I was born and raised in Montreal and am part of a large, close-knit family of Polish descent and distant Scottish heritage. Twenty years ago, I felt the call of the mountains and rivers of Líl’wat and St’át’imc territory and have been living and raising my family here ever since, honoured to be a guest in these lands. Time in wild and natural spaces nourishes me and I embrace wholeheartedly both the stillness and abundant energy I draw from those experiences. I am also passionate about learning, with a particular nerdiness for language and the way places, people and worldviews are connected through words.
As Program Director and Startup Leader for Empowered Nations, I draw on years of experience as a teacher and curriculum developer in schools and education programs. I worked for Líl’wat Nation, building frameworks for language courses and ‘on the land’ programs for Indigenous youth. I also had the privilege of being a researcher for Líl’wat on a project exploring traditional systems of governance and aimed at supporting the Nation’s move into self-governance.
I arrive with humility, curiosity and passion for my work and reflect regularly on my place, practice, and assumptions. I look gratefully to elders, Knowledge Keepers and community members for guidance and strive to do my work ‘in a good way’.