Board

Carla Lewis

Board Chair

Carla Lewis is a member of the Gitdumden Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology and First Nations Studies and a Master’s Degree in Indigenous Governance. Through her career and life journey, Carla has been actively participating in the resurgence of Indigenous culture and language through participatory and land-based activities. Carla currently works for the First Nations Health Authority as a Traditional Wellness Specialist. She also advises and supports programs and services of the Witsuwit’en Language and Culture Society and continues to take on exciting projects around Indigenous culture and language through her company, Yintah Consulting.

Tamara Goddard

Treasurer

Tamara has an extraordinary understanding of Nation Building, Aboriginal business, First Nations governance, culture, and history. Of the Saulteau First Nation in North Eastern B.C., she continues to work on identifying and creating solutions to build healthy Indigenous economies in British Columbia. Tamara completed her Master’s Degree in Indigenous Business & Leadership at SFU. Tamara’s primary focus is the study of traditional Indigenous ideologies and how they can effectively collaborate with the current western systems in a complementary fashion.

Tamara Goddard has been an artist since childhood. She was mentored by her mother and grandfather in fine arts. Tamara had access to the teachers and tools from a young age. Her preferred mediums are ink and water colour. Her subject matters include painting her visions and dreams and prophecies. Tamara’s prints have been published by the Federal Government of Canada and her prints can be found as far away as Germany. Tamara is a cultural singer, singer/songwriter and musician. Tamara has a diploma from Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Interdisciplinary Arts. She also worked with Aboriginal Tourism BC on their Authentic Indigenous Artisan Program and continues to support the arts in all of her Indigenous Economics work internationally.

Jennifer Melles

Government Seat

Jennifer Melles is the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives Division within the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. Jennifer has been with the Ministry for over the five years and has worked in progressive leadership roles within the Ministry, alongside the executive team, to advance strategic and corporate priorities.

Jennifer has a diverse range of experience, both in the private and public sectors, and expertise in strategic and business planning, policy development, stakeholder engagement, change management and business process improvement.

Ray Harris

(Shulqwilum)

Board Member

Ray Harris, a member of the Chemainus First Nation, has a broad range of cultural, political and on the ground experience in First Nations issues. As co-chair of the First Nation Summit – for his fifth consecutive term — he works on issues related to treaty negotiations in B.C. 

Mr.Harris is an active commercial fisherman travelling yearly up and down the B.C. coast. He has been instrumental in organizing the Coast Salish Gatherings and the formation of the Coast Salish Council which focuses on environmental and resource health in the Coast Salish Sea and region. All of Ray’s experiences are guided by his deep connection and participation in the cultural traditions of the Coast Salish.

Ray is a father, grandfather, and great- grandfather.

Gerald Lawson

(Ma̓la̓gius)

HR Chair

Ma̓la̓gius Gerald Lawson is from the Heiltsuk Nation and is an enthusiastic new language learner. He currently manages the Oral History and Language Lab at the UBC Museum of Anthropology and is dedicated to supporting Indigenous control of cultural heritage. Mr. Lawson developed many of the resources that have grown into the UBC Indigitization Grant Program, acts as the program Technology Lead and sits on the Indigitization Steering Committee. He primarily works to remove barriers of colonial information practice that impede the cultural goals of B.C. First Nations. To this end he currently sits on the Canadian Federation of Library Associations Indigenous Matters Committee and the Association of Canadian Archivists Truth and Reconciliation Task Force.

Grant Alphonse

Board Member

Grant Alphonse is well-known in his community as a strong advocate for Tsilhqot’in language, traditions and culture. He has represented his nation on provincial and national education, and political platforms. Grant has worked as a court interpreter and Indigenous school liaison and support worker. This earlier work strengthened his skill as a language educator, and until 2017 he was the Principal at Tl’etinqox Elementary School. Grant’s late father did not attend residential school and he retained a great deal of his Tsilhqot’in community’s traditional knowledge, including Tsilhqot’in language, which he passed down to Grant. Grant is grateful to be passing on his father’s traditional knowledge to his community and nation. 

