Within the Ch’nook Indigenous Business Education Centre at the UBC Sauder School of Business, I am the first Manager of Indigenous Initiatives. My role is to support UBC’s goal of reconciliation within Sauder by working with faculty, staff and students to naturalize Indigenous knowledge systems to transform spaces, places and hearts.
I am a proud member of the Haida Nation from the Skidegate Band, located in the southern half of Haida Gwaii off the north-central coast of BC. I am also of Métis and Ojibway heritage. My ancestral name gifted to me by my Nuni (grandmother in Haida) is llgaan, meaning a beloved friend. I am committed to working to serve Indigenous peoples locally, in BC, and across Turtle Island. It is the Grandmothers, the Elders, and the Knowledge Keepers in communities across this land that I credit with educating me to better understand Indigenous history, culture, and ways of knowing. This sacred knowledge is what guides me in my work every day.
Prior to joining Ch’nook, I served as the Issues Manager/Hearing Manager for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and as a member of the management team supporting the First Nations Health Council.
Through my participation on this selection committee, I hope to ensure that our next Chancellor is committed to fulfilling the promises UBC has made towards reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Our leaders at UBC must be dedicated to building respectful relationships that contribute to a better future for all.