Learn more about the Indigenous Management Board (IMB) team and how they are carrying forward the work set out in the IEȽȻIȽTEL or Nuts’a maat kws ‘i’ shul’ hwilasmut tu Skwul ‘i’ kwthe’ Accord (“the Accord”).
Interviewer: Can you tell me a bit about who you are and where you’re from?
Stella
My name is Stella Johnny. My Cowichan roots bring me to Comiakan of Cowichan.
Ryleigh
My name is Ryleigh Lightbourn. My pronouns are they/he. I am a white settler with Irish and English ancestry, and I was born on the traditional territories of the shíshálh Nation. I’ve lived on the lands and waters of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking peoples and W̱SÁNEĆ since about 2013.
Khadoni
My name is Khadoni Pitt Chambers. I am a settler of Afro-Caribbean descent. I am originally from the territories of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and the Mississaugas of the Credit River, in what is now known as Toronto. I earned my degree in Environmental Science and Geomatics from Carleton before moving here to Victoria in 2021. My primary background is in environmental education, and I hope to build a career in environmental policy and related community organizing. I am passionate about having places where folks feel like they belong, whether outdoors or indoors.
Adrien
My name is Adrien Castle and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a non-Indigenous settler with English and Hungarian ancestry. I am a first-generation Canadian and a proud mother. I believe that sustainable growth begins with meaningful connections to people, places, and purpose. As such, I strive to be grounded in the land and rooted in community.
Chelsea
My name is Chelsea Mathieson and I am of Irish and Scottish descent. I was born in the traditional territories of the Gitx̱san Lax̱yip peoples in Hazelton, BC, and lived my childhood and young adulthood in the beautiful mountains of the traditional territories of the Stoney, Ktunaxa, Sinixt, Syilx, Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla peoples in a small community just outside of Nelson, BC. I moved to Coast Salish territory to pursue my higher education in 2017 and fell in love with this place, so I’ve lived here ever since.
I’ve always felt a very strong connection to nature. Growing up, I spent most of my waking hours outside, exploring the natural world around me. I would often find stone tools like arrowheads on our local beach, and this inspired me from a young age to learn about the people who have existed here for so long.
Interviewer: What’s your title, and what do you do?
Stella
I am the Elders Committee Coordinator. In this role, I connect with the Elders of all Tribes involved via text, phone call, email, and social media to ensure all Elders receive important updates, know about and receive reminders of upcoming meetings, and have a way to share any concerns they might have. I also assist with organizing activities for Elders that allow us to work together on our goals, and I provide transportation as needed.
Ryleigh
I am the IMB Secretariat Program Manager. I coordinate and support the IMB’s implementation of the Accord. I also facilitate IMB’s participation in conversations between First Nations and the Crown around different environmental projects, specifically those focusing on the waters, the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, and the proposed National Marine Conservation Area Reserve. My role focuses on the coordination, planning, and strategy necessary to facilitate the great work being done by this team and these Nations. I also work with technicians from each of the Nations to make sure we are moving forward in a good way on everyone’s shared priorities.
Khadoni
I am the incoming Administrative Coordinator. I started with the IMB in September. My role is to provide support so Ryleigh, Adrien, Chelsea, and everyone else on the team can do their jobs. This looks like coordinating meetings, taking notes, sending out summaries, and managing schedules. In short, my job is to ensure the Board and all of the technical teams are on the same page and have the administrative foundation necessary so the work can move forward smoothly.
Adrien
I am the IMB Communications and Engagement Coordinator. In this role, I am tasked with bringing communities together and creating accessible, inclusive, friendly, and safe environments. I also have the opportunity to help transform words and thoughts into mindful and meaningful stories for the purpose of sharing and exchanging information and knowledge.
