Group 68
Vector

CHAIR

Gloria Raphael

Gloria is from the Nlaka’pamux Nation, born and raised in Lytton, BC. She retired from the position of District Principal for Aboriginal Education with the Surrey School District. Prior to Surrey, she was a Principal with the Vancouver and Victoria School Districts. As well as school principal, she held positions with the Ministry of Education, Aboriginal Education Branch, and Field Services. Her years of teaching began with the Vernon School District and she spent three years teaching in Perth, Western Australia.

She has worked with the McConnell Foundation as a Mental Wellness Coach and a Facilitator with the Lytton First Nation to help build stronger relationships with the local School District and the Ministry of Education and is presently a Board Member with the SOS Children’s Village, BC.

VICE CHAIR

Jacyntha England

Jacyntha England is an educator and writer who has taught English and Drama in Thailand, Tanzania, Kazakhstan and Singapore. Her first love – and where she started her teaching career in 1995 – will always be the hometown of Savage Society founder Kevin Loring, the village of Lytton in Nlaka’pamux territory. Jacyntha has drawn lifelong inspiration from the stories and strength its land and people hold, and remains committed to serving the community in any way she can. Jacyntha currently works in Vancouver as a private tutor and consultant and has been a Savage Society Board member since 2016.

TREASURER

Meredith Elliott

Meredith has worked in arts administration for 25 years, beginning her career at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company. Her tenure there encompassed marketing, development, administration and production. After the Playhouse closed, Meredith joined Ruby Slippers Theatre as General Manager from 2012-19. She is currently the Communications & Marketing Manager for the Vancouver International Wine Festival, which has raised $9.5 million for the performing arts in Vancouver. Meredith is on the boards of The Savage Society, the Vancouver Concert Band and the Vancouver Rowing Club, and previously served on the boards of the GVPTA and Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards.

SECRETARY

Alice Joe

Alice Joe is a Nłeʔkepmx creative services professional specializing in visual communication design. She is passionate about using storytelling and visual design as a means of Indigenous language preservation and revitalization.

Alice grew up on the Shulus reserve in the Nicola Valley outside of Merritt, British Columbia. Her education includes a Bachelor of Fine Art from Thompson Rivers University as well as a Diploma in Applied Arts-Graphics from Vancouver Island University.

In addition to operating a graphic design consulting business she works at Vancouver Island University where she is a graphic designer and print services coordinator. In the past she has worked as a communications manager for a non-profit arts organization as well as an art director for a publishing company. You can view many of her projects at alicejoe.com.

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

Romona Baxter

Romona Baxter is a member of the Nlaka’pamux Nation and currently works within the Nation helping to advance the rights of Nlaka’pamux children to grow up to be happy, healthy, and safe and within the sacred space that they hold –  the centre of our communities and the heart of our Nation’s future. She is honoured to be one of the newest members (aka Auntie) of the Savage Society.

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

David Walkem

David Walkem is a Councillor of the Cooks Ferry Indian Band and served as Chief from 1990 to 2018. He has an MBA from University of Western Ontario and an BScForestry from UBC. Prior to being elected as Chief he worked for the federal government in native economic development and with the TD Bank as an assistant Branch Manager. Currently he is on the corporate Boards of Esh-kn-am Investments Joint Venture, Swl’eps Limited Partnership, Stuwix Resources Joint Venture, Citwx Nlaka’pamux Assembly, and the Community of Interest Panel for the Mining Association of Canada. He is a Registered Professional Forester (now Retired), the first registered Status Indian in BC to achieve that designation. In 2001 he was the recipient of the ‘Forester of the Year’ award from the Association of BC Professional Foresters, and in 2007 he received an award from the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards Foundation for his achievements in the Environment and Forestry. He lives in Spences Bridge, BC and is a proud Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather.

For community volunteer Boards he currently serves on the First United Community Church Ministry in the downtown east side of Vancouver, and on the Canadian Council on Invasive Species. He served as President and Treasurer on the Board of the Native Education Centre in Vancouver from 1990 – 2007. He was a founding Director and Co-Chair of the Stl’atl’imx / Nlaka’pamux Legal Services Society providing legal aid to aboriginal communities in the Lytton and Lillooet areas, until it was closed.