This year will be co-facilitated by Leadership Mentor and Motivational Speaker, Zandra Ross. Zandra is a member of the Williams Lake First Nation and has nearly 30 years of experience as a consultant and coach. She will be leading sessions on Leadership, Coaching Skills and Wellness! 

Tanya is an HR Consulting Manager for the Indigenous Services team at MNP. With a wealth of HR experience, she passionately supports the growth and success of First Nation, Metis and Inuit communities and organizations nationwide.  

Tanya’s previous leadership as the Director of Human Resources at Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) empowered the WLFN team to embrace coaching and peer support. 

Tanya has collaborated with the First Nations Public Service Secretariat (FNPSS) to develop HR training materials and facilitate trainings for professionals from various Indigenous organizations. She co-hosts the CPHR BC & Yukon Indigenous Community of Practice (CoP) – HR Sharing Circle. 

Lisa is a Westbank First Nation (WFN) member and is currently the Indigenous Advisor for the Regional District of the Central Okanagan. She has over 15 years of governance and progressive management experience through previous roles held with WFN, Accenture Canada, and BC Hydro.  

Lisa is a member commissioner on WFN’s Economic Development Commission, Chair for WFN’s Allotment Commission, WFN Appointee on Kelowna Chamber of Commerce Board, and is currently working to obtain her Local Government Administration diploma through Capilano University. 

Lisa relocated to stqáʔtkʷɬniw̓t/Westbank from the Lower Mainland in 2017 to be closer to her family and continues to look for meaningful ways to engage with and support her community and surrounding First Nation communities. 

Gordon is a recognized leader who works exclusively with social purpose organizations and First Nations to transform their financial management and financial governance and build internal financial capacity in their organizations. 

As the President and CEO of Humanity Financial Management inc. (HFMI), Gordon knows what it means to operate with social purpose and social conscience (doing good while being good). In 2020, HFMI became the first CPA accounting firm BCorp in Canada, In 2022, HFMI became the first CPA accounting firm Benefit Corporation in British Columbia. 

Gordon has over 40 cumulative years of volunteer charity and non-profit board service and is a currently a director of the Aboriginal Finance Officers Association of BC (AFOABC), a director and Vice-chair of Community Foundations of Canada, and a director and Treasurer of B Local Community Society (a non-profit organization supporting B Corporations in BC). 

Michelle is an independent records and information management consultant based in the East Kootenay region of BC near Cranbrook.  Michelle is a records management, privacy and archives specialist with over 20 years of experience working with local governments and First Nations organizations throughout BC and Yukon.  She has a Master of Archival Studies degree from UBC and worked for the cities of Burnaby and Kelowna for nearly 10 years before returning to the Kootenays as a consultant.  

We are excited to welcome back Davis McKenzie of Toχʷoχʷ (Becoming Clear) Communications. Davis has a Master’s in Communication Management from McMaster University. Davis will cover topics such as community engagement, external communication plans and aligning that with your internal goals.

Cara (she/her) is Secwépemc from St̓uxwtéws, a rural community otherwise known as Bonaparte where she grew up. Cara is a Planner and Facilitator with Alderhill Planning Inc. and specializes in First Nations health governance and Indigenous health work. Since 2016, she has been a BC CCP Mentor to support Nations in utilizing planning as a tool for self-determination and community development.

Cara brings a specialized approach grounded in Secwépemc values, practices, and knowledge that is balanced with action and relational-focused outcomes. Outside of work she is completing a Master of Arts with UBCO and filling her cup, often a teacup in hand, with family and friends where she resides in Tk’emlups te Secwépemc territory.