Rebecca David brings exceptional qualifications in both Education and community leadership with 20 plus years experience working with First Nation communities, on and off-reserve, and in non-profit organizations working towards enhancing programming and advocating to enrich programs to the FNEF management team. She served her community, the Pauquachin First Nation, as an elected Chief from October 2014 to 2020, served on the Board of the BC Assembly of First Nations from 2015-2020 and as the BC Representative for the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund from 2015-2021.

Rebecca has excelled in Education, Marine & Environmental Stewardship, Addictions & Mental Health, Finance & Policy writing and earned a Diploma in Social Work at Malaspina College University, a Bachelor's degree in Child and Youth Care from Vancouver Island University, a Master's in Business Administration from Vancouver Island University and a Master's of International Business and Science from the University of Hertfordshire.

Rebecca is a team and relationship builder. In 2020 under her leadership as Chief, the Pauquachin First Nation economic corporation was formed and purchased one of the South Island’s longest-running golf courses, The Ardmore, located on the traditional territory of the Pauquachin, which not only brings the territory back to the control of her community but generates economic prosperity for its members. In this episode of Road to Recovery, CHEK's Joe Perkins talks to Pauquachin First Nation chief Rebecca David about the purchase of the golf course and what means to her and her people. https://www.cheknews.ca/road-to-recovery-pauquachin-first-nation-says-golf-course-purchase-represent-economic-opportunity-690517/

Teresa, pronouns: she, her, hers, comes from the x̄á’isla

nation and belongs to the qulun (beaver) clan. Currently an

undergraduate student, studying x̄á’isla culture and language

through the First Nations Certificate Program at University of

Northern British Columbia. Learning x̄á’islak̓ala (x̄á’isla

language) has always been a passion, desire and

commitment. It is her goal to become a culture and language

teacher, focusing primarily on land-based learning and

teachings, with hopes to teach all ages and those who are

willing to learn. Teresa has been instrumental in forming our

approach to community engagement and collaboration, fundraising

and program delivery while working with the Haisla Nation

Council in her role as Language Coordinator, Teresa is also the Program Administrator for the

Rediscovery International Foundation https://rediscovery.org/ and serves on the board of the Magic

Canoe Society https://magiccanoe.net/.

Larry is an Assistant Professor at Canada Institute of Linguistics where he enjoys interacting with highly motivated students on the volleyball court or ultimate frisbee field or while teaching Field Methods and Lexicography. He has been involved in linguistic software development for more than 20 years with a focus on dictionary databases for indigenous languages. He counts it a privilege to see the world through the unique perspectives of each language and culture while assisting communities in language documentation.

1991. M.A. Linguistics, University of Oregon

1986. B.Ed. Secondary Sciences, University of Alberta

1984. B.Sc. Biology, University of Alberta

Jonathan is a trained linguist with over ten years of consistent fieldwork experience with North Wakashan languages, specifically Kwak̕wala and x̄a’íslak̓ala. He received his BA in Linguistics from UBC in 2010, and his MA in Linguistics at Trinity Western University. His passion for indigenous language documentation and revitalization in BC has led him to field work experience in Vancouver, Alert Bay, Kingcome Inlet, and Kitimat. Having grown up in Port Hardy BC, he loves supporting First Nations hereditary language programmes using his past training, experience, and infectious love of language.

Born and raised in the Southeastern US, Chuck graduated from the University of Georgia in 2018 with a BA in Linguistics, then completed his MA in the same field in 2021 after attending the Canada Institute of Linguistics in Langley, BC. Both during and after his MA, Chuck has worked with several language communities, including the Haisla Nation in Kitimat, BC. He has participated in two workshops with the Haisla, both focused on gathering words and stories in the language to aid in revitalization of Haislakala, the nation’s heritage language. Chuck specializes in lexicography, discourse analysis, Indigenous language curriculum development.

Jocelyn was born and raised in Kelowna, BC and completed her BA at UBC Okanagan. She then completed an MA in Linguistics at Canada Institute of Linguistics in Langley, BC. Jocelyn uses her understanding of linguistics to help communities develop practical and effective practices for language acquisition and language development and has experience supporting Dene Suline and Haisla language projects. Most recently, she supported the Haisla Nation in Kitimat, BC with their 2021 Rapid Story Collection Workshop. She will be continuing to assist the Haisla Nation with developing curriculum and community teaching practices to help younger Haisla members develop confident speaking abilities in their language: x̄á’islak̓ala. Jocelyn specializes in language survey, indigenous language curriculum development, and lexicography.

