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 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.
Mary holds an Executive MBA, Indigenous Business and Leadership from Simon Fraser University and received the Dean’s Convocation Medal for being in top five percent in her class. Mary is Chair of the Directors Forum.
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 30 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 has been a child care advocate for decades and continues to work tirelessly to mentor and be an inspiration to upcoming early childhood professionals. 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 Sterling-Bur is a proud member of the Nłeʔkepmx and Stó:lō Nations and sits with the Duntem’yoo (Bear) Clan in Bahlats with Nadleh Whut’en from the Carrier Sekani Nation. Sue holds an Early Childhood Diploma, a Master’s Degree in Social Work and a Ph.D. Candidate at The University of British Columbia Okanagan.
Her doctoral research will provide an Indigenous perspective on the systems of belief for giftedness in children with disabilities. She will base her research on the Nłeʔkepmx Spilahem and Speta’kl stories to identify the ethics, values, and beliefs guiding working with and supporting Indigenous people with disabilities.
Sue’s experience includes being a Regional Advisor for Aboriginal ECD, supporting Indigenous communities and agencies to develop and implement Aboriginal Infant Development and Supported Child Development programs; being a CYMH Advisor for the Doctors of B.C.; a Provincial Child Care Advisor for the Minister of MCFD, and more recently appointed the Co-Lead for the Canadian Institution for Inclusion and Citizenship Indigenous Research stream. Sue has worked on research projects with Dr. Jeannette Armstrong, revitalizing and reclaiming Interior Salishan Knowledge systems and Dr. Rachelle Hole on the Transitioning Youth with Disabilities (TYDE) project.
Sue is currently the Vice President, Students for the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT), the only Indigenous public post-secondary in B.C. She is a strong advocate for the advancement of Indigenous Rights and educational opportunities for all!
DIRECTOR: ROBERT LAGASSÉ
Robert, “Xeylsqoyeplexw”, is a Red River Métis of Cree, Saulteaux and French Canadian ancestry. Now retired, he worked with Sts’ailes Development Corporation since 1997 and continues to serve the Aboriginal community.
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
Deb is a founding member of BCACCS. She is the daughter of the late Jeanette and James Gallic, and granddaughter of the late Jessie Gallic (nee, Campbell) and Je (Jimmy) Gallic. She is also a sister, auntie, mother, grandmother and wife; and a proud Tseshaht woman. A member of the Tseshaht First Nation and a current council member, she approaches everything she does with honesty, integrity and strength.
Deb is a recipient of the Order of British Columbia and has made significant contributions and continues to direct her positive energies as a committed, visionary leader with over 30 years’ experience working with and advocating for the health and well-being of Indigenous children, youth and families across Canada and the United States.
