Rivershed Society of BC - Directors

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Board of Directors
	Siobhan Ashe - Chair Siobhan is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Sociology at the University of British Columbia. Her dissertation research focuses on sustainable community development planning and the role of socialization practices, in relation to community-based capacity building models, to foster local level democratic engagement. She has a keen interest in pursuing unlikely sources of social change and is actively engaged in advocating collaboration amongst community-based sustainability initiatives.
	Donald MacKenzie - Vice Chair Don (aka Umpas Hadanee) is a recipient of a Queens Jubilee commemorative medal as an advocate for sustainable Aboriginal economic development and an Elder Advisor to Shawn Atleo (A-in-chut), BC Regional Chief for the Assembly of First Nations and former RSBC Board member. Don is humbly guided by the ancient Nuu-chah-nulth traditional wisdom that "everything is connected in a delicate web" and the core Nuu-chah-nulth value of "Isaac" (deep love, caring for creation and each other). Don hopes to contribute appropriately to on-going increases of Aboriginal involvement with the RSBC. He occasionally reminds himself that, as coastal aboriginal people assure him, he has "lots to learn." He hopes to work at that, and thanks RSBC for the privilege of involvement.
	Neal Nicholson - Treasurer Neal is a practicing chartered accountant in Coquitlam. He is an active community member, having been involved with the Institute of Indigenous Government, the Evergreen Cultural Centre Board, the Douglas College Board, the Advanced Education Council of BC, the Association of Canadian Community Colleges, the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame Society, and the BC Seniors Games. Neal lives in Coquitlam with his wife Barbara.
	Heather Edwards - Secretary Heather is the Manager of Parks Planning, Design and Development in the City of Burnaby. She landed in Beautiful BC after working in Botswana Africa, Winnipeg and Saskatoon as a Landscape Architect in both the public and private sectors. She has a Bachelor of Recreation Studies and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Manitoba. Her work and interest revolves around community and environmental program development. While working in BC, she received the Educator of the Year award from BCLNA in 2006 in recognition of the creation of both a horticulture apprenticeship program for high schools students, as well as the creation and of the eco-sculpture program. She has received the Woman and the Spirit of the Crane award from the Burns Bog Society for creating crane habitat awareness programs for both Burnaby and Kushiro Japan. She has volunteered as a Provincial and National Judge for the Communities in Bloom and Winter Lights for 10 years, and now offers her experience to the Rivershed Society of BC.
	Sharolise Baker - Board Member Sharolise has been involved with the Fraser River Fisheries for many years. She has worked as Stewardship Coordinator for both the Fisheries Renewal BC and Habitat Conservation Stewardship Program; as Fisheries Field Technican and Fisheries Program Manager for Carrier Sekani Tribal Council and currently for her own community Stellat'en First Nation.
	Bette McLennan - Board Member Bette was born in Manitoba and was raised on a farm. She and her family eventually moved to Williams Lake where she worked at Scout Island Nature Centre for several years. She was a founding member of the Williams Lake Environmental Society some 16 years ago. In 1996 she met Fin at a Water Institute conference in Kelowna. A couple of years later Fin came to Williams Lake to swim it to raise awareness of the San Jose Watershed. From funds raised, a video was produced about the watershed, and a new group, the San Jose Watershed Group was founded. Bette has been a strong supporter of Fin's endeavours ever since.
	Maurice Nahanee - Board Member Latash is a member of the Squamish Nation and lives in North Vancouver, BC. He has a two-year Associate degree from Capilano College, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Simon Fraser University. Nahanee has experience and training in business management and owning a business. After graduating from university, Latash worked as a journalist for ten years. He is the former CEO for the Native Communications Society of BC and the owner manager of the public relations company All Write Productions. After pursuing a multi-media career he turned to more traditional pursuits such as art and entertainment. As a life long learner and practitioner of Squamish culture he is proud to share his cultural locally and internationally. As a traditional artist Latash enjoys wood sculpture, painting, glass etching, performing traditional music and story telling. In the contemporary realm he is a professional in photography, journalism, graphic design and writing plays. Latash has travelled overseas to Asia and Europe as a cultural ambassador for the Squamish Nation. He travelled abroad to share traditional songs and dances at cultural festivals. Latash is employed as a First Nations Support Worker in North Vancouver School District. He works with First Nations students and non-native students from grades one to 12 providing cultural and academic support. He also continues to perform with the Chinook SongCatchers. The core group is made up of his wife and daughters. They have been performing together for 15 years. Maurice Nahanee's Squamish ancestral name is Latash. Twenty-six years ago the Nisga'a Killer Whale tribe in Canyon City in the Nass Valley adopted him. Last year, Leiloa Baker gave him the Hawaiian name Kaipo. She is a Hawaiian from Hawaii and is married to Chief Lance Baker. Latash also has Hawaiian ancestry and descends from King Kamehameha.
