Departments
People
Gitxaała Nation Elected Governing Council
The Gitxaała Administration is governed by the Elected Gitxaała Chief and Council.
Chief Councillor - Linda Innes
I am honoured to be serving my second term as elected Chief Councillor on behalf of Gitxaała.
In 2021, I received my Bachelor of Arts degree with a minor in Political Science through the University of Northern British Columbia. I have over 30 years of work experience in health, social-work, and business administration, with the past three years in governance. I look forward to using my education and work experience to continue building a strong nation of leaders.
Over the next three years, I am committed to doing the best I can, by creating safe work environments and upholding the Indigenous Women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People Declaration.
I come from a culture with strong traditions, and teachings of our ancestors which have sustained our people and Gitxaała Traditional territory since time immemorial. My late father was Gitksan, and my mother is Gitxaała under the house chief La’Oi.
I thank all those who came before me and I look forward to work towards decolonization, picking up the pieces of our culture, to heal, to trust, to communicate, and to unify through healthy relationships and interactions with one another, and with government to government.
Deputy Chief - Bruce Innes
I have been Elected for the Deputy Chief position. I have been lucky to represent you in previous years as I was previously elected in on 2 terms; so I have the experience needed.
I have also worked for our Nation starting as Post Secondary Coordinator, then as Office Manager. I have education in Business Administration but to be honest, I need 3 courses to obtain my Diploma, the college offered to give me a certificate but I refused because I would like to EARN it. As you can see I can take on a challenge.
I am an honest man and have been leading by example as to what I want for our community.
I have been “Out Home” since 2004 and am enjoying my life here.
There is ALWAYS room for improvement when it comes to serving our people of Gitxaała.
Portfolios: Economic Development, Fisheries, Governance.
Councillor - Brenna Innes
Brenna Innes comes from the Ganhada clan, house of Gitgyiiala and is a proud mother of four. She was elected to council during a by-election in August 2019. Brenna attended school at the University of the Fraser Valley, where she obtained a certificate in Indigenous Films, Maps, Rights and Land Claims as well as an Associate of Arts Degree.
Her work experience includes the justice and health care fields. She worked in various roles such as a justice coordinator, mental health and addictions worker, and youth worker, all of which provided support services to vulnerable individuals. She has always taken pride in being able to build healthy working relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.
Brenna has a passion for bringing awareness and inclusion to the Gitxaała community as a whole regarding band opportunities and politics. She thoroughly enjoys gatherings with Gitxaała members where they continue to share, teach and learn the language, traditional songs and dances.
Portfolios: Governance, Justice and Economic Development
Councillor - Joscelin Lewis
Joscelin is proud to be given the opportunity to serve our Nation as an elected council member for Gitxaala. She comes from the Ganhada Clan. She is grateful to be blessed with 4 children and 4 grandchildren.
Joscelin graduated from Prince Rupert Secondary School and has experience in administration in various roles including: Executive Assistant, Social Worker’s Assistant, Reception, Housing Clerk (Housing Managers Certificate) Payroll & Accounts Payable. She is hopeful that the experience within the organization will be very beneficial in helping develop policies/updating policies and procedures to help our nation move forward.
Joscelin is very much approachable and very open minded. She believes in teamwork, leading by example, building healthy relationships & maintaining balance. In order to do so we must work on healing & having open communication.
Joscelin enjoys traditional food harvesting with her husband, reading & watching basketball – Go Warriors Go!
Youth Councillor - Jamie Angus
Jamie Angus di waayu
Gisbutwada Di Pdeegu
Gitxaała di will waatgu
My parents are Charlotte Brown & Frank Angus Sr. My grandparents are Don Brown Sr. and the late Marjorie Brown.
Jamie has worked within Gitxaała Nation as an Education Assistant at Lach Klan School for many years and has also worked as a youth worker at the community centre. Jamie is eager to learn and is honoured to be given this opportunity to serve the nation as the youth councillor for Gitxaała.
Councillor - Marion Brown
Marion Brown is a film and television specialist with over three decades of successful experience in all aspects of film and television production. She holds an MBA from Simon Fraser University and works as a consultant specializing in Innovative Indigenous Governance. Her education has included study at the University of Arizona Indigenous Governance January in Tucson program. Marion is currently attending Harvard Kennedy John F. Kennedy School of Government as a Public Leadership Credential candidate and will graduate in 2022.
Marion’s education also includes graduation from the British Columbia Institute of Technology with a Broadcast Communications Diploma, where she also studied Operations Management. She graduated from Vancouver College of Counsellor Training and is a trained family therapist.
A strong believer of a well-rounded education and is a lifelong learner. She comes from a family who has always valued education and healing and is a second-generation master’s degree holder, as her mother Frances Brown also held a master’s degree.
Marion has played the alto saxophone for over 20 years and enjoys travel and reading.
Her primary focus in her councillorship will be education, policy development and scalability. Governance structure and organizations must build social cohesion and encompass all aspects of nation building to benefit all Gitxaała citizens. Our council must promote the social, political, cultural and economic strengthening of the Gitxaała Nation.
“We need a seat at the table … If we’re not at the table, we’re probably on the menu.” ― Roberto Mukaro Borrero
Councillor - Marcia Robinson
Marcia Robinson is an Elected Councillor. She is a proud mother of her only daughter and comes from the Ganhada clan. She lived in the community for most of her life and left community in stints to pursue her educational goals.
She obtained her Master of Business Administration Degree from SFU and before this, had obtained a Business Administration Diploma in General Management, Clerk Bookkeeper Certification, First Nations Administrative Assistant Certification, along with other various professional development training certifications throughout the years.
Marcia has worked for her Nation for many years in various roles within Finance, Administration and Education. She has a passion for learning, and very much enjoys learning and participating in Gitxaała’s rich culture. She also enjoys getting out in the great outdoors, beading, weaving, baking, and connecting with her family roots.
She looks forward to serving the Nation in this current role with a focus of bringing forward Healing, Trust, Communication and Unity in the work we do for our Nation as a whole.