esk'etemc INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

My Relations: my parents are Len DeRose and Cecilia (Dick) DeRose.  My grandparents were Matthew and Amelia Dick and Joseph and Maude DeRose.

My Work life: I was a teacher, principal and the first Superintendent of Indigenous Student Achievement for the Ministry of Education.  Since retiring, I have audited school districts for the Ministry of Education. I am the secretary and Communications Chair of the Verna J Kirkness Education Foundation, whose mission is to increase the number of Indigenous students graduating from pure and applied science, engineering, and mathematics programs in Canada. I am also a board member of Day One Society, a drug and alcohol recovery society in memory of my son, Tyrell. Earlier this year, I became the fourth Chancellor of Thompson Rivers University.

My Residence: My husband Allan and I live on a two-acre property on the north Thompson River in Vinsulla, near Heffley Creek, with my quarter horse and border collie.  We also have a residence on Esk'et's reserve on Kokanee Bay. 

My Motivation to be on this Planning Committee: I believe my career experience has given me a skill set in leadership, teamwork, and being a good listener to solve problems effectively and accomplish this important work. I plan to consult my mom and our other elders as cultural guides because I believe that if we're going to do this well, we must do it as culturally and traditionally as possible. In my career, I served on many challenging boards with the intention of working together towards a respectful, common, agreed-upon solution. This may be the most important committee I have ever served on because it will directly impact every one of our members' lives. I want what's best for every Esk'etemc member, from the elders who have passed on wanting what was best for our people to our future generations.  I hope that in years to come, our membership will reflect on this process as fair, open and positive. 

Best Advice I've Received: My Xpe7e advised my mom, "Always remember who you are and where you come from.  Never be ashamed of who you are."  

Lesser Known Fact About Me: We have seven imts from five years old to thirteen. We live to cheer them on in their lives in school, rodeo, 4-H, soccer, dance and hockey, and we love to downhill ski with them in the winter. Life is good.

 My Relations: My parents are Brad Rivet and Eos Ayres. My mum's parents are Tony and Carol Ayres. My grandparents (dad's side) are Maurice and Audrey Rivet. My great-aunts, Marcella Hutchinson and Chick Telford, are also very important to me.   

 My Work life: I have a bachelor's degree in business administration focusing on management. I've worked with Sportchek in Williams Lake and Vernon for the last seven years. Currently, I hold the position of Sports Department Manager in Vernon. However, for the past 2 months, I have been serving as the interim General Manager in Williams Lake, where I have been training the new management team.  

My Residence: I grew up in Williams Lake, spent most of my time at the hockey rink, and then moved to Okanagan for post-secondary school. I've lived in Penticton, Kelowna, and am currently in Vernon, but Williams Lake always feels more like home.    

My Motivation to be on this Planning Committee: I applied for this committee because I want to see our community have a strong future for many generations. When we were growing up, many of us, including myself, had little connection to our history. It's important that we find ways to preserve our culture and provide a positive direction for our younger generation.   

My approach to managing has always been for my people first. I work with my employees to find the best path forward by identifying the skills and experience they need for their future. I see this position in the same light. We need to come together to find what is important and how to develop our community into a Nation. I have heard many stories about the people and places in our community and our struggles. This settlement represents an opportunity that was taken from our people, and now is our time to build what we should have had all along.   

Best Advice I've Received: The best advice I've ever received was to become a lifelong student. Every person you meet has a lesson to teach you, and it's never too late to pick up new skills and ideas.    

Lesser-Known Fact About Me: My main hobbies are reading and playing video games. I have a library of about 250 books, and my computer setup is dangerously close to the value of my car. 

 My Relations: I was born and raised in Esk'et. My mother is Laura (Johnson) Harry, and my father was Rolland Mayfield. My grandparents are David and Celestine Johnson. They have raised me since birth, and I am very grateful. My grandfather was the Hereditary Chief of Esk'et from 1942 to 1952.

My great-grandfather was Charlie Tuxwemnesq't  Yellis Johnson. My Great Grandmother was  Bridget Ttcusmetkwe Squinahan.  My Grandmother’s parents were Clemine Cwliken Kelalst and his wife was Susanne Seselalcken Kelalst, and they lived across the river at Set’l. Cwliken was also the Hereditary Chief for Set’l.

My Work Life: I have had a diverse work history. Like many at Esk'et, I started as a cowboy, then worked at several sawmills, and later in the bush as a logger. I concluded my working career as a truck driver, where I drove across Canada and the USA, operating lumber, chip, and logging trucks. Since then, I have been working as a Secwépemc Language teacher.

