Associates
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Charlene Everson, Associate: Logistics, Executive Coordinator
Charlene was born and raised in Comox BC on Vancouver Island and is a member of the K’omoks First Nation. Charlene carries the name Xanusa’mega from the Walas Kwakiutl. She and her family are active participants in the cultural traditions of the Kwakwaka’wakw or Kwakwala speaking peoples.
Charlene has worked in her community for the past 7 years in various positions. Her primary role has been as an education coordinator, but has also worked assistant researcher, capacity development worker, cultural coordinator, and executive assistant. As education coordinator she has served as Chair of the Aboriginal Education Councils at North Island College and at School District 71. She also served as a director on the First Nation Education Steering Committee where sat as Chair on the Post-Secondary Sub Committee.
Charlene has a diploma in Indigenous Community Development and Governance from the University of Victoria. She believes in the integrity of cultural knowledge as the foundation of good governance and strong sovereign nations.
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Mary Knox, Associate: Facilitator, Program Management, Indigenous Community Engagement
Mary Knox is from the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation and currently, residing in the Cowichan Valley area.
Mary has strong cultural acumen and management skills, she is currently the Manager, Aboriginal Health – Central Island. Mary was contracted as Manager of Indigenous Engagement, Cowichan District Hospital Replacement Project with Island Health. She previously work with the Chiefs Health Committee, First Nations Health Council and the Public Health Agency of Canada both regionally and nationally. Mary served for several years as a Health Advocate in the arena of Non-Insured Health Benefits and brings a combined 20+ years’ experience working in First Nations health. Previous positions in community-based, provincial and national health agencies have provided Mary a unique fluency in the dialogue on First Nations Health.
Mary’s active participation in family potlatches has connected her with having a strong cultural identity, whereby this helped determine her career path. Recognizing and respecting cultural differences between her own people and other First Nations neighbors among whom she now works; she appreciates the opportunity to learn. Her short-term international work in Norway only added to her interest in the area of Health and Social determinates.
Mary’s goal is to serve First Nations peoples to the best of her ability, and strive to build a better future for children and families.
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Danielle Mitchell, Associate: Facilitator, Project Management
Danielle was born, raised, and continues to be a grateful guest on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish Nations. Danielle is Plains Cree and Métis with ancestral connections to communities in Treaty 6 Territory through her father’s lineage. She also honors her French, Irish, Scottish and English (maternal & paternal) roots.
Danielle is a proud Auntie and early Cree language learner who looks forward to one day returning to her home communities to continue her language and culture journey. She is passionate about social justice, Indigenous leadership and working collectively to build anti-racist, equitable, wellness-centred practices, organizations and systems.
Danielle’s experience is in the areas of systems transformation, organizational and leadership development, HRM and project management. Danielle is a senior leader within the health and social services sector working with organizations to address anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination through strategic, structural, practice and policy changes. Danielle holds a Master of Arts in Leadership degree from Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC.
www.linkedin.com/in/daniellemitchel1
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Cody Dawson, Associate: Video Services
Cody Dawson is Gitxsan and Kwakwaka’wakw. Cody is a young Indigenous entrepreneur, establishing his videography and photography business after completing his Diploma in Visual Arts at Camosun College in 2014. Cody has had the honor of creating videos for the BC Government, the University of Victoria, Island Marine Aquatic Working Group, the Royal BC Museum, the Breakfast Club of Canada, Groundswell / Tahltan First Nation, and assisted with the Comox Valley Art Gallery / Kumugwe exhibit Potlatch 6767 filming of the grand opening and feast.
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Kelly Foxcroft-Poirier, Associate: Graphic Facilitator
With her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design Kelly brings creativity, graphic recording, and visual facilitation frameworks to increase accessibility of information, knowledge transfer to get everyone involved on the same page.
With her thirteen+ years of working on the ground in community and at various political tables and non-profit organizations through White Raven Consulting, Kelly continues to demonstrate leadership, curiosity, creative problem solving, and research skills, as well as an affinity for strong communication. Kelly continues to deepen her understanding of Nuu-chah-nulth and West Coast First Nations’ culture, organization, and politics, which unearths further knowledge of protocol and a centering of work in deep context, place and time. Kelly continues to hold a big vision to actively bridge the gaps between communities, cultures, and generations in hopes to bring out our best work towards belonging and connected communities for all.
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Morrie Dawson, Associate: Graphic Recorder
Morrie Dawson is a graphic recorder based out of the beautiful traditional territory of the Lekwungen Peoples. He is Kwakwaka’wakw on his fathers’ side and Gitxsan on his mothers’.
Ever since he was a boy, Morrie Showed a burning passion for illustration and creativity. For the better part of two decades, he has directed his passion towards professional cooking, working alongside some of the best chefs in the country. He has received graphic recording training from Shift-It Coach Christina Merkley, and has been mentored by Kelly Foxcroft-Poirier of White Raven Consulting. His Experience includes creating graphic reports for the BC Government. Visual Communication has been an essential part of his peoples’ way of living for generations. With his artistic eye, indigenous values, and a mind as sharp as his chef knives, He aims to provide his clients with a unique graphic recording experience.