Grandmothers' Advisory Council

Rose was born in the Cariboo interior, a place called Horse Lake near Hundred-Mile House and the Canim Lake band. Her Father is from the Simpc First Nation, where she was raised after the age of 6. Rose started nursing in 1968, in the hospital in Vernon, she graduated from Kelowna. After she finished school she worked at Royal Inland Hospital in the med-surg ward, while also floating and worked with indigenous peoples who would be admitted into the hospital.

Marilyn is a citizen of Selkirk First Nation and belongs to the wolf clan of the Northern Tutchone people.  Marilyn began her career as a registered nurse at the Whitehorse General Hospital and eventually obtained a certificate in nurse midwifery. She has dedicated the past 30 years to working with Indigenous organizations and government involved in health development including, research, program development and evaluation in areas of health, treaty rights, ethics, FASD, cultural safety, food security, and climate change adaptation. Marilyn believes that the path to reconciliation and self-government is healthy babies and families.  Marilyn is currently living on Coast Salish lands of the Qualicum First Nation, on Vancouver Island with her husband Paul and dog Milo. She has four children and six grandchildren.

Madeleine Kétéskwew Dion Stout CM, a Cree speaker, was born and raised on the Kehewin First Nation in Alberta. She serves and has served on many Indigenous and non-Indigenous boards and committees such as the First Nations Health Authority Board in B.C. She was a Professor in Canadian Studies and founding Director of the Centre for Aboriginal Education, Research and Culture at Carleton University.

June is from Nlaka’pamx Nation, Nooaitch band just outside of Merritt. A Residential School survivor, she attended the Lytton Indian Residential School for nine years. Started her career as an LPN at VVI in 1967 and graduated from Caribou College in 1989 for her RN. Her extensive work history runs across all age groups and many locations including St. Paul’s Hospital, Richmond Hospital, & Maple Ridge Hospital. She is currently working for NTIV teaching in the LPN course as a clinical instructor.

“Walk and live the path of traditional knowledge and you will have a healthy, balanced life to the end.” Dr. Evelyn Voyageur is a fluent speaker of Kwakwala and an active matriarch in the Kwakwaka’wakw culture and traditions and a Residential School Survivor. She has dedicated her life to improving the health of Indigenous peoples through her more than five decades in the nursing profession.

Colleen is from Tk’emlúps and is a celebrated  Secwepemc teacher who has led numerous Indigenized and land-based educational programs. After completing her Bachelor of Education at UBC through the Native Indian Teacher Education Program, she returned to Kamloops and taught in elementary schools where she saw the opportunity to nurture the confluence of Indigenous Knowledge in relation to land and water. While working as a family support worker, she created both a women's support group and a youth support group in the community.   Colleen welcomes anyone who is in need of nurturing and personal growth to spend time with her in sacred and prayerful spaces, walking with her for a season or more. Throughout the year, she invites people to her home in Cold Creek and holds various ceremonies with a core message to be lightened and enlightened. In 2019, Colleen worked with her mother, Elder Loretta Seymour, and sister, Diana Steele to craft traditional Secwepemc regalia for the TRU Truth and Reconciliation Spirit Bears - Kenkeknem and Ckenmim'elt - who are two symbolic representations of the schools' commitment to upholding the TRC Calls to Action and Jordan's Principle. For the last two years Colleen has co-led two community-based research projects funded by the Canadian Institute Health Research-Institute for Indigenous Peoples (CIHR-IIPH) and the Interior Health and Thompson Rivers University Partnership with Dr. Bourque Bearskin.