Kim appreciates beauty, creativity and the heritage and languages of other cultures.  She likes to take photos to help remember the story that happens when groups of people get together.  She is a listener and bridge builder.  She works at the Canada Institute of Linguistics (Langley, BC) as a mentor.   She has lived in the United States, Belgium, Cameroon and Canada.  Portland State University, BA: Communication & Linguistics, 1989

​Evan grew up in northern BC and graduated with his BA Applied Linguistics in 2019 from Trinity Western University and an MA in Linguistics in 2021 from the Canada Institute of Linguistics. During and after both of his degrees he has worked with a variety of indigenous languages and language communities. Evan has and continues to work with the Haisla Nation in Kitimat BC in their revitalization of the nation’s heritage language Haislakala, most recently with his participation in a workshop for the collection of cultural information and traditional narrative as well as ongoing language database work. Evan’s main specializations are in lexicography, phonology, and literacy.

Rhonda Knockwood is Cree, from Thunderchild First Nation, and is the Chief Of Staff at AFN – Regional Office NS/NL and former Director of Operations for the Yuułuʔiłʔath Government.

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Rhonda has a long history working in finance and administration within BC for organizations such as the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of BC, Aboriginal Health Association of BC, Native Court worker and Counselling Association of BC, and Healing Our Spirit.

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Rhonda is the former Chief of Staff of the BC Assembly of First Nations (between 2003-2009), has performed contract work with the Union of Nova Scotia Indians and the Atlantic Policy Congress of Atlantic Chiefs, and successfully managed the AFN National Chief campaign in 2009.

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We are extremely grateful to Rhonda, and to Les Doiron, for stepping up and volunteering to take on the roles of President and CEO of FNEF respectively. They have been instrumental in the formation of our organization and in the development of our language revitalization projects and strategies; in particular the work they have done to help get our Nuu-Chah-Nulth (Barkley dialect) pilot project established within the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government.

Mr. Brame is currently Chairman of the Board for First Nations Educational Foundation; A Consultant to Kaiana Co-operative and Blackfeet Nation Health products; And head of international marketing and sales for Vocare Inc.  developer of the world’s first technologically advanced multi-diagnostic medical device currently receiving final FDA approval.

Mr. Brame has 40 years of domestic and international marketing and managerial experience and has worked extensively in the areas of corporate development and financial structuring.

Mr. Brame has developed a worldwide network that will assist in the long-term positioning and business development of companies involved with Unified Financial Inc.

Founder and President of Harvard Scientific a US public traded company taking two products for treating psoriasis and erectile disfunction through the different levels of certification with Pyramid Labs in California.

President of White Raven Financial Services responsible for funding First Nations’ (indigenous peoples) projects such as internet broadband, wind farms, medical cannabis, and President White Raven Marine Services responsible for overhauling and repair of ships and marine vessels.

President of Bio/Design Inc. a diagnostic company with offices in Canada and Japan with the first diagnostic test for Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, which is a neurodegenerative disease of cattle.

Senior officer of MachLink Corporation a wireless communication supplier in Edmonton, Alberta establishing wireless internet that has developed a turnkey, 700 MHz wireless broadband solution for the under serviced rural Internet user including rural oil and gas companies.

Founder and President of IGEN Networks Inc. a US and CSE public company developing broadband solutions in the US and Canada. The Company was acquired from Mr. Brame in 2014.

During his formative years Mr. Brame worked for the Canadian Gov’t Oceanic Research Inland Waters Branch, as Captain of multiple Marine Research ships out of Burlington, Ont.

Prior to this, Mr. Brame was a weapons technician with the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) and was the child of a military family, raised on Canadian Airforce bases worldwide.

Scott brings an entrepreneurial spirit and a wealth of valuable experience to the First Nations Education Foundation (FNEF). Prior to leading the design and planning process for FNEF’s core language revitalization projects, Scott founded three private colleges specializing in language acquisition, hospitality, and health care. He was also instrumental in recruiting FNEF’s executive team and advisory board and serves as the driving force behind FNEF’s language revitalization vision, strategy, and growth planning.

