SPEAKERS

Jordan is married to Chelsea Coble and is the proud father of Keyara, Hadley, and Nyelle. He was one of the original attendees of what was then the Westbank Indian Band school, now Sensisyusten, and attended high school at MBSS. Jordan earned his degree from UBCO, and also graduated from the 4-year adult immersion language program at the Syilx Language House. Additionally, he has completed numerous courses and programs related to Indigenous governance, leadership, and project management.

Okanagan people have always been the hardest working people and Jordan strives to lead by example in this regard. Moving forward as a community and government will require a balanced approach, holding up our ways of being in order to protect our resources, rights, and responsibilities while also ensuring we continue to focus on caring for our people.

Jordan believes in the power of our knowledge and language as the source of our understanding of our responsibilities. He is focused on working with our members to bring more of this knowledge to the forefront while setting a good example and creating a healthier path for the next generations of leaders.

Devin is responsible for the professional development, delivery, direction, planning, and operational implementation for economic development for TteS and members. He is a member of the Woodland Cree, Jean Baptiste-Gambler Reserve, Northern Alberta, and moved to Kamloops where he completed his high school education at NorKam Senior Secondary. He is a huge proponent of community building and is the President of Volunteer Kamloops, and an active volunteer with TRU. He credits family, community and his high school’s staff for helping him build resiliency and recognize the importance of community support for all.

Danalee received her bachelor’s degree in Human Geography at UBC and earned her graduate MBA from Capilano University and SFU in International Business Leadership. Born and raised in Kamloops, she returned to her hometown after traveling, studying, and working abroad and Vancouver for nearly twenty years.

Danalee has excelled in many roles including COO of an international school in Vancouver, Executive Director of the United Way, IT support for bclc and now her current position as Assistant Manager of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Business and Economic Development Department. She is passionate about innovative, sustainable indigenous economic development rooted in environment stewardship and genuine, mutually beneficial partnerships. Danalee is honoured to serve the Tk̓emlúps community and leverage the benefits of the department’s success to improve the lives and futures of the membership.

Greg is a Dene Indigenous tourism leader and Indigenous youth advocate who is passionate about building vibrant and thriving Indigenous communities. Greg shares stories and cultural traditions in an authentic and meaningful way, while working towards reconciliation through his philosophy of ‘Living in Two Worlds’.

Mike has extensive experience working with multiple levels of Government and First Nations. As a visionary and achiever, he can confidently lead organizational change, and effectively work with start-ups. 

Mike provides a unique perspective on building organizations through the lens of economic development to meet all social needs, both within an organization as well as outside of its boundaries.

Over the course of a twenty-plus year career in First Nation business, not-for-profit, business and post-secondary education sectors across the prairie provinces Hugh has been involved in initiatives and projects from the ground floor to the executive suite which have brought benefit to the communities and the people he has worked with.
 

Hugh is currently the CEO of Ka·kin Resource Corporation, the wholly owned
business arm of Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi 'it (the Tobacco Plains Indian Band), Lead at
HuMAN Consulting Group, a partner in Red Sun Consortium, a Director with the
East Kootenay-Columbia Community Investment Co-op, and Chair of the
Economic Development Practitioners Network.