	Kim North - Board Member Kim is a member of the Lillooet Naturalist Society. Kim coordinates and implements restoration, stewardship and sustainable living education projects in the Lillooet area. Passionate about life, learning and community capacity building, Kim enjoys hiking, swimming, kayaking, and of course, she loves the Fraser River, having lived beside it for over 30 years.
	Janis Olsen - Board Member Janis was an RSBC Board member from 2001-2006 and on staff from 2006-2008. Janis has run her own environmental contracting business since 2002. She has an education background in habitat restoration, biology, geography and business management making her well-versed in environmental impacts and the many challenges that salmon and water face on a daily basis, particularly in an urban system. She is an experienced environmental educator and is passionate about sustainable living principles and helping young people connect with nature. Born and raised along British Columbia's magnificent coast from the Sunshine Coast to Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver communities, Janis has always had a close connection to water inspiring her stewardship involvement. She hopes that through her stewardship activities, sharing her knowledge and stimulating dialogue with others, she will be part of the stewardship movement that, in her lifetime, will be remembered as being responsible for returning our most valuable resources back to sustainable levels and teaching each other to live a happier, healthy life. Janis lives in Coquitlam with her husband Jeff.
	Christopher Pollon - Board Member Christopher is a Vancouver-based freelance journalist and researcher with degrees in history and journalism. He profoundly loves fish.
	Olga Schwartzkopf - Board Member Olga has been a Legal Assistant at Glen Orris, Q.C. Law Corporation in Vancouver for the last 25 years. Her interest in watersheds developed while living and growing up around the Niagara River and its surrounding agricultural environment. She is presently influenced by the Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam Rivers and the environment of Mount Seymour and Indian Arm, and of course, the dominant Fraser River. She has a Degree in Agricultural Sciences from the University of British Columbia. Olga is a Director for the Soil & Water Conservation Society, BC Chapter, is on the Advisory Board of the Burns Bog Conservation Society, was a member of the GVRD Regional Water Advisory Committee (from 1992 to 2006), is the present Chairperson of the National Water Caucus for the Canadian Environmental Network in Ottawa, and is a member of ALR-PEC for the preservation of the Agricultural Land Reserve in BC. Olga is on the Board of the Scow Institute, as treasurer and sits on several committees: the Acid Raid Task Group (CCME), The National Pollutant Release Inventory Work Group (EC), the National Fish Habitat Coordinating Committee (DFO). She has worked on public consultation committees with federal government representatives and industry on the following issues: Upstream Oil and Gas Emissions, Toxic Substances as classified under CEPA, the National Agriculture and Environment Standards Initiative, Particulate Matter and Ozone within the Construction and Demolition Industry and others.
	Naomi Tabata - Board Member Naomi works as the Coordinator for the Stewardship Centre for B.C. and the National Manager for StewardshipCanada.ca. She has been a member of the Rivershed Society of BC's Board of Directors since 2000, is an avid outdoor enthusiast, and enjoys the opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of living sustainably within our riversheds.
	Leigh Taylor-Gibbs - Board Member Leigh lives in the Como Watershed of Coquitlam with her family. As a place - based educator, Leigh has guided many children in the Coquitlam to become more familiar with the place they live in. She ran a community children's center for 10 years prior to graduating from a Master's in Ecological Education. Since then she has worked with ecoliteracy programs such as the Watershed Wise program in the Como Watershed and she is presently teaching in the Burnaby School district.

Rivershed Society of BC 1603-1190 Pipeline Road, Coquitlam, B.C., Canada V3B 7T9 604-941-5937 fin@rivershed.com www.rivershed.com