Chelsea
I am the Researcher and Marine Planning Analyst. My role is to support the research priorities of the IMB. I’ve worked on a number of different files related to marine governance. A big part of my job has been representing the Nations of the IMB at the technical level throughout the ongoing feasibility assessment of the proposed Southern Strait of Georgia National Marine Conservation Area Reserve. I’m also exploring a “Blanket of Tools” approach to marine governance, evaluating how well different marine management tools align with the Nations’ values and how these tools could be “woven” together in a more holistic way. Moving forward, I hope to expand on the Blanket of Tools research and look more broadly at options for Nations-led marine governance.
Interviewer: Could you share some of the background and experience you bring to this position?
Stella
My education and cultural experience allow me to create a safe and enjoyable environment for participants, both in group settings and when providing one-on-one support in person, via email, or over the phone. This experience also allows me to recruit participants to join us and serve as a voice for our people. Finally, I am comfortable with my public speaking skills and strive to work towards empowerment!
Ryleigh
I have both an undergraduate and a master’s degree in French. I chose to pursue these degrees because I have a passion for learning about the different ways we can see the world through languages, a passion that also relates to my work here at the IMB. After completing my schooling in French, I decided to pursue policy work and enroll in a master’s in public administration at the University of Victoria.
From there, I was hired as a Policy Analyst for the Indigenous Guardians Secretariat at Environment and Climate Change Canada. I held that position for about three years, starting in the pilot phase of the program. Through that experience, I became very familiar with the responsibilities that Secretariats have in supporting the work of Indigenous folks on environmental stewardship initiatives. I also had the pleasure of working alongside and learning from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis leaders across the country. However, I left that experience with disappointment about the government’s inability to come to the table in a good way. It became clear that I didn’t want to sit on that side of the table anymore.
After working for Environment and Climate Change Canada, I started a master’s thesis evaluating contribution agreements between Indigenous communities and the Federal Government, specifically those supporting Indigenous-led stewardship initiatives. This research – which is ongoing – has provided me with insight on how the funding system works, the challenges we often see, and how we can best hold the Crown accountable through their own funding mechanisms. This allows me to hold the Government to a higher standard when they come to the table.
All in all, my background experience has been really useful in this role. I’m happy to now be sitting on the First Nations’ side of the table, and to help push back against the Crown where possible.
Khadoni
My background is primarily in outdoor education and political organizing. This experience has given me the opportunity to work with a lot of different people and to learn to communicate information in a lot of different ways. One recent role that has been particularly supportive of my work with the IMB is my time with the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria. There, I helped bring different municipalities together around the common goal of housing affordability. Often the organizations I worked with wanted to work together to navigate this issue but lacked the administrative capacity to do so effectively. Therefore, this role provided me with significant experience bringing many different groups together around a common issue and providing them with the administrative support necessary to move forward.
I also have experience with fast-paced political organizing. I’ve worked on campaigns in Victoria and in the lower mainland. Through this, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with a lot of different people on a lot of different issues, and to synthesize complicated information in a way that can be understood by various different people.
I’m really excited to be able to use all of these skills in my work with the IMB.
Adrien
HÍSW̱ḴE SI,IÁM / Huy ch q’u for asking, I would be honoured to share some of my lived experiences with you.
Prior to COVID, I was a Senior Executive Administrator working in both government and community capacities. During COVID, I found the support and strength needed to redirect my career, energy, and passion. I have spent the last seven years refining my leadership skills in Indigenous and non-Indigenous project, engagement, and communications management, as well as in consultation. This ‘path forward’ has provided me with leadership opportunities across Canada, both provincially and locally, through culturally grounded initiatives in the marine, health, education, tourism, and disability sectors. In 2025, for example, I had the honour of developing and supporting BOḰEĆEN Pauquachin First Nation’s legacy project, a three-day international sea garden restoration gathering.
Chelsea
I have a master’s degree in resource and environmental management and planning from Simon Fraser University (SFU), a B.Sc. in Environmental Science, and a diploma in Integrated Environmental Planning. Throughout my time at SFU, I had the opportunity to work with the Squamish Nation researching green infrastructure and options for their Ch’kw’elhp village site, and to work with the Tla’amin Nation on the environmental revitalization and repatriation of the tiskwət village site. My master’s research centered around policy evaluation, specifically on evaluating federal Canadian climate policy.
