Staff

Staff

Treaty Commission staff come from a wide range of backgrounds and specialize in a number of areas. Click on the photos below to learn more about our team.

Dan Gill
Director of Funding

Dan Gill, director of funding, manages the negotiation support funding that enables First Nations to participate in the BC Treaty Process. He also monitors compliance with the funding agreements, including annual financial reporting. Dan has an undergraduate economics degree and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of British Columbia. As a commercial lender with Toronto Dominion bank, he worked in Vancouver, Victoria and Toronto. Dan has also worked for Nl'aka'pamux and Secwepemc First Nations in the southern Interior of BC, as controller and later band manager. Dan has worked for the BC Treaty Commission since 2002.

Stephanie Martin
Funding

Stephanie Martin comes from the Nisga'a Nation and is the negotiation support funding assistant. She holds diplomas in both business administration and advanced business computer applications, with supplementary training in conflict/dispute resolution. Stephanie has previous work experience with the Treaty Commission from 2000 to 2010 and returned in April 2013 as the negotiation support funding assistant. Her primary role is to provide administrative support to the funding department of the BC Treaty Commission and BC First Nations in the treaty process receiving negotiation support funding. The key responsibilities for the negotiation support funding assistant include preparing and processing agreements and related documents, as well as records management for the department.

Mark Smith
General Counsel & Director of Process

General counsel and director of process since 2001, Mark manages the advisors that represent the Treaty Commission. He graduated from law school at the University of Alberta in 1994 and was called to the British Columbia bar in 1996. Mark has focused his career on Aboriginal law and First Nations issues. From 1997 to 1999 Mark practiced aboriginal and environmental law with the firm of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, and was a sole practitioner from 1999-2001. Mark is completing a Master of Laws at the University of British Columbia focusing on First Nations legal issues. Mark has worked with the Treaty Commission on overlapping and shared territory issues among First Nations at both a policy level and in dispute resolution processes. He works directrly with First Nations to find Nation-led resolutions. He also participates in senior level tripartite discussions among the three parties on developing options for improving the BC treaty negotiations process, including solutions to overlap disputes.

Tenisha Williams
Office Coordinator

Tenisha Williams is the office coordinator at the BC Treaty Commission. She began working at the Treaty Commission soon after relocating to Vancouver in 2011. Prior to her employment at the Treaty Commission she worked for the Public Service Commission of Nova Scotia, Capital District Health Authority and ExxonMobil Canada in administration, human resources and special projects. In 2007 Tenisha graduated from Eastern College with an advanced human resources management diploma excelling in compensation, benefits management and employee relations. In 2010 she became a Certified Human Resources Professional joining the Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations.

Odette Wilson
Communications Advisor

Odette Wilson joined the Treaty Commission in February 2015 as the communications advisor. She has a BA in sociology and Indigenous studies from the University of Victoria and completed the Aboriginal Youth Internship Program (AYIP) in 2014. Odette is Coast Salish from Musqueam, Kwakwaka'wakw from Mamalilikalla and Irish.

Sashia Leung
Process Advisors

Sashia joined the BC Treaty Commission in September 2012 as a process advisor. In this role, she facilitates treaty negotiations, organizes forums, and leads special projects including: First Nations governance and ratification processes, communications, community engagement, and capacity-building. She also assists with policy research and development, and supports First Nations with overlap and shared territory discussions and dispute resolution processes. At the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), Sashia supported the UNPFII Expert Members, and the Treaty Commission when it attended to advance treaty negotiations as a way to implement the UN Declaration. Sashia has over 10 years' experience working with Indigenous communities in BC and is a proud member of the Moricetown Band, Wet'suwet'en Nation. She has a BA in political science and First Nations studies from the University of British Columbia.

Nancy Wong
Funding

Nancy Wong has been with the BC Treaty Commission since July 2003 as the funding analyst. Nancy is a member of the Certified General Accountants. Nancy had held previous positions in the retail, private and municipal government sector.

Miriam Moore
Process Advisors

Process Advisor

Lakshmi Lochan
Process Advisors

Process Advisor

Angel Grenkie
Staff

Receptionist

Address

700-1111 Melville Street
Vancouver BC
V6E 3V6
604 482 9200