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In addition to his work in the education sector, Scott previously held a number of senior marketing and operations roles in public and private international manufacturing companies, including Proctor & Gamble (accounts in Germany, USA, South America, and Taiwan), Kimberly Clark (USA), and Johnson & Johnson (Canada and Mexico) among others, where his focus was international business, distribution, and logistics. Team building, new business incubation, venture investing activities, project management, operations management, international manufacturing and logistics, new product and business development are among the many business and leadership skills Scott has acquired along the way.

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As an active volunteer, Scott also served as a Director of Languages Canada for five years (Chair of the BC Chapter for three years), as a Director of the BC Career Colleges Association for two years, and was a member of the Vancouver Board of Trade’s Education & Skills Task Force.Scott earned a UBC-SMEI Diploma in Marketing & Sales Management from UBC’s Sauder School of Business (1990-1993) and is pursuing ongoing professional development studies in Applied Linguistics under the guidance of SIL International’s Dr. Paul Lewis and Gary F. Simons (Sustainable Use Method, Community-based Language Development) and Thomas Marmor and Eric Bartels (Managing Language Programs, Managing for Language Development Results).

Bruce Sanderson – COO, Cascadia Gateway Corp.

Mr. Sanderson has an extensive technology background with more than 25 years in leading-edge technology fields encompassing virtually all aspects of the telecommunications, infrastructure, networks, security monitoring, and data facilities. His knowledge extends from customer premise to international networks, both wholesale and retail, including specific skills in Product and Marketing Management, Business and Stakeholder Performance and Analysis, Business Growth and Development encompassing a clear vision on ultimate goals of monetizing products and services. While working with TR / Cable & Wireless in sales in his early years in the industry he secured the largest contract ever signed in Canada with a total worth of over $30M and was successful in helping to build what would become the second-largest Interconnect in the country earning him some of the companies’ highest awards.

 Additionally, as CEO, saw the growth of Galaxy Multimedia as a national wholesale provider of VoIP services to small/medium-sized cable companies in 2006 and established a 400% growth in under 2 years to become the leading national supplier of wholesale services in that market space.

Mr. Sanderson is also experienced in public markets working with listed issuers as President and CEO of a number of companies including Uniserve, a national full-service provider of Internet, telecom, and TV to both residential and commercial customers across Canada with over 400 employees at that time. The company enjoyed substantial growth in the public market during his tenure.

 A former Member of the Board of Directors for Family Services, several advisory boards for technology companies, and the senior spokesperson for a BC green energy advocacy group. He is also involved with a number of fraternal organizations with charitable goals as their main focus. He is a registered IT consultant to Alpha Sights in New York, and the Gerson Lehrman Group.

Les Doiron is a citizen and former President of the Yuułuʔiłʔath Government (the Ucluelet First Nation). A community minded, goal-oriented professional, Les is passionate about giving back to his community and has shared a lot of his life with many individuals, on a professional and volunteer basis, alike.

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As the President of the Yuułuʔiłʔath Government, Les works with a team of six other elected officials to fulfill Yuułuʔiłʔath’s obligations to the Maa-nulth Treaty, and the Yuułuʔiłʔath Constitution, laws and regulations.

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Les represents the Yuułuʔiłʔath to local, provincial and federal governments, other First Nations and indigenous organizations – nationally and internationally.

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We are extremely grateful to Les, and to Rhonda Knockwood, for stepping up and volunteering to take on key advisory roles with FNEF. They have been instrumental in the formation of our organization and in the development of our language revitalization projects and strategies; in particular the work they have done to help get our Nuu-Chah-Nulth (Barkley dialect) pilot project established within the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government.

We are honored to have Phil Fontaine as our National Spokesperson. Mr. Fontaine is an articulate advocate for the future of Canada and for Indigenous peoples. He is the former three-term National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, known for his calm and confident demeanor and has a proven track record of opening the lines of communication and bringing people together in a common cause for a better future and to resolve issues of the past. Mr. Fontaine has been instrumental in facilitating change and advancement for First Nations people from the time he was first elected to public office as chief, when he was only 28 years old.

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As a fierce advocate for human rights, one of Mr. Fontaine’s crowning achievements to date is the residential schools settlement. At $5.6 billion in individual compensation, Mr. Fontaine negotiated the largest settlement in Canadian history –for the largest human rights violation in Canadian history – arising out of the 150-year Indian residential school tragedy.