My Residence: I have lived with my wife at the Williams Lake Indian Band for twenty-eight years. My wife worked in Williams Lake, and we wanted to live close to her job, so we ended up in Sugar Cane.

My Motivation to be on this Planning Committee: I wanted to be on the Tsqewt Community Planning Committee because I have been involved with the work since the beginning. There is a passion for sharing the knowledge my grandfather passed down about history and stories, which made it essential for me to stay involved with Specific Claims. I have a lot of information on other specific claims that have affected our land title in Esk'etemculucw.

Best Advice I've Received: The best piece of advice I received from my grandfather was, “Whatever somebody does to you, is not yours to pack. Its theirs, but whatever you do to others is yours to fix.  If it is good or bad that you do you have to fix and forget it.  When you get hooked on it then you will just stay there.”

   My Relations:  My parents are Gladys Paul and the late Phillip Robbins.   

On my mom's side, my grandparents were the late Theresa and Walter Paul (Peace Chief). My 3× great-grandfather on Walter's side was Paul Stanislaus (died 1867-Canim Lake-Tsq'escen').   

On my dad's side, my grandparents were Lottie and Duncan Robbins (past hereditary chief). My great-grandfather (dad's side) was Howard Paul (medicine man) from the Squiala First Nation.  

My Work life: Throughout my life, I have always been drawn back to the forest. I have worked in forestry for 31 years, starting in 1993 with tree spacing, then from 2001 to the present, fighting fires during fire season.    

I received my Forestry Diploma in 2015. From 2007 to 2020, I worked as a Forestry Technician for Alkali Resource Management, and since 2021, I have been a Wildfire Assistant at British Columbia Wildfire Service. In 2018, I was appointed the fire headman (firekeeper) through Esk’et's traditional governance.   

My Residence: I currently live on the reserve at Esk’et.   

My Motivation to be on this Planning Committee: I joined the committee because I want to be a part of bringing a change and to be part of a team representing the Band and the people.  

Best Advice I've Received: The best advice I was given was that no matter what life throws at you and how tough life gets, bring yourself back to the land and find peace within yourself.  Therefore, take care of the land!

 My Relations: My parents are Sheila Collins (née Spooner) and Ron Collins. My grandparents (on my mom's side) are Charlotte Spooner (née Pigeon) and Don Spooner, and my great-grandparents are Mary Pigeon (née Grinder) and JR (Joseph Rosaire) Pigeon.

My grandma Charlotte grew up in Meadow Lake with her seven siblings. They settled in 16 Mile after they had my mom and her two brothers (Doug and Mike Spooner).

When my grandpa passed, Grandma Charlotte moved into my parent's in-law suite, where she lived until she passed earlier this year. Grandma Charlotte is survived by her younger brother, Lawrence Pigeon, and her older sister, Yvonne Thorne, her three children, and many grandkids, great-grandkids, nieces and nephews.

My mom and dad have lived in Kamloops for 30 years and raised my sister and me here. We are still fortunate to call Kamloops home.

My work life: I work for the Government of British Columbia in the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. I work as a Land and Resource Management Coordinator, specifically working in Cumulative Effects.

I also sit on the Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects Board as the Youth Director. We are committed to empowering Indigenous Communities and making a lasting impact for the next seven generations. Additionally, I am part of the Steering Committee for the Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Climate Leadership Agenda.

My Residence: I live in Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc Territory or Kamloops, B.C. I have a five-year-old Black Labrador named Snoop, so I love going outside with him. I live in a duplex, and my sister, Delaney Collins, lives next door with her husband. It's so nice to have family living close by.

My Motivation to be on this Planning Committee: I applied because I am eager to reconnect with and contribute to Esk'etemc. I have been on a journey to reconnect with my Secwépemc ancestry and feel this will be an amazing opportunity to connect with the community and gain knowledge of Esk'etemc.

With experience in natural resources and strategic decision-making, I’ve learned to make informed choices by considering diverse viewpoints. I’m honoured to represent the youth perspective alongside Trevor, recognizing the importance of fair decisions regarding settlement funds for future generations.

I’m excited to be part of this committee and to learn from everyone in the Esk'etemc community!

Best Advice I've Received: One of the best pieces of advice I have received is always having someone in the room from whom you can learn. If you are the smartest person in the room, find a new room.

Lesser-Known Fact About Me: A fun fact about me is that I have a bachelor's degree in physics, mathematics and statistics, but my family likes to tease me because sometimes I can't do basic math. Someone also once referred to me as the ‘Mad Scientist of Esk'etemc’.