Outside of academia, I have eight years of marine mammal research experience along the Pacific West Coast. This research has largely focused on the ecology and behaviour of transient (mammal-eating) killer whales. Through this work I have co-authored several scientific papers and government reports. I have also worked as an aerospace technician, owned my own fitness and martial arts centre, and travelled to Antarctica to work in ecotourism, so I have an unusually diverse resume!
The most important thing I have learned throughout my life is to maintain an eagerness and willingness to learn and listen, and to bring an open mind to everything I do. All things considered, my background and experience have been a perfect fit for my role at the IMB.
Interviewer: What kind of work will you be doing with the IMB?
Stella
I assist with gift giving and help plan cultural activities to build trust and strengthen relationships between the community and the IMB. My communication with the Elders is to encourage sharing of knowledge, concerns and assist as needed; by posing questions to encourage deep thoughts to their concerns and to share. Activities are given a lot of thought to help the Elders succeed with the activities.
Ryleigh
I see myself as a facilitator and a mediator. There’s a lot of complicated work that has to take place for eleven Nations to come together on shared priorities, and I’m here to make that as smooth as possible. Specifically, I help by identifying funding sources, enabling community engagement, ensuring collaboration is well supported, and engaging in strategic planning so we can walk together towards the shared objectives everyone is voicing.
Khadoni
My roles are managing day-to-day coordination, making sure things run smoothly behind the scenes, supporting other IMB team members, and providing supplemental support where needs aren’t met in any given situation. My prior experience working in a lot of different places and doing a lot of different things gives me the ability to jump into different teams, learn different subject matter, and act as a bridge for folks wherever a need exists.
Adrien
My focus is on creating a series of in-person gatherings for the eleven First Nations the IMB supports (Quw’utsun Nation: Cowichan Tribes, Halalt First Nation, Lyackson First Nation, Penelakut Tribe, Stz’uminus First Nation, W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council: Tsartlip First Nation, Tseycum First Nation, Malahat Nation, Pauquachin First Nation, Snuneymuxw First Nation, Tsawout First Nation). I also support the IMB Elders Committee, support internal and external communication development, work in digital media and graphic design, and offer imaginative and inspired strategies to support IMB’s initiatives.
Chelsea
My focus is on marine planning and policy research. A lot of the time, this involves delving into legal and policy documents and synthesizing the information into formats that are more approachable for a wide range of audiences, including technical teams, leadership, and community.
I also spend time communicating with technicians and leadership, learning from the Nations about their values, interests, and goals to ensure these are reflected and represented in the research. I work in close collaboration with our technical and research teams, and I attend a lot of meetings!
Interviewer: What kind of impact do you hope to have during your time at the IMB?
Stella
Being culturally aware and comfortable communicating respectfully with our Elders is valued. My goal is to follow the protocol of our Coast Salish People.
Ryleigh
I want to be here and bring my strengths to help the eleven Nations achieve the goals they want to, but it’s not my role to lead the work we are doing. The Nations are leading the work. We have leadership at the table to determine the direction we want to go in and technicians from each Nation who are leading in that as well to make sure their Nation’s voices are represented. My role is simply to help facilitate that work in a good way.
Additionally, I hope to bring my expertise around funding to help to diversify our funding sources so we can be less reliant on Crown funding. This shift will allow the Nations to prioritize their own roles and priorities instead of having to focus on the Crown’s priorities. The Nations’ priorities are much more holistic and far-reaching than any of the little slices of pie that the Crown wants to work on.
Khadoni
It’s as simple as wanting to apply what I have learned in my past experiences to something good. That’s the biggest thing. I hope that I can push the needle – however slightly – towards seeing more Indigenous-led businesses and more communities that are self-sufficient and not reliant on Crown funding or organizations like ours. I hope that someday while I am still alive that roles like my role here at the IMB don’t have to exist in this way anymore, that we don’t have to be fighting with the Crown, and that we don’t have to be trying to bridge this gap between what we can see, what we already know, and what has already been asked for for generations. I want to be able to live in that world and have that be a reality someday.
