I am the Program Director for Preparing Our Home, an award-winning program that empowers Indigenous youth leadership in community resilience:
www.preparingourhome.ca