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Phil Fontaine has dedicated most of his life to the advancement of First Nations people. Respected at home and abroad, Fontaine attended President Obama’s inauguration, met with Pope Benedict XVI to gain an apology for his people, and raised the Corporate Challenge to Canadian organizations.

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Phil Fontaine’s Letter of Support for the First Nations Education Foundation (FNEF).

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“Language is everything that we are. If you don’t know your language, then it is difficult to understand in a profound way who you are.“ – Phil Fontaine

Chris Shade was elected as Chief of the Blood Tribe, which is part of the Blackfoot Confederacy, in November 1996, and was successfully re-elected in 2000. He was elected to the Office of Grand Chief of Treaty 7 in 2000 and continues to be a representative of Treaty 7 on the Indigenous Peoples Commission of the Liberal Party of Canada. He also sits on numerous Boards and Chiefs Committees.

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Chris attended Lethbridge Community College and studied business and finance. He continued these studies at the University of Alberta. As part of his personal development, he also studied scripture.

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He has retained his cultural values and speaks Blackfoot fluently. His volunteer activities include involvement in the church and youth organizations, and he is a philanthropist, raising of funds for First Nations communities.

Prior to his election as Chief, he was the Chief Executive Officer for Blood Tribe Department of Health Inc., where he was instrumental in advancing the health care services of the Blood Tribe. Chris was also the Financial Comptroller for the Blood Tribe and was employed with Edmonton Power as an accountant.

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Over the past few years, Chris has worked with the federal Liberal party and the current government to advance and lobby for the constituents of Medicine Hat, Cardston, and Warner. This includes bringing the country’s top leaders to the region to discuss issues of local and national importance.

We are truly fortunate to have Hon. Dave Hancock, QC, working with us and advising our board. Dave brings with him a wealth of experience in both the legal and political field and was recently appointed to Alberta’s provincial court where he serves as a judge in the Edmonton family and youth court. He previously served as Counsel with Dentons Canada LLP in their Government and Public Policy practice.

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In addition to his practice in law, Dave was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the constituency of Edmonton-Whitemudas as the Progressive Conservative MLA for over 17 years.

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In 2014, Hancock served as the 15th Premier of Alberta. During his time in office, Dave also served as Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, Justice (Attorney General and Solicitor General), Advanced Education, Health and Wellness, Education, Human Services, Innovation and Advanced Education, and as Deputy Premier. Throughout that time he served on the Agenda & Priorities and Treasury Board committees of the Executive Council, and as vice chair or chair of the Legislation Review Committee and as Government House Leader.

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Honors and Awards

• Honourary Doctorate in Laws, University of Alberta, June 2015

• Honourary Doctorate in Laws, Athabasca University, June 2015

• Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012

• Canadian Psychiatry Association President’s Commendation, 2009

• Honourary Bachelor of Sciences, Olds College, 2005

• Alberta Centennial Medal 2005

• Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal 2002

• Ordrede la Francophonie Pleiade 2000

• Mel Osborne Fellow -Kiwanis Club of South Edmonton/Kiwanis Foundation of Canada 1999

• Queen’s Counsel designation awarded 1995

• 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal 1992

Hon. Dave Hancock’s Letter of Support for the First Nations Education Foundation (FNEF)

Larry Johnson is currently the President of the Nuu-chah-nulth Seafood Development Corporation. He has also served as the Director of Lands & Natural Resourses and Economic Development Manager for the Huu-ay-aht First Nations.

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His Career has led increasingly to a specialization in the management of fisheries and forestry resources; incorporating traditional First Nations philosophies of resource management with current western practices.

Larry’s personal understanding of First Nations fisheries, combined with his active involvement with Treaty Nations, recreational, and commercial fisheries, has enabled him to bring a unique perspective to First Nations business management issues.

Dr. Douglas Nelson has served as a teacher, consultant, school administrator, District Principal, professor, author, Chairman of the Alberta Student Finance Board, manager in Advance Education and Technology, school board trustee, and President of NECG Ltd.

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His consulting company works with school boards, technical colleges, First Nations authorities, and industrial partners to collect information, design programs, and produce recommendations and strategic reports.

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Doug has received numerous awards for his work in education and training including the Alberta Education Excellence in Teaching Award, the Alberta Government Heritage Award of Excellence, Service to Youth Award from Ben Calf Robe Society, and Teacher of the Year Award from the ATA Specialist Council.