Welcome To Fort First Nelson Nation
Join us as our Departments come to Life ,passionately serving and enriching our community!
Capital & Public Works
The mission of this department is to provide a safe and livable community through the management, maintenance and protection of key infrastructure and facilities and through the delivery of key services. Our department’s responsibility for cultural revitalization is to support cultural and community events and ensure that cultural facilities, spaces, and infrastructure are maintained, in operation, and safe. The CISS is located in the admin/band Office.
Housing
Housing is the foundation for strong and healthy communities. The Housing Department, utilizing orderly, ethical and transparent management practices, diligently works toward providing a functional housing delivery system to ensure units are maintained in an acceptable manner to extend their life expectancy while providing safe, affordable, adequate housing for Nation members.
The FNFN Housing Department:
- Manages new, rental, elder, and individually owned member housing
- Assists with preparation of various forms of assistance that are available to support the development of on- reserve housing
- Acquires funding and financing for projects
- Budgets for project sustainability
- Fulfills monthly, quarterly, and yearly reporting requirements
- Develops, implements, and enforces policy
- Acquires and maintains the FNFN insurance portfolio on all Nation owned assets
- Procures outside service suppliers to provide for the housing needs of the community
Capital Works
• Chalo School
• Finance
• Health and Wellness, including arbor
• Trades Building (Chalo school)
• Justice
• Lands
• Administration
• Recreation
• Dehzona Daycare
• Public works shop
• Undertaking emergency management and planning
• Providing wildfire protection
• Providing public safety and community security
• Conducting physical development/capital planning
• Undertaking long range planning
• Providing general operations and maintenance of the community
• Supporting community events and activities
Public Works
• Community Security
• Maintaining distribution systems
• Testing water quality
• Maintaining roads
• Inspecting and maintaining fleet
• Animal control
• Supporting and setting up community events
• Waste management
• Operating and maintaining the Cemetery
• Maintaining the lagoon and sanitary collection system
• Undertaking long range planning for lands and infrastructure
Corporate Services
What services corporate services provide to the community.
- Printing of the obituaries for members who pass away if they want us to do it.
- Rent Payments – 2 methods: Debit Machine or Cash. We are the hub for payments for Rent.
- Status Card
- Distribution place for Members if they get any monies from the nation.
- Photocopying & faxing for members if they need it. Newsletters get printed here, it goes out to the Community and off Reserve members.
Address/location of department
2026 Kenney Yah Road Mile 295 Alaska Highway, Fort Nelson, BC VOC 1R0
Corporate Services Staff
Leslie Dickie
Director of Corporate Services
Betty Lou Gushue
Office Administrator of Corporate Services
Janelle Badine
Membership services & records Clerk
Paula Gammie
Communications Planner
Jody Cornish
Land code Coordinator
Dana Bennett
IT
Annabelle Bertrand
Front office Assistant
Erin Mcleay
Governance Clerk
Deh Zona Daycare
Deh Zona Family Centre has been offering child care and outreach programs for over 25 years to the children and families within the Fort Nelson First Nation and the surrounding area.
Services offered to the community
- Child care for children 1 year to 5 years;
- Programs for young children and their families that support social and emotional development, family connections, cognitive development, and physical activity
- Programs for school age children offered after school, on professional development days, and other school holidays
Contact
Address/location of department
4005 Chalo Road
Our Staff
Denise Pawliuk
Director
Shaya Soules
Lead Early Childhood Educator
Madison Gorsalitz
Early Childhood Educator
Jayde Tsakoza
Early Childhood Educator Assistant
Lily Ashdown
Early Childhood Educator Assistant
Erin McGee
Aboriginal Infant Development Program Worker
Annabelle Michel
Head Start Educator
Natalie Neveu
Recreation Planner
Finance Staff
Angela O'Shaughnessy
Director of Finance
Mabel Kotchea
Payroll Accountant
Amanda DiMaggio
Accounts Payable Clerk
(FNFN internal AP, and Education AP)
Crystal Campbell
Accounts Payable Clerk
Alison Jenkins
Fund Accountant
Joanne Wright
Accounts Receivable Clerk
Heather Rogers
Finance Clerk
Sally Behn
Finance Manager
Health and Community
The newest FNFN building is the health and wellness center, which houses the health and community services staff.
