Board of Directors
Tribal Chief Tyrone McNeil is Stó:lō and a member of Seabird Island Band. He has extensive experience working to advance First Nations languages and education, collaborating with First Nations across the country, and developing agreements and partnerships with government. Tribal Chief McNeil manages a First Nation construction company that employs up to 70 Indigenous men and women, with expertise in Operational Health & Safety, safety audits, human resources management, operations & budgeting in civil construction and pipeline industries.
Tribal Chief McNeil works closely with the Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee (IAMC) for the Trans Mountain Expansion and Existing Pipeline, including as a member of several leadership and sub-committees, driving changes to improve practices of regulators to better align with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and to advance reconciliation. He holds numerous leadership positions, including Vice-President & Tribal Chief Stó:lō Tribal Council, President of First Nation Education Steering Committee, AFN Chiefs Committee on Education rep for BC, Chair of Emergency Planning Secretariat, , Chair of Seabird College, President of the Sq’éwqel (Seabird) Development Corporation and Standing Chair of Union of BC Indian Chiefs.
Tyrone has recently been selected as Chair of the Indigenous Advisory Committee to the Canada Energy Regulator.
Tribal Chief Tyrone is an active hunter, fisher and gatherer and looks forward to teaching his four grandchildren as he has been taught and learned.
Tyrone McNeil
Tribal Chief
Carol Hope
Board Member
The past two years has been tough on all of us, but I am very proud how we all pulled together as community to make do of the covid 19 situation. There has been a lot of changes to our world, and no one knows who the real blame lays upon but side from that fact as human nature would have it, we all did the best we could and will learn for future challenges alike. My deepest condolences to people who lost family members in the last couple years due to several different incidents.
For now, I will continue to pray and help where needed that these trials will keep improving day by day. Only way we all can make it work is by keeping ourselves and families safe with the opportunities that are given to us.
Experiences within my family has led us to go by rules made by our health leaders. I wish you all the best for your family and your future health. We can make it work!
I am a member of Seabird Island First Nation a Stó:lō Nation Band and have resided at Squiala First Nation, my adult children’s First Nation, for many years. I have extensive experience working with the First Nation communities throughout British Columbia in governance, management, finance and advisory services. My entire working career has been aimed at improving the quality of life for our First Nation people and organizations.
I am a proprietor of my own business, as First Nation Advisor, providing services to First Nations communities and I have operated my own retail business. The advisory services are specific to First Nation administration, finance, housing, governance, economic development, etc. This also involves on-site services, training and workshop facilitation. I have also successfully completed contracts with government agencies, INAC, the Ministry of Child and Family Development, the B.C Aboriginal Housing Committee of B.C and the First Nation Child and Family Tripartite Co Chairs Committee.
I have a Business Administration Diploma (accounting major) from the University College of the Fraser Valley, many years of experience in First Nation administration and financial management. In November 2002 I received the Aboriginal Financial Officer Association of Canada designation as a Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager (CAFM). In August 2011 I received a Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO) certification as a Professional Aboriginal Economic Developer and received the designation at a Ceremony of their National Conference in Richmond, B.C.,
Board Involvement:
1. Jan. 2013 to date I am a volunteer Board Member of the Stó:lō Community Futures. In 2020 I received the Volunteer of the Year from the BC Community Futures.
2. Jan. 2013 to date a Board Member of the Seabird Island Development Corporation.
3. As of July 2012 I was a F.N. Financial Management Board Director for a five year term.
Current Employment & Advisory Services:
Currently for several years I am the Housing Administrator and a FN Advisor for Soowahlie First Nation. I am also the Housing Administrator for the Sumas First Nation. I provide advisory services to Shxwha:y Village, Skwah FN and Squiala FN.
Nancy Murphy
Board Member
Janice Parsey
Board Member
I am the daughter of Grand Chief Vincent and Beatrice Harris, granddaughter of Chief Alfred and Lena Hope. I grew up on Seabird Island so I have always been involved with the community in one form or another. It has been a part of my teachings to respect and do what is right for our community, Seabird is my roots, my home, my family and I will always do what I can to help better our community.
Project Manager for the Seabird Island Nation Cultural Centre.
Mike is a founding principal of Gwaii Engineering, an Indigenous-owned and operated civil and environmental consulting firm in Victoria. Mike is a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.), Project Management Professional (PMP), and Certified Contract Administrator (CCA) with 30 years of experience in the engineering and construction fields. Mike is the Project Manager for the Seabird Island (SIB) Nation Cultural Centre. In recent years, he has also worked extensively with T’sawout Nation, Qualicum Nation, and the Te’mexw Treaty Association (TTA) which includes ’Sou-ke, Snaw-naw-as, Malahat, Beecher Bay and Songhees. Mike is passionate about increasing Indigenous representation in technical fields.
Mike Achem
Board Member
Shaun Cormiers
Board Member
Shaun studied International Relations and Northern Studies at UNBC, International Law at the University of Lapland in Finland, and Project Management at UNBC. In Finland, Shaun worked in research on the topics of food security and law. Moving back to Prince George, he worked in social housing with the Aboriginal Housing Society of Prince George and, worked as a project manager with the Tuktoykatuk Community Corporation in the Arctic. Shaun is currently the Project Manager for the Sasuchan Development Corporation, overseeing the communications, resource projects and environmental works throughout the Takla Territory. He also serves as the Operations Manager and a Director for the Sasuchan Environmental LP, a partnership between SDC and EDI.
Alexis Grace
Board Member
Paul Andrews
Board Member