Joe Gallagher is the Chief Executive Officer for the First Nations Health Council.  Joe is a member of the Sliammon First Nation and previously held the position of Director of Programs for First Nations Inuit Health.  In his work with the First Nations Health Council Joe is responsible to provide coordination and leadership to the overall effort of the First Nations Health Council to implement the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan on behalf of First Nations Communities in British Columbia.  Joe holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Victoria and has over 15 years of experience working with many First Nations communities in British Columbia through various consulting projects as one of the principals of Visions First Nations Planning Group and through his capacity as the Chief Negotiator for the Sliammon Treaty Negotiation Team.

Tanja is Cree from Nelson House First Nation in Northern Manitoba, but grew up in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.  Tanja graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with degrees in Commerce and Law.  Prior to joining the First Nation Health Council, Tanja spent 15 years with the Department of Indian Affairs working in various positions including Estates Officer, Funding Services Officer, Self-Government Policy Advisor, Implementation Negotiator and most recently as the Manager of Education.  The VP, Finance and Administration is responsible for the internal organization processes and infrastructure. This includes the management of finances, human resources, contract and procurement, office management and operations. With the CEO, the VP will report directly to the Board of Directors on these matters.

Heather Morin is a Cree woman from Saddle Lake, Alberta, happily married to her husband Jerry. Heather continually practices her traditions and helps to instill them in her children, Kyle and Robyn, and her grandson, Sincere.


In 1996, she received a History degree from the University of Regina, and then earned a Bachelor of Education – Elementary (Indian Education) from the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College in 1999.  Her previous work includes representing Aboriginal students at the post-secondary level, as well as teaching.


Heather has worked as an Education Officer for the Aboriginal Education Enhancements Branch at the Ministry of Education since 2000.  Her belief that Aboriginal students have the will and determination to succeed as long as they have the role models, parental involvement, and inclusion of their views in the curriculum is reflected in everything she does. For a brief time she worked at the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations as a Senior Policy Advisor and has more recently started working at the First Nations Health Council in the position of Research Analyst.  She brings a love of data and research to ensure that First Nations are well equipped with the knowledge they need to move forward in a healthy way.

Brittany McKay a recent grad from Red River College with a Certificate in Business, Accounting and Management grew up in Gimli, Manitoba and recently relocated to Vancouver, BC in August. Brittany is the assistant for the Regional Health Survey Department and is very excited to work with the First Nations Health Council. From a strong Métis family, Brittany believes strongly in RHS and is looking forward to assisting all the data collectors by training and informing community members during their journey of data collecting.

Marilyn is Secwepemc from Simpcw First Nations.  In her role as VP of Health Planning, Marilyn assists in the implementation of Tripartite First Nations Health Plan focussing on community engagement, communications, community health plans, HV/AIDS and maternal and child health. Marilyn brings to the Health Council over twenty years experience working with aboriginal communities and prior to this position Marilyn spent a year in Nigeria as a capacity and development specialist in HIV/AIDS. She is currently enrolled in Waterloo University’s Master of Public Health.

Michelle DeGroot is the VP of Policy and Advocacy. Prior to this position, Michelle served for five years as Policy Analyst, Health Careers Manager and Director of the First Nations Chiefs Health Committee.  Michelle is Secwepemc and a member of the Kamloops Indian Band.  In her capacity of Director, Policy and Advocacy, Michelle is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Transformative Change Accord: First Nation Health Plan and the Tripartite First Nation Health Plan in areas of eHealth, Health Human Resources, Environment, Injury Prevention, Mental Health and Addictions, ActNow and Data and Research. As director, her responsibilities include supervision of staff, management of finances, development and implementation of policies, and management of projects and initiatives.

Allison is an urban Aboriginal woman (born and raised in Vancouver, BC).  Her maternal lineage is Interior Salish from In-SHUCK-ch Nation (Samahquam Band), and her paternal ancestry is Ojibway from Mud Lake, Ontario. Allison has been actively involved within the social services, criminal justice system and health fields for approximately ten years. The various roles that she has performed included advocacy in various capacities.  She possesses astute advocacy awareness, knowledge, and experience. Most significantly, Allison possesses a passion for advocacy involvement. Allison feels very honoured and privileged to join the First Nations Health Council team as Health Advocate and looks forward to working diligently to provide advocacy and support to First Nations individuals, communities and organizations.