Adrien
It is with tremendous gratitude that I am welcomed, trusted and offered opportunities to observe and participate as a lifelong learner. I trust that my skills, abilities, knowledge, resources, relationships, experiences, and contributions will be utilized, appreciated, and honoured. Recognizing that if knowledge and teachings are not shared they will be lost to our future generations, I take pride in creating innovative ways to tell stories, exchange knowledge, illustrate graphics, create nurturing spaces, and bring people together.
Chelsea
A positive one. I was once told the best thing you can do with your life is find what it is you are really good at and then find a way to apply that at an organization that aligns with your values. That’s what I’m hoping to do with the IMB. I want to listen to Elders, leadership, and community, hear what they want and value, and find ways to use my skillset to help make those things a reality.
Interviewer: What do you like to do outside of work?
Stella
Outside of work, I am an artist of a few mediums: beading, weaving, and sewing. I follow our cultural traditions and support my husband in our many cultural activities. Additionally, being a mom and grandmother is important to me, as I believe my children and grandchildren watch and learn from my actions as I, hopefully, model and meet the values of our people.
Ryleigh
I like to do plenty of things! I like to read, make art, spend time with friends, make community, get outside, play video games, watch anime, and volunteer with the small animals at the SPCA – especially the bunnies! I also love to spend time resting and recovering from the busyness of our work.
Khadoni
I try to spend a lot of time outdoors now that my job is indoors. I really love board sports like snowboarding, surfing, and skateboarding. I also love taking photos and videos. I recently bought a pocket camera and I love going out and seeing the world through a different lens. When I’m not outside, I also enjoy indoor hobbies. I love a good video game. I recently started playing Final Fantasy VII Remake after putting it off for a long time.
Adrien
Outside of work, I enjoy exploring ways to connect with nature and my child, preferably at the same time! I also enjoy being creative by way of art, DIY projects, cooking, gardening, and teaching classes.
Chelsea
Outside of work I literally like to be outside. Being out in nature helps ground me and reminds me why this work is so important. I enjoy hiking, exploring beautiful places, and getting out on the water to watch whales. I also do amateur nature photography, so I rarely leave the house without my camera! When I’m not exploring, I like to garden, cook, craft, and spend time snuggled up with my fluffy orange cat, Rockette.
Interviewer: Is there anything else you’d like to share with the community?
Stella
I believe we all have a voice and, if we stand together as Nations to fight for our rights, our concerns will be met. The IMB is only one way of fighting. Let’s do it together!
Ryleigh
It’s an honor to be in a position working for all of you and all of these communities, and to be able to play my part in standing against colonial systems and supporting Indigenous-led resurgence. I’m happy to be here and am honored that the communities feel comfortable having me sit alongside them.
Khadoni
I’m really happy I was able to find a role and a team like this. When I was back in Toronto working as an outdoor educator I had the opportunity to work with a small group that was called Ojibiikaan at the time. Since then, I’ve been able to go back and see that they have their own building now, they’re running their own programs, they have their own team, and it’s entirely Indigenous-led now. I hope one day, when this role is finished, to be able to look back and see that our work, too, has grown from small and humble beginnings into something big.
Adrien
It is an honour to support the IMB and the vital work that is being done, against all odds. The committed, knowledgeable, and passionate humans that show up every day to ensure that this work continues to move forward are truly inspiring. I raise my hands in gratitude for the opportunity to support them and for your time and curiosity to learn more about who I am. I look forward to meeting you soon!
Chelsea
It has been very humbling to be a part of the good work that these Nations are doing. I learn so much from Elders, leadership, technicians, and community every single day and I will strive to continue learning every day moving forward. It is so valuable and rewarding to be a part of this team, and I hope that, through my work, I can bring value and support to the IMB. Hay sxʷ q̓a, HÍSW̱ḴE, huy tseep q’u, thank you for trusting me to work with your Nations.
