5th Annual Aboriginal Youth Conference

PRESENTERS

MATTHEW BARAN
Mathew Baran has worked for the Pentiction Indian Band as Youth Counsellor for three years. Prior to that he worked in youth corrections for 11 years. He also has a background in substance use and abuse.

NISO BRADFORD is of the Odawa-Cree Nation, presently living in Brantford ON. He has been a national trainer for over 15 years, initially specializing in Native Youth Leadership Development and moving on to Adult Leadership Training. He spends much of his time working with high risk youth through retreats, community workshops and in the school setting, focusing on gang violence prevention, alcohol/drug prevention, youth sexuality issues, anti-bullying and cultural enrichment. Niso is an international champion grassdancer, singer and drummer.

DONAVON CALDWELL has been working with the Street Culture Kidz Project in Regina SK for the past six years. Donavon has made serious strides in leaving his negative past by becoming the Aboriginal Leadership Coordinator for the YMCA of Regina. The leadership development program he runs is a way to positively impact youth.

PATTY CHABBERT is French and Algonquin from Golden Lake First Nations in Ontario. She has always been interested in culture and heritage and their importance in defining who we are and where we fit in the world. She became interested in First Nations studies after learning of her grandmother’s experience of losing her status as a result of her marriage to Patty’s non-native grandfather. As the result of Patty’s personal experience with a seven year old child in her care who attempted suicide, she decided to take action. She is currently coordinating a unique project with Voices for Children and the Nishnawbe Aski Nation Decade Youth Council: Celebrating Life with the Seventh Generation. The project is taking a different approach to suicide prevention by amplifying the voices and efforts of young First Nations people and listening to them when they share their triumphs and challenges.

DAVID COWAN is a front line team worker with the Street Culture Kidz Project. David began as a participant under Kim Sutherland’s mentorship over six years ago. With Kim, he has made presentations many times to audiences across Canada. David has a 6 year old daughter and he and his wife are expecting a child in April.

KATHERINE DANIELS is 19 years old and from the Muskowekwan First Nation in Saskatchewan. She currently works with the Street Culture Kidz Project in a youth mentoring role. In addition, she also provides leadership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Regina and the YMCA’s Tomorrow’s Youth Leaders program.

SARAH HUNT is working with the McCreary Youth Foundation to support Aboriginal communities across BC in addressing the sexual exploitation of children and youth. Sarah has experience as a youth outreach worker, researcher, writer, program coordinator and workshop facilitator. She has worked for the past five years with the Justice Institute of BC on projects related to the sexual exploitation of children and youth, adult sex work, adolescent development, violence and the justice system. She is currently completing an interdisciplinary master’s degree at the University of Victoria where she is working on issues related to race, gender and decolonization. Sarah is a member of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation.

EEKWOL (Lindsay Knight) is from Muskoday First Nation in Saskatchewan. She has a BA in Indigenous Studies and has a strong drive to promote her Hip Hop and Indigenous cultures through music. She is currently one of the main artists of the independent label Mils Productions which she co-owns with her producer/brother Mils. In 2004 Eekwol released her award-winning debut Apprentice to the Mystery which has gained international attention in Japan and Australia. Her first solo album Soundsick was released in 2002. She has been featured on the Indigenous Circle and the APTN series Best of Aboriginal Music. She has been featured in many magazines and newspapers and on stage and has videos in rotation on MuchMusic , MTV Canada and APTN.

TESSA KARANGAWAI POTSKIN belongs to the Tuhoe tribe of New Zealand on her mother’s side and the Fraser Clan of Scotland on her father’s side. She is devoted to fighting for youth. At the age of 16 she lost her older brother to drugs and suicide. Tessa says: “I am drug and alcohol free for I refuse to give this world the opportunity to snuff out my light.” She has been a youth worker for five years and has been blessed to live in different communities sharing laughter and tears with many warriors. She plays guitar, sings, dances and paints “to give glory to my Creator, to encourage my allies and to free the emotions I hold within”.

SUES KRUGER is a youth from the Penticton Indian Band, a strong student and active member of her community.

JASON LOUTTIT is a National Aboriginal Role Model and motivational speaker. He has been a member of the Team Canada mountain running team for the past three years and is one of Canada’s rising marathon runners, currently ranked 2nd in Canada for the half-marathon and finishing as the silver medalist at the 2006 Canadian Marathon Championships. He is also a former infantry soldier with PPCLI regiment. He recently graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation Management and Community Development. As a motivational speaker sharing his own life experiences with addictions, Jason has talked to over 10,000 youth in the past four years.