Mary is the Senior Policy Analyst for the First Nations Health Council and supports the work of the work of the Transformative Change Accord: First Nation Health Plan and the BC First Nations Tripartite Health Plan.  Prior to her current role, Mary served for several years as a Health Advocate in the arena of Non-Insured Health Benefits. Mary brings a combined 15 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 goal is to serve First Nations peoples to the best of her ability, and strive to build a better future for children and families. Mary is from the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation.

Andrea recently completed a Master’s degree in Community Development at University of California-Davis.  Her research focused on race and class among agricultural workers in central California, and separately, on decolonization in Guyana.  She taught a class on race and ethnicity at U.C.D., and worked with students on research methods and community engagement.  Prior to that she worked in Ecuador and India for two years on public health and community economic development projects in rural areas.  Andrea is from Vancouver, and worked in the Downtown Eastside for several years with a peer-based needle exchange outreach project.  She holds a B.A. in Anthropology from U.B.C. and worked at the Museum of Anthropology.  She is passionate about social justice and advocacy, as well as health.  Andrea loves to spend time in the forest and mountains, and is happy to be back in British Columbia with her family and friends.

Carrie is Algonquin from the Timiskaming First Nation in Quebec, but she grew up in Vancouver, BC. Carrie is employed as a Governance Policy Analyst for the First Nations Health Council and supports the work of the Health Governance Sub-Committee Co-Chairs, Chief Gottfriedson, Grand Chief John, and Grand Chief Kelly and C.E.O. Joe Gallagher. She holds a Bachelor of Law from the University of Windsor, Access to Justice Law School. She was compelled to take this position to be a part of creating change in the sector of social justice.

Lori Sellars, is a member of the Secwepemc (Shuswap) Nation of the Interior of British Columbia. Lori has her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from the University of Victoria and a Masters degree in Rural Education from the James Cook University of Australia. Her role is to review federal and provincial legislation, policies, programs and services to ensure that interests of BC First Nations are addressed. Her other responsibility is to act as a liaison with First Nations, other organizations, federal and provincial departments for the purpose of assisting in the achievement of the First Nations Health Council goals and objectives as they relate to the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan. Lori’s work with First Nations provides the health documentation, recommendations and policy alternatives for review, approval and action for emerging critical issues by the First Nations Health Council.

Thlop-kee-tuup comes from the Ditidaht First Nation located on the West Coast of Vancouver Island and is a member of the Nuuchahnulth peoples.  Derek is employed as Governance Policy Analyst for the First Nations Health Council and supports the work of the Health Governance Sub-Committee Co-Chairs, Chief Christian, Grand Chief John, and Grand Chief Kelly, and Senior Director Joe Gallagher.  He has been involved in the arenas of health and social development for twenty years and received a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from the University of Saskatchewan.  His reason for doing this work is to perpetuate all of the goodness that his late Grandmother Ida Thompson (nee Modeste) emanated, and to bring forward all that his Ancestors have strived for in the way of creation, beauty, kindness, and honour.

Troy has been hired as the ActNow Coordinator for First Nation communities in BC. Troy Myers is Cree/Dene from Cold Lake First Nations in Treaty Six, Alberta.  He currently resides in the Lower Mainland with his wife.  His background includes First Nations governance, health programming, and technical support for communities.  Troy is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Professional Communication with a specialization in Intercultural and International Communication from Royal Roads University.

Suzanne is a Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator with many years of combined experience, in First Nations nutrition, diabetes education and healthy lifestyle promotion and clinical nutrition.  As a member of the Okanagan Nation (Penticton) her career purpose is to improve the physical health and wellness of aboriginal people through promoting, educating and supporting healthy eating and healthy lifestyle practices.  Suzanne strives to provide creative, effective and relevant nutrition expertise to best meet the nutritional health needs of First Nations people at the individual, community, regional and national levels.  She also maintains a personal interest in healthy lifestyle promotion through physical activity and is an avid walker, runner and hiker and shares this interest with others in her community as a volunteer walk/run leader.

Dr Georgia Kyba graduated with a Naturopathic Doctorate degree from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, OR. She received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Victoria with majors in Psychology and Biology. She holds a BC license through the College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia, CNPBC, and is a member of the BC Naturopathic Association, BCNA.  Dr Kyba works in Aboriginal health with First Nations Summit as part of their Health Professionals Advisory Roster and with Squamish First Nations as the Chronic Disease Self Management Coordinator. Dr. Kyba is Northern Tuchone from the Selkirk First Nation in the Yukon. She was born in Whitehorse, Yukon, and grew up in Vancouver, BC, with her parents, two brothers and sister. Her interest in alternative medicine was instilled in her from a very young age by the compassionate and humanitarian views of her family.

