Personal Story
Childhood
Jess was born and raised in Bella Bella, BC in their maternal Haíɫzaqv homelands. They are of Haíɫzaqv and mixed settler ancestry.
Jess was privileged to spend much of their time growing up out on the lands and waters alongside parents who are passionate about justice and land-based learning, and an extended family that has taught them about the deep and reciprocal relationships with their territory and the plant and animal kin that enable us all to thrive.
They are blessed to raise their own children in a similar environment of broad kinship and deep land relationships.
Schooling
After being homeschooled for the majority of their elementary and high school years, Jess completed their secondary education at Victoria High School and moved on to complete an undergraduate in English at the University of Victoria. They completed most of a Master of Arts in English at UVic before dropping out to focus their energy on fighting pipelines.
In addition to their post-secondary studies, they have also completed training in areas including facilitation, negotiation, conflict resolution, strategic planning, non-profit management, and professional fundraising.
Career
Jess has been involved in the non-profit sector for more than 20 years, from running seasonal, grassroots projects and programs to professional fundraising, communications, and organizational leadership roles at a number of local and regional organizations.
Beyond their non-profit work, Jess served 2 terms on Heiltsuk Tribal Council, including a number of external appointments to regional boards and committees on behalf of the Heiltsuk Nation.
Jess is also an accomplished essayist and award-winning poet and a freelance consultant with an interest in community-led projects that are rooted in decolonial approaches to realizing our collective wellbeing and liberation.
Identity
Jess is a queer, non-binary person (pronouns: they/them/theirs).
Jess is also grounded in their neurodivergence and their experience of autism and ADHD. They are a strong advocate for neuroaffirming approaches in their community work.