Sharlene Frank

(Etimot)

Governance Chair

Sharlene Frank is from the SaLαLt clan, members of whom belong to the Whale House of the K’ómoks First Nation. Her focus and passion are working with First Nations to rebuild their governance according to their cultural traditions. This has led to several community-based initiatives, including language camps, traditional governance research as well as research and mentorship projects involving elders and other knowledge keepers.

Sharlene holds a master’s in public administration from Queen’s University. She resides in her home community and is currently an independent contractor working extensively on the North Island.

Connie Watts

Board Member

Connie Watts is the Associate Director, Aboriginal Programs at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. She is an interdisciplinary artist, writer, curator, educator and designer of Nuu-chah-nulth, Gitxsan and Kwakwaka’wakw ancestry. Born and raised in Campbell River, Connie has a Bachelor of Interior Design from the University of Manitoba, and a BFA from Emily Carr.

Her award-winning work is often rooted in forms and knowledge drawn from First Nations cultures, while her sculptural objects incorporate modern fabrication and design techniques. She has shown nationally and internationally, and her work is included in numerous corporate and civic collections. Some highlights include her graduation project, Vereinigung, exhibited for two years at the Museum of Anthropology (and now hangs permanently at the Harborview Medical Centre in Seattle, Wash.); her subsequent thunderbird installation, Hetux, was purchased for permanent display at the Vancouver International Airport; and Strength from Within, a more recent installation Connie calls one of her “most meaningful,” was created to commemorate the children of the Alberni Indian Residential School for the Tseshaht Nation.

In more recent years, Connie completed the interior design for the Songhees Wellness Centre — a 48,000 square foot contemporary commercial building that fuses art, architecture, and design with the Songhees culture — and was the project manager for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Committee’s Aboriginal Art Program. As curator on that project, she was responsible for the procurement, commissioning, execution and installation of over 50 artworks in the 16 official Olympic venues — an accomplishment marked by the publication of “O Siyam,” a book celebrating the Aboriginal Olympic artworks.

Connie previously sat on the Emily Carr Board of Governors for six years. She has also been affiliated with the British Columbia Arts Council, the First Peoples Cultural Council, the Vancouver Foundation and the Contemporary Art Gallery, among other institutions.

Addie Pryce

Board Member

Addie Pryce is from the Nisga’a Nation of Gingolx, on the north coast of British Columbia. Throughout her career, Addie has been committed to the health and well-being of all Indigenousl people and communities. Addie has held leadership roles within B.C. and Ontario, including working with the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Indigenous Services Canada (formerly Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development), the First Nations Information Governance Centre and as the Director of the Health Sector for the Assembly of First Nations, where she advocated for First Nations’ health and well-being.

In her role as Vice President, Aboriginal Partnerships for the Interior Health Authority, Addie is committed to the health and well-being of all Aboriginal people and communities in the Interior region. She fosters relationships with First Nations and Métis partners and organizations, and provides executive leadership to IH’s work in cultural safety and humility.

Jamie Sterritt

(Wii’nagim’tsiwnget)

Board Member

William James (Jamie) Sterritt is a member of the Lax Gibuu (Wolf Clan) of the Gitxsan Nation. His traditional name is Wii’nagim’tsiwnget.

Previously, Mr. Sterritt was Information Technology Manager for Gitxsan Government Commission and served as the First Nations liaison for an environmental consulting firm based in Vancouver. In 2005, he launched Sa’hetxw Consulting, where he has planned and delivered a wide range of successful projects for his clients. Jamie brings a unique blend of expertise and experience as a seasoned Indigenous Governance consultant and facilitator working with Indigenous communities and organizations throughout B.C. and Manitoba.

Active in his community, Jamie served on the Board of Governors of the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and is currently a director on the Justice Institute of BC and Creative BC boards.