Dr. Rosalin Hanna is a member of Lytton First Nation, British Columbia.  She completed her Education, Doctoral Degree, major Exercise Science, and her Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management at the University of Central Florida, where she was nominated to the International Honour’s Society, Ph Lambda Pheta.  During her stay in the USA she was employed as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist in two major division one universities for a total of 5 years.  She also worked as the second-ever female high school football coach for this role she was given the 2002 National Strength and Conditioning Association “High School Professional of the Year” for the United States.  She was also the first female coach to be allowed into the NFL combines.  She completed her Master’s degree in Human Kinetics, at UBC, her BA degree, Physical Education major, at Trinity Western University, and a diploma in Ph. Ed. at Langara College.  Overall, Dr. Hanna has 23 years experience working in the sports, fitness, and health field in a variety of disciplines as a kinesiologist, therapist, college and university instructor, writer, speaker, high school teacher, performance specialist, and as a national level athlete.

Tonya Lewis has worked with the First Nations Health Council (formerly the First Nations Chief’s Health Committee) since February 2006, as the Health Careers Manager.  Tonya is a member of the Squamish Nation and has one daughter, Melina Joseph.  In her job, she manages the Science and Math Program for students in Grade 4-12, Bursary & Scholarship Program for students in the Health Career field, Community Based Program for communities to offer programs such as a summer student or career fair.  Tonya is also part of the National Health Careers Program Committee.  If you require further information about the involvement on her work for the FNHC she can be contacted at the FNHC office.

Trish is a proud member of the Squiala First Nation of the Fraser River Valley, British Columbia.  She is also proud of her father’s Swedish lineage.  Trish completed her Bachelor of Science at the University of British Columbia. As part of the International Exchange Program, she attended the University of Auckland in New Zealand for one year to focus on Maori studies.  She is currently a Master of Science Candidate, whose research is based on the effects of indoor mould exposure on First Nations peoples’ health.  As the AHHRI Coordinator, her responsibilities include coordinating comprehensive and strategic AHHR planning, and the development and implementation of policies and procedures related to the AHHRI and the Transformative Change Accord – First Nations Health Plan.  Through recruitment and retention strategies, the overall goal is to increase the number and have the right mix of First Nations in health careers in BC. She does this by liaising with First Nations communities, First Nation organizations, Post Secondary Institutes, agencies and federal and provincial governments. She provides input on the AHHRI to the Assembly of First Nations Health and Social Secretariat and both the National and British Columbia Region First Nation Inuit Health.

Jean Allbeury is Ojibway and a member of the Lac Seul Band from Northern Ontario. Jean Has worked with the First Nations Health Council (formerly known as the First Nations Chiefs’ Health Committee) sice February 2006.

Jody Olsson is Ojibway from the Rainy River Band in Northern Ontario.  Jody has worked with the First Nations Health Council (formerly the First Nations Chiefs Health Committee) since October 2007, as the Mental Wellness Coordinator.  Jody is responsible for planning, research, writing, communications, networking and advocacy for the three action items identified by the BC Tripartite First Nations Health Plan and the TCA: First Nations health Plan.

Trina Carpenter is a member of the Heiltsuk First Nation of the Central Coast of British Columbia.  Trina has been working as the Executive Assistant with the First Nations Health Council since December 11, 2007.  The Executive Assistant is responsible for supporting the Senior Director, and the Director of Health Planning and Operations. Trina also provides administrative support to the Health Council Members. Her role includes the following duties: information management, schedule management, project management, meeting preparation, research and writing, taking minutes and preparing reports, and external/internal communications.

Jordan Ann Joseph is a proud member of the Squamish Nation. Jordan Ann is the Executive Assistant and has worked with the First Nations Health Council (formerly the First Nations Chiefs’ Health Committee) since June 2005. The Executive Assistant is responsible for supporting the Director including the following duties: information management, schedule management, project management, meeting preparation, research and writing, taking minutes and preparing reports, external communications and human resource management. The Executive Assistant is also responsible for overseeing the Administrative Assistant and Receptionist.

Josephine Whonnock is a proud member of the Squamish Nation. The Receptionist is responsible for supporting the Executive Assistant including the following duties: answering phones, mail, courier, ordering supplies, information management, meeting preparation, accounts payable.