Learn more about Jason by visiting his website: Jason Louttit.

DARRELL “LITTLE BLACK BEAR” PHILLIPS is a member of the Hollow Water First Nation and owns the consulting firm, Little Black Bear & Associates. Little Black Bear specializes in community, organizational, and business development. As a committed father and husband who is married with 10 children (and 1 beautiful granddaughter), Darrell adheres to strong family principles and values. He’s worked within federal and provincial government structures, at the grassroots Aboriginal community and the national level. A graduate of the University of Manitoba, Darrell has developed a keen ability to facilitate groups and to utilize a variety of effective process tools. His knowledge and experience in Aboriginal politics, health, justice, traditional culture, and business allows Darrell to assist communities, organizations, and businesses to realize their vast potential.

DERRIC STARLIGHT is from the Tsuu T’ina Nation west of Calgary AB. DerRic has built a name for himself by using comedy, puppets and wrestling. He has studied in the US at several major schools and attended master classes with some of the finest teachers in the arts, media, theatre, filmmaking, puppet making and comedy. DerRic has traveled with his puppets across Canada, United States, New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti and Japan. His motivational workshops share his experiences with wrestling and the Muppets.

HERB STRONGEAGLE is a Saulteaux of Pasqua First Nation of Fort Qu’Appelle, SK. His active lifestyle started early on his family’s acreage on First Nation lands where he was taught to ride horses by his grandfather. Later, his father Moses gave his young son boxing lessons. Herb completed his elementary and high school education at Lebret Indian Residential School, where he was actively involved in all aspects of sports and was a star of track and field events. He also excelled at baseball and hockey and in 1953, the same year he graduated from high school, Herb’s athletic efforts, gentlemanly conduct and modesty were recognized when he received the Tom Longboat medal for
the best Indian athlete in Saskatchewan. After high school, Herb received a Diploma from Saskatoon Business College and went to work for the Coop Oil Refineries. He continued to be involved in sports and in 1957 he played for the Fort Qu’Appelle Sioux Indians which won the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association provincial title and he later brought home the individual scoring championship trophy. Herb went on to obtain a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Ottawa which led to positions in finance and management with the Federation of Saskatchewan First Nations and the First Nations University of Canada. While Herb earned his way in the contemporary world as a successful businessman, he continued to play and be involved in hockey. Herb was inducted into the Indian Head Sports Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Saskatchewan First Nations Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. He is presently on the Board of Directors of Many Nations Benefit Co-operative Limited and President of Aboriginal Financial Services Inc. On November 9, 2006 Herb received the Saskatchewan First Nations Lifetime Achievement Award.

KIM SUTHERLAND is a front line team worker with the Street Culture Kidz Project. Kim and David Cowan have presented many times to audiences across Caanada, sharing the challenges they addressed and overcame – both professional and personal – in their mentor/protégé relationship. Kim’s family includes 4 (soon to be 5) children and 6 granddaughters.

JODIE-LYNN WADDILOVE is an Anishnabe (Ojibway) and Lenni Lenape (Delaware) lawyer from the Munsee-Delaware Nation in Southern Ontario. Jodie-Lynn received her BA in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Western Ontario in 1999, her MA in International Criminology and Law from the University of Sheffield, England in 2000 and her Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Ottawa in 2003. In 2000, Maclean’s Magazine named Jodie-Lynn as “One of Canada’s Top 100 Under-30 year olds to Watch in the new millennium” and in 2006 she was named a National Aboriginal Role Model by the National Aboriginal Health Organization. Recently, Jodie-Lynn served as Assistant Commission Counsel with the Ipperwash Inquiry into events surrounding the death of Dudley George. Jodie-Lynn currently practices corporate commercial law in downtown Toronto.

FNTCS Contact Information
First Nations Training & Consulting Services
Mail Address: PO BOX 5000, SAANICHTON BC, V8M 2C5
Courier Address: 1164 Stelly's Cross Road, Brentwood Bay, BC V8M 1H8
Phone: (250) 652-7097
Fax: (250) 652-7039
Email: fntcs@telus.net

5th Annual Aboriginal Youth, Violence, & Changing Times Training Conference