Officially opened in August 2014, the health and wellness center boasts a community gathering space, two public-use computers, a large board room and kitchen (great for cooking meals on wheels for our elderly) a community gym and so much more
Community Staff
Crystal Moncheira
Director of Health & Community Services
Rhonda Mathison
Community Health Nurse, Home Care Nursing Supervisor
Cheyenne Kotchea
Front Office Assistant
Patricia Capot Blanc
Elders Activities Coordinator
Chrystal Fincaryk
Community Health Services Coordinator
Vanessa Villeneuve
Home Care Aide
Tammy Myers
Home Care Aide
Sharon Needlay
Home Support Worker
Dustin Whitehead
Home Care Aide
Vacant
Mental Health & Addictions Clinician
Saralee Andrews
Wellness Counsellor
Stephanie Parsons
Child & Youth Worker, Designated Band Representative
Shelly Winters
Family Support Worker
Robbie Lynn Youb
Community Health Clerk
Housing
Our Staff
Michele Fisher
Housing Manager
Lesley Armstrong
Housing Maintenance Coordinator
Josh Gwartney
Housing Maintenance laborer
Shelly Thomas
Housing Assistant
Human Resources
Human Resources is responsible for recruiting and retaining workers, and for assisting managers with on-boarding and training workers. Our department also handles employee compensation, benefits, and a variety of HR Programs designed to make the workplace effective and efficient.
Contact
Address/location of department
2026 Kenney Yah Road
Land & Resources
Welcome to the Fort Nelson First Nation’s Lands Department!
The Lands Department is responsible for ensuring the interests of the Fort Nelson First Nation are represented in all matters related to lands and natural resources in our territory. Department staff support the Chief and Council and all FNFN citizens to ensure our treaty rights are respected, protected, and practiced long into the future. We are stewards of the land and we honour our responsibilities to our land and our future generations. We honor our ancestors and engage Dene and Cree knowledge along with Western science to help balance economic development with healthy ecosystems to ensure the ongoing practice of our Treaty rights and responsibilities.
Contact
Address/location of department
Lands Building – 2028 Kennay-Yah Road, RR1 Mile 295 Alaska Highway, Fort Nelson BC V0C1R0
Meet Our Team
Karl Maier
Director
Madeline Burke
Office Manager
Katherine Wolfenden
Land & Resources Manager
Wyatt Adair
Data Management Assistant
Nicole Burke
Administrative Assistant
Casey Caines
Legal Researcher
Roberto Concepcion
GIS Technician
Laurelle Dettieh
Front Office Assistant
Marilyn Norby
Field Coordinator
Brittany Stephens
Permits & Referrals Clerk
Meet Our Land Guardians
Our eyes and ears on the ground
Keith Kotchea
Lan Guardian; Eva Needlay – Land Guardian
Vacant
Land Guardian Manager
Kathie Needlay
Land Guardian;
Jeffrey Salopree
Land Guardian
Vacant
Aboriginal Community Liaison
Chalo School
Responsible for post-secondary education, the Education Coordinator provides assistance and support with scholarship information as well as information regarding the Education Funding Application.
Education Dept.: 250-500-1273
Education Coordinator: 250.257.9063 The Education Department can now be found at 4021 Fontas Road (Chalo School).
Chalo School
Chalo is an independent school that ranges from K4-12 classroom settings. Recently, we added a high school wing, an ABE program, a culinary arts kitchen, and a multi-purpose area.
For more information, check out Chalo School’s website at www.chaloschool.bc.ca or call 250.774.7651 or fax 250.774.7655
Deh Tai Corporation
Tu Deh-Kah Geothermal
Economic Development
Economic Development
FNFN has long worked towards having a separate entity to oversee the running of the businesses they’ve accquired and very soon this may be a reality as the Corporation documents have been filed. This is a long process full of legalities and once the Corporation status is finalized it will fulfill 3 functions: to maximize the separation between FNFN politics and business; to minimize the liability to FNFN; and, to minimize the tax payable by FNFN. Council will still have ultimate ownership of businesses but they will leave the running of those businesses to the Board and CEO of the Corporation.
Economic Development is responsible for the current businesses—Eh-Cho-Dene; Liard Hot Springs Lodge; the Gravel Pit; the Rig Partnership with Ensign; the Qualicum property; and is involved in the FNFN partnerships with Black Diamond (Black Diamond Dene) and Northwestel (Waterways)— and also is mandated to pursue economic opportunities for FNFN.
