Archived events
Indigenous Leadership
January 28, 2025 @ Vancouver, BC
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Meet the panelists
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Crystal Smith, chair of the First Nations LNG Alliance, is the elected chief councillor for the Haisla Nation, located on the northern coast of BC.
She has long been a champion of responsible development of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and associated pipelines in BC, and her Nation has numerous partnerships with developers in that field.
Chief Crystal became chair of the Alliance in November 2019, succeeding the founding chair, Chief Dan George.
Over the years she has taken on various roles in the Haisla community including chair of the Haisla Executive Committee and co-chair of the Stakeholder Relations Committee.
Crystal is working within the Haisla Nation to support the membership and to create opportunities for industry and business to invest in Haisla territory.
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Chief Derek Epp is a proud descendant of the Wealick family and carries the Xwelmexw (traditional) name Weli’leq. He has lived on Tzeachten First Nation since he was two years old, fostering a deep sense of community, family, and progressive governance aimed at self-determination.
Chief Epp holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Work with a specialization in First Nations studies. During his first term as Chief, Derek expanded his education with the Aboriginal Management Program at the University of British Columbia and earned the Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrators designation through AFOA. Chief Epp aims to complete a master’s in business administration.
As Chief, Derek has been involved in various areas, including economic development and advocating for Indigenous rights. Chief Epp holds positions on several boards, including Vice President of Ts’elxwéyeqw Tribe’ Management Limited, Chair of Shxw Kwimel Cha Management Ltd, Deputy Chair of the First Nations Finance Authority, and is a board and executive member of the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce and Vice President of the Chilliwack Youth Health Centre.
Chief Epp has been recognized internationally, receiving the Freedom to the City of London in 2024, and locally, earning the Excellence in Community Service Award from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Chief Epp is a strong advocate for economic reconciliation at all government levels and believes in working together to achieve true reconciliation.
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Christy is a member of the K’omoks First Nation and is a highly skilled and accomplished professional with 26 years of proven expertise in Western Canada. As Falkirk’s Senior Vice President of Indigenous Interests and Community Health and Wellbeing her work is deeply rooted in reconciliation and decolonizing the approach to ways of doing business and assessment processes.
Christy specializes in consultation and engagement, engagement strategies, socio economic and land use baseline reports, development of Indigenous led impact assessments, community-based indicators, and management plans that accompany permits and the Environmental Assessment process.
Christy co-authored the best-selling book “Weaving Two Worlds – Economic Reconciliation Between Indigenous Peoples and the Resource Sector” and is a frequent speaker on issues of reconciliation, leadership, and sustainable development relating to the mining and minerals industry.
Christy is recognized for her professional and personal understanding of Indigenous worldviews and her ability to merge Indigenous Knowledge into western science applications.
Christy has a MBA from University of Northern British Columbia and a Bachelors in Native Studies from the University of Alberta.
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Stephen proudly represents Musqueam as the CEO of Musqueam Capital Corporation, a wholly-owned entity of the Musqueam Indian Band. He has served Musqueam for over 13 years and is currently responsible for overseeing the Band’s real estate and asset holdings. He obtained his CPA, CMA designation in 1995 and his fellowship, FCPA, FCMA in 2009. His experience spans 30 years in senior finance and leadership roles in various industries in private and public companies.
Stephen also serves on the Boards of Community Living BC (CLBC), Langara College Foundation and Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT).
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Catherine is the Director of Indigenous Advisory Services for KPMG’s Global Infrastructure Advisory Services. She brings a wealth of experience from the North American energy sector, where she spent nearly two decades in various roles within public and corporate affairs, focusing on collaborating with Indigenous Nations and communities.
Catherine spent 15 years with Enbridge Inc. leading Indigenous and Community Engagement in various jurisdictions across Canada. With major project experience, Catherine was involved from project design to execution and operations. Prior to joining Enbridge, Catherine worked for EnCana and Cenovus on the upstream side of the energy business. During her time in the energy sector, Catherine held several portfolios and worked with many partners across the industry. From consultation and engagement to supply chain inclusion and equity opportunities, Catherine’s national experience has allowed her to work with many communities and organizations from coast to coast to coast.
Before transitioning to the energy sector, Catherine worked as a social worker and counselor in rural, remote, and northern communities in British Columbia. With certifications as a psychotherapist and professional coach, she has honed her skills in conflict resolution, facilitation, and mediation over the years.
Being a proud citizen of the Métis Nation, Catherine is dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities, economic development, healthcare services, and overall prosperity for Indigenous communities. Her academic background includes a BA in Human and Social Development, a Masters in Clinical and Health Psychology, studies in Indigenous Governance, and a current clinical license with the Canadian College of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists.
Outside of work, Catherine spends her free time pursuing outdoor activities with her family in Northern BC.
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Ethan Clark, a Chewhaytsum Douglas Treaty descendant and S’Klallam Coast Salish citizen from Beecher Bay First Nation (SC’IȺNEW) entrepreneur. He has founded ventures in marketing, consultancy, and technology, upholding Indigenous methodologies with emerging technologies to promote self-determination. Ethan is the co-founder and CEO of Nationsfirst Technologies, a founding partner of Turtle Island Connection, and a strategic advisor in the Indigenous political space.