St’at’imc Data Governance Initiative

Data Sovereignty and Nation Building Initiative

The St’át’imc Data Governance Project is in collaboration with the LTC in partnership with BC RIGC. The objectives are:

-Conduct Data Needs Assessments in all 11 communities

-Form an Advisory Group to develop Data Policies for the Nation and Strategic plan moving forward.
Advisory group position posting (PDF)

 The purpose of the project is nation-wide for St’át’imc to have Ownership, Control, Access and Protection (OCAP) of their Data. It is part of the SCC strategic plan for Data Sovereignty and Governance.

You’re invited to join us upcoming webinars or watch the recorded webinars exploring key topics related to St’át’imc governance and sovereignty!

Advisory Group Orientation and Meetings

Advisory Group Members

The Advisory group will exercise their collective wisdom and knowledge to advise on defining data governance and strategic level policy drafts pertaining to ownership, protection, access, storage, sharing and sovereignty. (the protection of our land, culture, traditions, language, and way of life, of the St’át’imc People).

Darwyn John

K̓alhwá7alap Nsnek̓wnúwa7

Shielpigt’en  nskwátsitsa my borrowed name is Darwyn John

Tsal’alhmeckan,

Nilhs na nskícez7a Matilda John ne (Terry)

Nilhs na nsqátsez7a (Pabby) Vincent Sam Casper John

I was born in Lytton, BC, and raised in Tsal’alh, where I attended Seton Lake Band Day School. During that time, I lost fluency in the St’át’imc language. In 1963, I was placed in Kamloops Indian Residential School (KIRS). While at KIRS, I turned to sports—particularly basketball and soccer—as a means of coping and survival. These sports became more than just activities; they provided a sense of community and belonging, a seasonal family of sorts.

After graduating, I began playing fastball and continued my involvement in sports, which remained a grounding force in my life.

I started working as a firefighter at the age of 14, with my paycheques going to my father until I turned 16. I remained a seasonal firefighter for about 25 seasons and was instrumental in starting the Seton Lake Unit Crew around 1989 or 1990.

Throughout my life, I’ve held many roles, too numerous to list. Some of the positions that have shaped my path and led to my involvement with this Advisory Group include serving as Kúkpi7 of Tsal’alh, Councillor, Heritage Crew Member with the Lillooet Tribal Council, and referral researcher for various committees.

To better understand industry language and processes related to land and resource referrals, I returned to school later in life and graduated at age 58 from NVIT’s Natural Resource Technology program. During this work, it became clear to me that the St’át’imc Nation would benefit from a unified data management system to support informed decision-making.

With the experience I’ve gained over the years, joining this Advisory Group feels like a new path—one where I can continue giving back, support the voices of our people, and help shape a stronger future for the St’át’imc Nation.

kukwstum̓úlhkacw

Nilh ti7!

Dr. Dylan Whitney – My name is Dylan Whitney, a graduate of the MD program at the University of Alberta. I was born and raised in Vancouver and am proud of my Indigenous heritage through my father, who is from the Xaxli’p First Nation. I successfully completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Physics in 2019 at the University of British Columbia. Throughout my medical degree, I had the opportunity to publish research with Stanford University. I am an active member of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada. The thought of learning about and refining a family practice with an emphasis on Indigenous health is particularly motivating to me. Outside of medicine I love to read about business, travel to Asia and Europe, and play tennis with friends.

John Redan – John Redan has been with Splitrock Environmental for 15 years, currently serving as an Environmental Fisheries Technician and Land Use Manager for the Sekw’el’was Community.

He has been involved in numerous projects in and around Lillooet. John’s career began with foundational tasks like washing pots and weed whacking. By his second year, he advanced to photo monitoring while participating in the Sustainable Living Leadership Program (SLLP) along the Fraser River. Upon completing the SLLP, he earned his Environmental Tech certification, leading to training in diverse fields including Swift Water, Helicopter Safety, Pleasure Craft License, SVOP, First Aid, WPP, Electro Fishing, H2S, Confined Space, ArcGIS, Tracking, and ATV operation.

From 2013 to 2023, John conducted vegetation monitoring of drawdown zones within the Bridge River and Carpenter Reservoir. Concurrently, he contributed to ramp-down efforts for Seton and Cayoosh Creek and played a key role in whitebark pine collection. He also leveraged his cultural and environmental monitoring expertise in various other projects. His work has included planting, bird surveys, wetland identification, spawner walks, outreach events, grizzly bear hair snagging, community mapping, and data management. 