Tu Deh -Kah Geothermal
Fort Nelson First Nation is located in the northeastern corner of British Columbia. We are one of eight nations that belong to BC Treaty 8, coming from strong Cree and Dene peoples. Fort Nelson First Nation is taking an active role in defining the industrial activities in our traditional territories. After many years of strategizing and planning, Fort Nelson First Nation is pursuing the development of this innovative renewable energy project that is well suited for a Northern climate. Tu Deh-Kah Geothermal aligns with our vision of building a sustainable future for generations to come. Visit our site at Tu Deh-kah Geothermal
Taylor Behn - Tsakoza
Research Coord
Kim Diamond-C
Community Liaison
Andrea Warren
Media & Communication
Deh Tai /Economic Development Staff
Brendan Youb
ECD Manager
Jim Hodgson
CEO DEH TAI CORP
Lisa Gustafson
ECD Safety
Wanda Sorel
FT & LHL Finance
Roberta Michel
Finance
Natasha Michel
Receptionist
Vacant
General Manager of Liard Hotsprings Lodge
Vacant
Chief Financial Officer
Vacant
Executive Assistant
Vacant
Economic Development Board of Directors
Sharleen Gale
Chair
Vacant
Director
Darryl Michel
Director
Harvey Harrold
Director
Joe Duperreault
Director
Bijan Pourkarimi
Director
Deh Tai Publications
“Liard Hot Springs Lodge has moved into caretaker mode early this year to allow time for facility renovations prior to the arrival of winter. Planned work includes kitchen upgrades, boiler replacements, and hot water tank replacements, as well as minor repairs to the lodge as required. In order to carry out this work efficiently and not disrupt guests, the lodge is closed at present and will not be able to accept reservations.”
Culture Department
The Culture Revitalization Department of the Fort Nelson First Nation supports the Slavey and Cree Dene cultures and languages of the Fort Nelson First Nation community. While building a separate culture and language department within the administration of F.N.F.N., we are following the mandate of priority 5.5 of Reaching for Our Vision. We will do this through the restoration of traditional ways of knowing the FNFN and will provide opportunities for members to participate in cultural and language activities by offering meaningful programs, encouraging learning, and celebrating the unique cultures of our Dene people. Theresa Sutherland
Culture Revitalization Manager
Damien Dickie Culture Information Assistant Renee Lomen Culture Department Administrative Assistant.
- Our Culture Department
Adreana Santarelli
Justice Program Director
Layne Tudor
Restorative Justice Coordinator
Brandy Neitzel
Reintegration & Healing Coordinator
Maryann Kotchea
Justice Services Front Office Assistant
Tami Rae
Peacekeeping Coordinator
Tanner Warren
Justice Program Manager
Administration
Administration is the main office, also known as the Band Office, that houses several different departments of the Fort Nelson First Nation; departments such as Administration, Community Infrastructure, Safety Services and Housing. Chief and Council also hold their weekly meeting in the Council Chambers meeting room located at the Administration building. Many different responsibilities are addressed within this building. The FNFN adheres to the public and also follows our Reaching for Our Vision document, updated in 2014.
”We are “the People of the Land” and we have occupied the lands of our traditional territory in the Northeast ofBritish Columbia for tens of thousands of years.”
Administration and HR Staff
Liz Logan
Executive Director
Executive Director
Director of Corporate Services
Betty Lou Gushue
Office Administrator of Corporate Services
Janelle Badine
Membership/ Records Clerk
Kristin Lowe
Governance Coordinator
Dana Bennett
Information Technology Technician
Annabelle Bertrand
Front office assistant
Event Planner
Vacant
Communication Planner
Paula Gammie
Land Code Coordinator
Jody Cornish
Records Management Clerk
Vacant
Juliene Bartlett
Human Resources Clerk
Nicky Hubbell
HR Assistant
Cathy Murphy
Human Resources Advisor
Justice
The Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN) Indigenous Justice Department’s rationale is to decrease the over representation of Indigenous peoples in the criminal justice system (CJS).
Contact
Address/location of department
3041 Chalo Road
https://bcfnjc.com/virtual-indigenous-justice-centre/
(BCFNJC Legal Support for those that are declined Legal Aid)
(Legal Aid BC)
https://www.crcc-ccetp.gc.ca/en/make-complaint/ (RCMP
Complaints Form)
https://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/complaints-and-discipline/file-a-complaint/
(Lawyer Complaints Form)
- Restorative Justice Programs: Bail & probation check-in, Alternative Measure programs, Restorative Justice programs, Community Work Service Supervision, and Legal Aid/Gladue Support.
- Healing & Reintegration Programs: Post-Incarceration Release Planning, Healing Plans, and Awareness/Preventative Programming.
- Peacekeeping: Bylaw Development, Safety Prevention Programming, and Community Safety Concerns (including RCMP experiences).
Tanner Warren
Justice Programs Manager
Kassidy Baldridge
Justice Services Assistant