Indigenous Advisory Circle

(He/Him/His)

Advisor

Doug Dokis is a member of the Dokis Anishinabek Nation in northern Ontario. Doug has over 30 years’ working for, and advocating on behalf of Indigenous peoples in numerous private and public sector roles.  His primary focus has been on systemic change through developing and advancing partnerships and programming in support of improving Indigenous educational outcomes. Doug believes strongly that Indigenous peoples knowledge has much to offer Canadian society. It is through this belief that he has worked towards greater cross-cultural understanding that draws from the best of the two knowledge systems.  Working within the post-secondary education system for the past 25 years as a teacher, Senior Administrator, Cultural Advisor and in program and curriculum development, Doug has worked with many strategic Industry and Governmental partners at the national level to bring about systemic change. For the past 13 years, he has been the Director, and more recently has transitioned into an Advisor for the National InSTEM (Indigenous youth in STEM) program at Actua. Actua is a national charitable organization delivering STEM education to over 35,000 Indigenous youth annually. As Director, Doug was the main point of contact for the 43 University STEM member programs on their local initiatives, Indigenous organization partnerships, Indigenous community and industry partner relations, and in the development and delivery of STEM programming for Indigenous youth. Under Doug’s leadership, Actua has developed the InSTEM in schools’ land based program that is grounded in the knowledge that “Indigenous People Have Always Know About STEM” Doug’s knowledge of Indigenous Land based learning and STEM education has led to the development of a successful Indigenous STEM program across the country in numerous Indigenous communities. This high school credit program emphasizes the importance of land-based learning, and its direct relationship to STEM knowledge.

(She/Her/Hers)

Advisor

Sxwpilemaát Siyám, also known as Chief Leanne Joe, of the Squamish Nation, is one of sixteen Hereditary Chiefs of the Squamish Nation and the first female Chief of her Lackett Joe Family. She shares her ancestral name with her late father, Sxwpilem Siyám, Chief Philip Joe and all the Siyams before her. Sxwpilemaát Siyám is also a descendant of the Kwakwaka’wakw speaking people and carries the traditional name of Q-Gee-Sea Loud, which was given to her by her late Chichia (grandmother on her mother’s side). She is also a descendant of the Thomas family of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation on her late grandmother’s side of the family (late father’s mother, Emma Thomas). 

Sxwpilemaát Siyám was born and raised on the beautiful shores of North Vancouver while having close relations to her roots on the east coast shores of Vancouver Island. She moved to the Nicola Valley over 17 years ago, after she met, fell in love and married Timothy ‘Spike’ Manuel (N’petkwulax), from Upper Nicola Band (Sylix/Okanagan Speaking People) and has relations to the Nlaka’pamux and Shuswap Peoples. 

Sxwpilemaát Siyám and N’petkwulax have a young adult son named Isaac, who carries Sylix, Sḵwx̱wu7mesh and Kwakwaka’wakw traditional names. Sxwpilemaát Siyám’s husband is a traditional knowledge keeper/cultural teacher and works with youth and community to engage them in rebuilding their cultural teachings and knowledge. Their son is their life teacher as he engages them in healing, listening, laughter and patience. 

Sxwpilemaát Siyám holds space in many organizations, focusing her work on Economic Reconciliation, rematriatian and education. She owns her own consulting company, Siyam Consulting. In her former role as Transformative Storyteller for Economic Reconciliation, with Simon Fraser University, Faculty of Environment, Community Economic Development she co-authored holds space in many organizations, focusing her work on Economic Reconciliation, rematriatian and education. She owns her own consulting company, Siyam Consulting. In her former role as Transformative Storyteller for Economic Reconciliation, with Simon Fraser University, Faculty of Environment, Community Economic Development she co-authored Step into the River: An Economic Reconciliation Framework. She also supports SFU Beedie School of Business and many other Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations through her consulting business.

Sxwpilemaát Siyám serves as a Trustee for the Squamish Nation Trust and Board of Directors for the New Relationship Trust. She serves and has served as an advisory or board member for many other entities. Her educational background includes a B.A. in Business, Community Economic Development Certificate and many other related trainings and experiences. She also supports SFU Beedie School of Business and many other Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations through her consulting business. 

Sxwpilemaát Siyám serves as the Chair for the Squamish Nation Trust as well as the Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Institute, and Board of Directors for the New Relationship Trust and the Women in Leadership Foundation. She serves and has served as an advisory or board member for many other entities over many years. Her educational background includes a B.A. in Business, Community Economic Development Certificate and many other related trainings and experiences. 

Sxwpilemaát Siyám is a very passionate and resilient woman who is committed to working with others to keep her circle strong and continue the movement towards sovereignty. She believes her People’s greatest legacy is the children, thus, it is our responsibility to ensure that our children’s future and the generations to follow have a good life based in a holistic approach to wealth and well-being. So, that all the ‘People Yet to Be’ have the tools to engage in the world in a completely different way than we have and can walk in two worlds with ease…using the past to make a better a future. 

(She/Her/Hers)

Advisor

Marilyn is a member of Piikani. Nation and she unites people, helps people navigate uncertainty and inspires people to move forward. She is solution-oriented and approaches every situation with incredible compassion. She is a prominent voice for inclusion, racial equity, safety and sustainability in the arts, non-profit, political and justice communities.

Marilyn brings experience in the field of corporate, event and private security, bringing a background in military training and customer service.  She has extensive experience in VIP security with a focus on the Indigenous entertainment community.   She served with the military medical corps of the Canadian Armed Forces. Most recently, Marilyn was the first Blackfoot woman to run in Calgary’s 2021 municipal election.

With experiences of intergenerational trauma stemming from residential schools and her experiences of discrimination during and after serving the military medical corps of the Canadian Armed Force, she is now a strong advocate for Indigenous representation and inclusion. She is a catalyst for change and is an advocate for Reconciliation, Indigenous inclusion, racial equity and more. She has served as the vice-chair of the Calgary Aboriginal Urban Affairs Committee and she played an essential role in the development of the White Goose Flying report, the local response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action. In 2017, Marilyn became the first Indigenous person appointed to a Police Commission in Canada.

Marilyn has earned a BA in psychology and an MA from Athabasca University.  Her thesis is one of the first to academically draw out the historical issues leading up to Canada’s current situation with Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women. In 2012, she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal.

(She/Her/Hers)

Advisor

Dr. Michelle Corfield excels in assembling teams to develop custom approaches to meet business and organization needs. She is an innovative facilitator, mediator and process designer with a passion for developing ways to advance First Nations people and communities using a balanced, holistic approach.

Michelle founded Corfield & Associates in 2006 to provide consulting and project management services to First Nations, individuals and organizations working with and for First Nations. Michelle is an entrepreneur, operating Indigenous Natural Health, an organization which develops Indigenous-based wellness products. She co-developed the Indigenous Business and Leadership Masters of Business Administration at Simon Fraser University and is one of the founding partners and designers of Ahp-cii-uk, a British Columbia Multi-Sectoral Leadership Initiative for the social and economic development of First Nations. She has authored six economic development tool kits for First Nations, the Environmental Assessment for First Nations and the Indigenous Women in the Legal Justice System Report.

Michelle is currently a Director of Fortis Inc., and she has served on the boards of more than twelve organizations and societies. She is a member of the Ucuelet First Nation and is a past Vice-President for the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council. In addition to the professional experience that Michelle brings to her consultancy, she holds a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership Management from the University of Phoenix, a Master’s of Conflict Analysis and Management from Royal Roads University and a Bachelor of Arts in First Nations Studies from Vancouver Island University.