The Board of Directors’ primary role is to guide the high-level strategic direction and oversight of Shuswap businesses. The Board must make decisions as a whole, with quorum. Responsibilities include:
- Maintaining the highest standards of integrity, efficiency, and culturally appropriate manner, making transactions in the best interests of Kenpesq’t, and upholding standards for confidentiality
- Developing corporate and operating policies that reflect the corporate values of Kenpesq’t and that are in accordance with all applicable laws (Shuswap Indian Band and other levels of government)
- Hiring a CEO with appropriate skills and experience, evaluating the performance of the CEO in fulfilling their duties and expectations on an ongoing basis, and dismissing the CEO if they are unable to fulfill the requirements of their position
- Providing business expertise in external negotiations related to economic development opportunities
- Overseeing and evaluating operations of Kenpesq’t and its applicable operating Limited Partnerships
- Reporting financial and operational performance to Council and membership
Board of Director Biographies
Katherine Stevens
Weyt-kp. My name is Katherine Stevens and I am a Shuswap Band member. I am married to Lorne Shovar and we have 2 kids; Vivienne and Alexiah. I was born in Invermere, BC to Laverna and Basil Sr Stevens. My grandparents were Gustaf and Josaphine (nee Paul) Pascal, and Lawrence (Jack) and Marcelline (nee Stuikin) Stevens.
I graduated from DTSS in 1993 and enrolled in the College of the Rockies in the Business Administration program. I worked in the Finance department for St. Eugene Mission during the construction phase, as well as at St. Mary’s Indian Band. I received my Business Administration Accounting diploma and began work in Cranbrook at KKTC in the Finance Department. In 2000, when the opportunity of working within the Development office on my reserve came up, I moved home. I worked with the KDC office for a year and then transferred to the Shuswap Indian Band office where I started in Finance. In 2005 I was hired as the Surveyor of Taxes for the Shuswap Indian band. I enrolled and completed the Property Taxation certificate course through TULO at Thompson Rivers University in 2008. In 2017 I was hired as the Director of Finance and have held this position since that time.
I completed my courses in the Certified Aboriginal Financial Management (CAFM) course through AFOA and became certified in September 2020. One of the highlights of working in the Finance department at SIB is having assisted the Band in becoming certified through the Fiscal Management Board (FMB). “The FMS Certificate shows that your First Nation has put in place good finance practices for the long-term. Getting certified brings confidence to community members, lenders, business partners, and others that your First Nation runs its affairs well in a transparent and accountable way, and shows good standing with the FNFA, which provides low-cost loans to First Nations in the same way as other governments in Canada”
Thank you for this opportunity. I am very honoured to be selected to represent Shuswap members on the Kenpesq’t Territorial Board of Directors.
Ryan Watmough
Born and raised in small-town Ontario, I have been drawn to vibrant, small communities with big mountains.
Studying at post-secondary institutions in 2 countries and 3 provinces led to an MBA; BSc in Neuroscience; project management and community economic development certificates.
With 20 years of experience in marketing, research, real estate development, tourism, coaching and community economic development; board experience and training in business and governmental relation,
I bring an open mind, a holistic view and a creative approach to problem-solving. The leadership roles I have engaged in have been as diverse as the communities served – from mountain resort marketing to non-profit collaboration, community resource allocation and grant-making alignment. This philosophy and work ethic has culminated in recent awards from the BC Economic Development Association for Marketing Innovation (2021) and the BC Association of Farmers Markets as the Farmers Market Champion (2021) while serving as the Columbia Valley Community Economic Development Officer.
I have been honoured to work with the Shuswap Indian Band & District of Invermere through their Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI) program participation (2017-2021), which led to the selection and development of a $19M Joint Active Transportation Network Plan (JATNP). Projects like this will have meaningful economic, health, social and environmental benefits for the entire community.
Each day, I spend evenings hiking around the Columbia Valley with my wife, dog and camera, and improving my understanding of its Indigenous history, and Secwepemc culture.
Murray Trussler
Dr. Murray Trusler is a retired Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Queen’s University and Associate Professor of Family Medicine, Northern School of Medicine. He graduated from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine in 1966 and has a Fellowship in Family Medicine. He has an undergraduate degree in Native Studies from Trent University and an MBA from the University of Toronto.
In addition to 26 years of family practice in Peterborough, Ontario he spent nine years in clinical and senior administrative positions in the Arabian Gulf and nine years practicing full-scope family and emergency medicine in rural and remote locations in Canada. He was also a coroner, aviation medical examiner, ACLS program director and Chief of Staff of the Weeneebayko and James Bay General Hospitals. He was the recipient of the OCFP Award of Excellence 2007.
He has had many years of experience working as a physician with First Nations communities in Northern Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, Northern Ontario and British Columbia. He has particular interests in rural and remote medicine, Aboriginal health, stroke prevention and addiction medicine.