Shady's work bridges Indigenous governance, rights, and advocacy, shaped by academic training, senior policy leadership, and a life rooted in land, culture, and accountability to his Anishinabe (Citizen of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg) and Syrian communities.

For over 15 years, he has worked with First Nations, government, and national Indigenous organizations. As a Senior Manager at the National Association of Friendship Centres, he led national policy and research on housing, health, and urban Indigenous rights, and contributed to the growth of an urban Indigenous social economy. He has facilitated strategic discussions for the Assembly of First Nations across a range of critical issues, from nuclear waste and water rights to tuberculosis elimination and youth leadership. His policy perspectives are informed by a combination of lived, professional, and academic experience and have been sought after by government agencies such as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.

Beyond policy and facilitation, his research practice has extended deep into community, supporting First Nations in specific claims negotiations and contributing to Indigenous wellness curriculum development. He is also a long-standing Research Associate and former Research Fellow at the Yellowhead Institute.

Shady is currently an Assistant Professor in Indigenous Politics and Governance at Toronto Metropolitan University in the Department of Politics and Public Administration, and a PhD Candidate in Sociology at the University of Toronto (SSHRC Doctoral Fellow).

He brings together policy expertise, lived experience, and an approach built on relational trust and plain-language communication, putting these skills to work where they matter most.