Our Board of Directors consists of seven members with extensive skills and experience in early childhood development, child welfare, management and administration. The Board of Directors works closely with our Executive Director and oversees all aspects of our operations and activities. They meet at least quarterly to plan, monitor, and evaluate BCACCS services and activities.
BCACCS Board members represent various regions in BC.
President: Mary Teegee
Mary is Gitk’san and Carrier from Takla Lake First Nation, and is a proud member of the Luxgaboo Wolf Clan. She is currently the Executive Director of Child and Family Services at Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS) where she oversees the provincially delegated programs, youth services, family preservation, maternal child health, and the Highway of Tears Initiative, as well as violence prevention programs.
Mary holds the Hereditary Chiefs name Maaxswxw Gibuu (White Wolf). She has been raised to live her culture, customs, laws and traditions. Mary has long espoused that in order for nations to be revitalized; nations have to heal from the atrocities that occurred through colonization. She maintains that all services, programs and initiatives developed to benefit First Nations have to be built on a cultural foundation.
She is a relentless advocate for human, Indigenous, and women’s rights and has served on various provincial, national, and international committees. She represents BC on the Board of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and has acted as a Steering Committee member of the First Nation Early Childhood development Council. She has been a member of the Provincial Ministers Advisory Council on Aboriginal Women, and works tirelessly to inform people about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous women in Canada.
Vice President: Maurice Squires
Maurice has his Masters in Social Work and was the Founding Director of Child and Family Services for the Nisga’a Lisims Government (New Aiyansh). He has 25 years of experience in First Nations social work and is a founding member of the Northwest Band Social Workers Association. Maurice was a founding member of BCACCS. He was also a founding member and served as the President for the Caring for First Nations Children Society for 10 years, stepping down in 2008. He is currently serving his second three year term as a Director of Northern Health. Maurice was a Member of the Children’s Commission board. He sat on the Board of Governors for the University of Northern BC for 6 years. He was also member of the Nisga’a Tribal Council negotiation team which negotiated the Nisga’a Treaty for child welfare, social development and adoptions. He has participated in MCFD committees pertaining to Practice Audit and Review, Aboriginal Practice Standards and Indicators, and the Social Service Review of the BC Social Work Act. Maurice is the Director of Aboriginal Policy and Practice with the Aboriginal Services Branch, MCFD.
Secretary/Treasurer: Al Lawrence
Al is the owner and administrator of Kidz Co Learning Centre Inc., a daycare centre in Duncan. He is father to 5 boys and 4 girls. Al is a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Education (2005), and the Prime Minister’s Award of Achievement (2004).
Director: Sue Sterling-Bur
Sue is from the N’lakap’mx Nation and Sto:Lo Nation. She is the mother of three beautiful children Brittani, Darian and Spencer, whom are her number one joy in life! She is the sole Owner of her consulting company Godey Creek Consulting; an Instructor at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in Merritt for the Social Work Department and currently working as a part time Child and Youth Mental Health & Substance Use Project Lead. She is very passionate about Early Childhood Development and promoting the quality of life for children and youth to ensure the best chance with life.
Director: Robert Lagassé
Robert, “Xeylsqoyeplexw”, is a Red River Metis of Cree, Saulteaux and French Canadian ancestry. He has served as the Economic Development Manager for Sts’ailes since 1997 with responsibilities as administrator of the Sts’ailes Aboriginal Rights & Title department. Robert was appointed by Council as COO of the Sts’ailes Development Corporation (SDC) when formed in 2008. In 2013 he was appointed as CEO of SDC. His professional experience in aboriginal community economic development dates back to 1977 working in Aboriginal communities where he served as EDO with the Government of the NWT, as Economic Development Manager for the Sto:lo Tribal Council and the Sto:lo Nation, Acting Director of Sto:lo Nation Health Department, and Manager of Health Policy and as Business Advisor to the United Native Nations before joining Sts’ailes in 1997. Robert is co-owner of a family owned insulation and coatings company and serves as director for several business entities.
Director: Dr. Warner Adam
Warner is a member of Lake Babine Nation and the Chief Executive Officer for the Carrier Sekani Family Services. As Chief Executive Officer, he administers several programs including: professional senior managers in health, social development, Mental health, education, child welfare and research. Warner is the Vice chair for the First Nations Health Council and the founding President of the Aboriginal Child Care Society of BC. He has served on numerous community boards, federal, provincial and First Nations committees and has also served on the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council executive board, the Lake Babine Nation Council and treaty tables.
Warner’s focus is on holistic healing of First Nations health and child welfare matters through indigenous values and epistemology. He believes that capacity building in communities includes the development of programs for the positive growth of children, respective of cultural diversity. Warner is instrumental in research and design of programs that are culturally based in serving First Nations people. He is keen in working toward policy to improve the lives of First Nations and marginalized peoples.
Director: Debra Foxcroft
Debra has made significant contributions and continues to direct her positive energies as a committed, responsible and strong leader with over 30 years experience working with, and advocating for the health and well-being of First Nations peoples. A member of the Tseshaht First Nation and a recipient of the Order of British Columbia, Debra Foxcroft is the daughter of Jeanette Gallic and the late James Gallic, and granddaughter of the late Jessie Gallic (nee, Campbell) and Je (Jimmy) Gallic. She is also a sister, auntie, mother and grandmother; a proud and strong Tseshaht women. Deb is a strong, proud Tseshaht woman who approaches her work with honesty, integrity and strong values.