Mark Matthew is from the Simpcw First Nation and grew up on the North Thompson reserve located 15 km north of Barriere, BC.  He now lives in Kamloops with his wife and young son.  Mark holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from Thompson Rivers University and has experience as a Business Development Officer (at an Aboriginal Financial Institution) and a Financial Advisor.  Most recently he was employed with Interior Health as the Aboriginal Contracts Advisor. Mark’s role within the First Nations Health Council is Community Development Liaison.  He looks forward to getting out into the communities and assisting in the implementation of the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan (TFNHP). Mark’s position provides a wide range of community and organizational development skills to assist First Nation either independent or in a community engagement hub to plan, collaborate and communicate with FNHC. Mark also assists First Nation communities in the development of community health plans and work plans.

Davis is a member of the Sliammon First Nation. Davis holds a BA in Sociology and Anthropology from Simon Fraser University and is a BCTF certified teacher.  Davis has been working in web, print and video media for over 7 years and has been working for the First Nations Health Council since March of 2008. In the role of communications coordinator, Davis provides communications support and direction in the implementation of the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan. His responsibilities include: Strategic planning for internal and external communications, website coordination and maintenance, and the development of tools and processes for maintaining regular communication with BC’s 203 First Nations communities. Davis enjoys soccer, scrabble, spending time with family.

Evan Tlesla II Adams of the Sliammon First Nation (Powell River, BC) is an actor and physician whose numerous performances include a starring role in the Emmy-winning TV-movie LOST IN THE BARRENS and, most memorably, as Thomas Builds-The-Fire in the Miramax feature SMOKE SIGNALS, which won him many awards including an Independent Spirit Award for performance in 1999. Dr. Adams completed his MD at the University of Calgary, his Aboriginal Family Practice residency at St Paul’s Hospital/UBC (as Chief Resident), and is currently the Director of the Division of Aboriginal People’s Health, UBC Faculty of Medicine, and the Aboriginal Health Physician Advisor, Office of the Provincial Health Officer, Ministry of Health.

My paternal ancestry is Squamish Nation and my maternal ancestry is Lil’wat Nation of British Columbia. I recently convocated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Social Work with an Indigenous Child Welfare Specialization. I am passionate about the health and well-being of First Nations children, families, and communities, and dedicated to social justice issues effecting First Nation peoples of Canada. I recently joined the First Nations Health Council (FNHC) team as a Policy Analyst in November 2008.

Erin Mearns is member of the Klahoose First Nation and was raised in Gibsons, BC.  She has been involved in learning about aboriginal health issues for many years while working with various First Nations communities from 2001 - 2004.  This experience encouraged Erin to pursue a career in Nursing with the goal to work in an area to assist in improving the health of First Nations people.  In May 2007 Erin completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from UBC.  Her educational journey has encompassed many joys and challenges, and she hopes to share these experiences in her role as a Health Careers Recruitment Officer with the First Nations Health Council.  Erin takes a keen interest in the future of today’s youth and aspires to contribute to strong and healthy First Nations communities in BC.

EUNICE JOE
Tla-ah-shuks is Nuu-chah-nulth from the Tseshaht First Nation.  Eunice’s lineage stems from the Tseshaht, Huu-ay-aht and Squamish Nations.  She completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major in First Nations Studies at Vancouver Island University (formerly Malaspina Unviersity-College).  Eunice most recently worked with Inter Tribal Health Authority in the area of Health Informatics, Planning and Research and has also worked with the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council in various capacities.  She brings with her a passion for working with First Nations People and working across cultures.  Eunice approaches her work from a place of respect that is grounded in traditional teachings of “Hishuk ish Tsawalk” – everything is one and all is connected.
Eunice will be working with the First Nations of Vancouver Island, Vancouver Island Health Authority and the First Nations Health Council assisting in the implementation of the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan.

HEATHER SQUIRE
Heather Squire is the Senior Advisor, Policy and Strategic Initiatives to the CEO of the FN Health Society. In her role as Senior Advisor, Heather is responsible for developing strategic direction and initiatives in coordination with the CEO and other senior management and government partners. She also assists in supporting and coordinating the communication, policy, and planning initiatives with the senior management team.

Heather recently married Dallas Squire, and spent spring 2009 enduring studio lights as a participant on Slice Networks reality TV show “Bulging Brides”. 
She is an outdoors and sports enthusiast and enjoys nothing more than running her dog in the trails of her home community of Squamish, BC.