In 2017, John became a Land-Use Advisor for the Sekw’el’was community, which provided opportunities to attend meetings with other communities and industry partners. With this new role, he began mapping for his community. In 2018, he assisted with the first Canal De-watering, participating in fish salvage. Five years later, he again supported this effort, taking on a more prominent environmental and cultural monitoring role while continuing fish salvage. In 2023, he assumed the role of Manager for cultural monitoring in his community. During this period, he also began operating a boat on the Fraser River for DFO catch monitoring through Splitrock Environmental.

Roxane Letterlough – Dr. Mixalhíts’a7 is a proud member of the St’at’imc Nation (Tsal’alhmec) and a devoted mother of three. She embodies the values of her Indigenous heritage across all areas of her life, as a scholar, educator, entrepreneur, and community member.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education from Simon Fraser University, a Master’s degree from the University of British Columbia, and a PhD from the University of Waikato, where she studied under the esteemed Dr. Linda Tuhiwai Smith, a globally recognized leader in Indigenous research methodologies. Under Dr. Smith’s mentorship, Mixalhíts’a7 was consistently reminded of the importance of Indigenous protocols, ethics, and relational accountability.

Dr. Mixalhíts’a7’s research centers on storywork and intergenerational methodologies as forms of healing, reclamation, and resistance, particularly through the lived experiences and testimonies of her mother and two sisters, who are residential school survivors. Her work seeks to uplift Indigenous women’s voices, honour matrilineal strength, and affirm the endurance of Indigenous knowledge systems across generations.
She also completed her third year in the St’at’imcets language mentor-apprentice program, demonstrating her commitment to language revitalization, cultural continuity, and decolonial resurgence.
In addition to her academic work, Dr. Mixalhíts’a7 is the Founder and CEO of The Lux Loo Portable Restrooms Ltd., a First Nations and Black-owned company providing luxurious, culturally respectful restroom services to events, construction sites, and emergency relief efforts across Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc and neighbouring First Nations territories. What began as a grassroots dream has grown into a thriving business, reflecting Indigenous entrepreneurial sovereignty and commitment to community care.
Dr. Mixalhíts’a7 is now entering a new phase in her academic journey. With the completion of her PhD, she transitions from a bipartite (teaching) position to a tripartite role that includes research and service. After years of teaching about decolonization and Indigenization, she is now focused on putting these teachings into practice through community-led research, work that is not only accountable to Indigenous Peoples, but driven by them.

Formerly a classroom teacher in Indigenous-based schools, Dr. Mixalhíts’a7 continues to bridge education, research, and entrepreneurship. She is committed to spaces where Indigenous knowledge is not only respected but centered and where the principles of reciprocity, relationality, and responsibility guide every step.

Morris Prosser – Rep’rep’sken (Morris Prosser) is Tsal’alhmec. He grew up half his life in Tsal’alh and the other half in Stό:lō Territory in the Fraser Valley. Dedicated to his Community and Nation, Morris has served in various community positions. Most recently as Tsal’alh Trustee for the St’at’imc (PC) 2011 Trust, on the Board of Tsalalh Development Corporation, on a St’át’imc Nation business working group, and also served on the Board of St’at’imc Eco Resources. Morris’ experience is in Economic development, First Nations’ Title & Rights, and Policy. From a young age, it has been instilled in Morris to honour the words of his Ancestors in the 1911 Declaration of the Lillooet Tribe. Morris works for the Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship as a Senior Wildlife Policy Advisor and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Science at the UBC Faculty of Forestry. Morris’ career has revolved around the weaving of Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge and decision-making systems.

Franny Alec – Franny Alec is a proud member of the Xaxli’p community and currently serves as Project Coordinator for the Ecological Cultural Protected Area project with the Xaxli’p Community Forests Corporation. With a strong background in health care management, Franny has worked with several St’át’imc communities since the early 1980s, consistently advocating for the well-being and advancement of Indigenous peoples.

Her involvement in the Data Governance Advisory Group reflects her dedication to shaping meaningful and culturally grounded data practices. Franny believes this initiative will play a vital role in guiding leadership decisions and addressing key issues that impact the needs of Nation members.

Franny is enthusiastic about collaborating with this diverse team, including SGS and LTC, and is eager to contribute to a process that promises transformative outcomes for the Nation.

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