Christopher Johnny

Dease River First Nation

Christopher Johnny is currently the Climate Action Coordinator for the Dease River, located in Good Hope Lake, BC. His focus is the Community Energy Plan and the Troutline Creek Hydro Project alongside his manager. Currently Dease River is in the permitting process. Previously, he worked in the mining industry as a mill operator for 12 years, as a big game guide for six years and for the forestry industry as a Forestry Operations Technician for a few years. As the opportunity for him to join the Climate Action Coordinator community presented itself, he left the mining industry to help his community move forward with developing a Community Energy Plan and to help where he could with the Run of the River hydro project that his community is currently pursuing. In his spare time, he overindulges in fishing, travelling, talking to his one and only son Colter on a daily basis through face time and spending every available minute with his spouse Tana.

Hayden Keating

Gitga’at Nation

Hayden Keating is Gitga’at, from the house of Sinaxeet of the Eagle clan, and her traditional name is Woom Hayetsk. In her role as Climate Action Coordinator, Hayden will support the Nation’s goals to reduce diesel dependency and advance key projects like the Gitga’at Power Project and the Water Security Project. Hayden’s looking forward to learning and growing in this career and working alongside the community to support sustainable practices and help protect the territory’s lands and waters. With a background in Indigenous Studies, Hayden understands the connections between culture, land and environmental stewardship. Hayden’s summers working with Pacific Whale Society, a non-profit organization based in Gitga’at territory, sparked a passion for protecting the territory and taking meaningful action on climate change. Such experiences introduced Hayden to clean energy technologies like small hydro and solar photovoltaics that will help guide her work with the Clean Energy Department.

Kim Spencer

Gitxaała Nation

Bio to come

Zuleika Bhamji

HEILTSUK NATION

Bio to come

Sydni McCue

Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nation

Sydni McCue is an Irish and Cree/Métis educator, art therapist and student living in Snuneymuxw territory. Originally from Treaty 8 territory, where most of her family still resides, Sydni fell in love with that territory and with the natural world, while her mother taught her many things about the Boreal Forest. She taught in Klemtu at the Kitasoo Community School for several years, engaging in land-based and cultural learning while there. Sydni was always impressed with the work of the Kitasoo Xai’xais Stewardship Authority, and is excited to be working with them as their Climate Action Coordinator. Some of her favourite hobbies include swimming, exploring natural inks and dyes, hiking, and kayaking.

Alyssa Seymour

KWADACHA NATION

Bio to come

Oriana Bee-Johnson

Kwikwasut’inuxw Hax’wamis Nation

Oriana Bee-Johnson is from the Kwikwasut’inuxw Hax’wamis First Nation (KHFN), located on Gilford Island and the Musgamaugw Dzawad’enuxw (Kingcome Inlet). Jamie Pond has mentored and supported Oriana to move from local jobs for the Nation into the Climate Action Coordinator role. One of Oriana’s main projects is working on an off-grid solar-powered community greenhouse, an Indigenous Clean Energy imaGENation-supported project, to enhance the community’s food sovereignty and bring pesticide-free local produce. In her spare time, Oriana likes to explore style and self-expression.

Colleen Lenart

Metlakatla First Nation

New to the North Coast and Tsimshian territory, Colleen is the Climate Action Coordinator for Metlakatla First Nation, a community only accessible by boat in the Great Bear Rainforest approximately 7km from Prince Rupert, BC. She is continuing the good work started in community replacing electric baseboard heaters with home heat pumps to provide community members with healthy, efficient, and more affordable heating and cooling. She is also investigating other home energy efficiency upgrades and preparing to kick off Metlakatla’s Community Energy Planning. During her downtime, Colleen enjoys paddle boarding, walking, and reading a good library book.

Kevin Brown

Old Massett Village Council, Haida Gwaii

Kevin Brown is a Climate Action Coordinator for the community of Old Massett, Haida Gwaii, where he was born, raised, and lived most of his life, apart from attending post-secondary education and training for the various positions held, including his current position. Kevin brings a diverse knowledge and experience to his position which includes working for both his Village Council and Senior Government, Council of Haida Nation on Haida Gwaii for the last 40 years. These include Executive Assistant, Land Use Planning Coordinator, Floor Manager Fish Plant, Sous Chef, Exec Director, OMVC Development Corp, Payroll Clerk, Economic Development Officer, Community Fisheries Coordinator, and Salmon Enhancement Manager. In his spare time, Kevin enjoys the beach, racket sports, volleyball, supporting worthy community events, movies, music, hockey, travel, scratch cooking and being an active “Chinni” (grandfather).

Garrett Russ

Skidegate Band Council, Haida Gwaii

Bio to come.

