Heather is a third generation Naramation whose grandparents arrived in Naramata in the Okanagan Valley in 1915. She is married, the mother of two and the grandmother of five. She has worked as a Medical Office Assistant, a receptionist for a dozen lawyers and with a land developer. She is an active community volunteer and networker. She has been a Guide Leader, volunteered at the Women's Institute and was the Chairperson for the local Parks and Recreation. She was a Naramata Firefighter/First responder for over twelve years, five of which as Captain and a training officer. She volunteered with Emergency Support Services. She acted as the Emergency Coordinator for Area E of the Regional District of Okanagan and Similkameen (RDOS) during the great 2003 Okanagan Mountain Wildfire. She is presently a member of the Advisory Planning Commission with the RDOS, and has worked on two Official Community plans, the first in 2008 and the second which is taking place currently. She is the President of the Naramata Heritage Museum Society which oversees the Naramata Thrift Store. In 2017, she was awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award for Area E of the RDOS.

Kelly brings the strengths of both her syilx Okanagan and European ancestry to her work as a leader. Through 30 years of on-the-ground engagement with community, Kelly came to see relationship breakdown as a common barrier to the success of programs and came to understand that revitalizing Indigenous ways is key to turning this around. She co-founded IndigenEYEZ as a means of supporting natural champions in communities to better respond to the impacts of colonization. Kelly is focused on the role of relationships in systems change and is sought out for her capacity to help deepen relations at a time when building connections across differences is essential. She has a BSW, Executive Coaching Certification, and extensive training in creative facilitation through Partners for Youth Empowerment (PYE Global). She lives in her family’s ancestral home on the Blind Creek Reserve in syilx territory in the Similkameen Valley.

https://indigeneyez.com/

Lauren was born and raised in Vancouver, BC and spent many of her childhood summers in Naramata. The region of the Okanagan, and Okanagan Lake itself, has always been an important place to her. Lauren attended the University of Victoria where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business & Economics. More recently, Lauren specializes in Technical Recruitment and has mainly worked with FinTech companies based out of Vancouver. In November 2023, Lauren welcomed her first child into the world with her husband, Spencer. Since having her own child, she has found a deeper connection to the importance of environmental responsibility, civic engagement, and the value of actively working towards positive change. As a new parent, she wants to help lay the groundwork for a sustainable world that her children and their peers can thrive in. Being a member of the CCSS Board will help create that connection between idea, and action. In her spare time, Lauren enjoys skiing, walks with her dog Lucy, and spending time with her family and friends.

Peter is a co-founder of the Somerset Foundation and has been its Chair since its inception in 2001. He engages in various capacities with social purpose initiatives where his input and interest relates primarily to governance, structure, strategy, tactics, policy and financial sustainability. He is a member of the global Ashoka Support Network, an Advisory Member of the Wellbeing Project’s Co-Creation Team, and a member of Outward Bound International’s Global Ambassador Network. 
He spent twenty five years training, practicing and teaching as a medical doctor. In 2008, he relinquished his Clinical Assistant Professorship with the Department of Medicine at U.B.C. and retired completely from his medical practice in order to explore new ways of engaging. He is a keen photographer and explores wellbeing photographically through his social media channels and his photographic website - Reflections On Wellbeing. He loves music and travelling. He lives in British Columbia with his wife Nancy. Together they enjoy four wonderful adult children between them, three delightful grandkids and at least one walking adventure every year .

Sheila is inspired by taking complex visions and developing the strategy to make them a reality. She has spent over 25 years realizing her vision to incorporate indigenous rights and knowledge into corporate strategies and operations. Her work has advanced changes to how a large provincial crown corporation plans and operates its business. Guided by the footsteps of her young grandchildren as they explore natural environments for the first time, Sheila imagines a world in which millions of small backyard green projects help to shift the tide against global warning. Sheila believes that habitat rehabilitation and species protection is something we share across cultures and as such these projects create an opportunity for community education and relationship-building. Sheila uses her professional background in strategic planning, policy development, regulatory, communications and negotiations to advance the goals of the Society. Sheila holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia.