First Board of Directors

A-in-chut (Shawn Atleo)

Regional Chief, BC Assembly of First Nations

A-in-chut (Shawn Atleo) is a Hereditary Chief from the Ahousaht First Nation and Regional Chief of the BC Assembly of First Nations. He has served as co-chair of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, and has extensive experience as a leader, negotiator, facilitator, and mediator. He holds a master’s degree in education and completed executive management training at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. As president of Umeek Human Resource Development Inc., he is also an experienced strategic planner.

Dawn Farrell

Executive Vice-President, BC Hydro

Dawn Farrell joined BC Hydro in May 2003. As Executive Vice President, Engineering, Aboriginal Relations and Generation, she reports to the CEO and is accountable for the engineering, aboriginal relations and generation business units. Before joining BC Hydro, Ms. Farrell spent more than 17 years with TransAlta. Ms. Farrell has a bachelor of commerce degree with a major in finance and a master’s degree in economics. She also attended the advanced management program at Harvard University.

Donald Hayes

President, Hayes Forest Services Limited

Donald Hayes is president and principal shareholder of Hayes Forest Services Limited. Mr. Hayes graduated from the University of British Columbia with a bachelor of commerce in 1982 and earned his designation as a chartered accountant in 1985. Mr. Hayes has served as the chairman of the Cowichan Economic Development Commission, director and vice-chairman of the Truck Loggers Association of BC, and a director of Forest Renewal BC. He is currently a director of the Royal British Columbia Museum.

Nathan Matthew

Chair

Nathan Matthew is a Secwepemc person who has represented the Simpcw First Nation for 18 years as Chief. He has served two terms as chairman of the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council and is the past president of the Secwepemc Economic Development Corporation. Nathan is currently the president of the Simpcw Development Corporation and is the senior political advisor to the B.C. First Nations Leadership Council on education issues. Nathan works with the B.C. First Nations Education Steering Committee and First Nations Schools Association on education jurisdiction and national education policy development.

Chief Stewart Phillip

President, Union of BC Indian Chiefs

Stewart Phillip has dedicated the last 30 years of his life toward the service and advancement of the Penticton Indian Band, Okanagan Nation and all First Nations in British Columbia. He is in his third consecutive three-year term as President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and also serves as chairman of the Okanagan Nation Alliance and Chief of the Penticton Indian Band.

Dave Porter

Political Executive, First Nations Summit

Dave Porter is currently on the executive of the First Nations Summit. Mr. Porter served as Assistant Deputy Minister of Aboriginal Affairs in B.C. and was the first Oil and Gas Commissioner in this province. As the elected chair of the Kaska Dena Council since 2002, Mr. Porter is committed to the preservation of Kaska culture and greater opportunities for Kaska youth. He has also held several ministry portfolios in the Yukon legislature and a number of positions with the B.C., Yukon and Northwest Territories public service.

Kathryn Teneese

Chief Negotiator, Ktunaxa Nation

Kathryn Teneese is a citizen of the Ktunaxa Nation and has represented her community as chief negotiator in treaty talks for the Ktunaxa Nation since 1996. Ms. Teneese has held senior-level positions with the Native Courtworker and Counselling Association, Pacific Planning Symposium Secretariat, the Centre for Indian Training and Research, the First Nations Congress and the First Nations Summit.