Nigel Moore

Uchucklesaht Tribe Government

Nigel Moore is Special Projects Manager, Uchucklesaht Tribe Government (UTG). In this role he manages a portfolio of infrastructure, planning, and other UTG projects including several clean energy and climate action initiatives. Prior to joining the UTG staff in 2023, he worked for Barkley Project Group in Nanaimo, BC as a Project Manager, supporting several indigenous-owned renewable energy projects including solar, hydropower, geothermal and biomass energy projects. He has 4 years experience studying the intersection of renewable energy systems and economic and social development as a research program manager at the University of Waterloo’s Institute for Sustainable Energy, and has previously held positions in research institutes and think tanks including at the University of Oxford in England, the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (now the Research Institute for Sustainability) in Germany, and the Centre for International Governance Innovation and the Waterloo Global Science Initiative in Canada.

Melissa Cahoose

Ulkatcho First Nation

Melissa Cahoose is a proud Ulkatchot’en passionate about empowering youth and supporting community wellness and vibrancy. She has been working as a Climate Action Coordinator for Ulkatcho since 2023, embracing a new journey in energy sustainability and climate action. Melissa is actively working on many projects that support the implementation of Ulkatcho’s Community Energy Plan and uplift the cultural and traditional values of the community in climate resiliency work. In her spare time, Melissa loves spending time outdoors, hunting, fishing, mushroom picking and picking traditional medicine.

Loretta Williams

Xeni Gwet’in First Nations Government

Loretta Williams is Nenqay (Lands) Director for her community of the Xeni Gwet’in First Nations Government. She was in leadership as council from 2013 – 2018. In 2019, Xeni was recognized as having Aboriginal Title over 1900 square kilometres of their traditional territory in Nemiah Valley, west of Williams Lake, BC. The landmark decision, known as the Tsilhqot’in v. British Columbia ruling, established the first time in Canadian history that Aboriginal Title had been confirmed for a specific piece of land. The community is now in a place where they are taking full ownership of their land and resources. Loretta is a mother of three children, aged 20, 25, and 28, and has recently become a grandmother for the first time. She currently resides in Xeni (Nemiah Valley). Xeni is one of six Tsilhqot’in communities and is known as God’s Country, with a backdrop of snowy coastal mountains and beautiful clear lakes, whose caretaker is in the headwaters of the Fraser River. Chilko and Taseko Rivers are destination points for yearly spawning salmon. Loretta loves to practice her Tsilhqot’in culture through language, crafts and harvesting wild game, fish, salmon, and medicines from her traditional territory.

Leona Humchitt

Former CAC for the Heiltsuk Nation

Leona was one of the very first people brought onto the Indigenous Climate Action Network as a Climate Action Coordinator for the Heiltsuk Nation and an integral part of making the Network a welcoming and uplifting space, especially with peer mentorship and support of the other CACs. Leona was and will continue to be such an inspiration for having a determined walk, innovative mindset and fearless heart in advocating for Indigenous leadership at all levels of decision making.

Leona Humchitt was a proud member of the Heiltsuk First Nation. She has always had her Nation and the health and prosperity of her community on her heart as she travelled the world, meeting and speaking to people about how to centre Indigenous voices, especially on the path to clean energy. Before her time as a Climate Action Coordinator for Heiltsuk, she had worked 27 years as an Office Manager for the Bella Bella RCMP, and completed her Master’s of Business Administration in Indigenous Business and Leadership from SFU and most recently, a Graduate Certificate in Aquaculture from UBC. She was also elected to the Heiltsuk Tribal Council for two terms, between 2014 and 2022 and was Chairperson for the Heiltsuk Economic Development Corporation for six years. Leona has touched the lives of so many with her connections and work with organizations and initiatives such as the Indigenous Off Diesel Initiative, Indigenous Clean Energy, CleanBC’s Remote Community Energy Strategy Working Group and the Indigenous Council for Wah-ila-toos.

Leona and her husband Tom have four beautiful daughters, Flora, Kristy, Mercedes, Cheryl and one son, Thomas Benjamin. She adored her grandchildren with all of her heart: Maggie, Cassian, Charlie and Addie, and has said they made her work in leadership that much more meaningful.

“H̓áik̓álá qs W̓úw̓áx̌díy̓ax̌ qn qṇts P̓áiniyax̌” is the name that has been gifted to the Mentorship program, by our Haíɫzaqv (Heiltsuk) Elder-in-Residence Contessa Brown, and Elders and community members Liz Brown, Gilbert and Gloria Jackson, to honour Leona Humchitt and how deeply her spirit and “heart work” has affected the development of the Network and everyone who was lucky enough to receive her mentorship and guidance. H̓áik̓álá qs W̓úw̓áx̌díy̓ax̌ qn qṇts P̓áiniyax̌ translates to “my work comes from my heart.” ǧiáxsix̌a (thank you) to Leona and her community and may we all carry her memory and legacy forward with our own heart work.