Staff Profiles
Brenna Latimer
Emerging Leadership Officer 
Brenna comes from the Kwakwaka’wakw/Laichkwiltach Nations on the Northern part of Vancouver Island. She resides in Vancouver British Columbia and is the Youth Engagement Officer for NCFNG. Ms. Latimer is a graduate of Malaspina University-College, receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in First Nations Studies in 2005. Her studies have focused on First Nations Governance in the 21st Century, Criminology, History of First Nations Rights and Title, Research and Management, Communications and Public Relations and Elementary Education. Her experience has focused on youth and community including her own. In 2003, Brenna returned to her community to take part in a one year internship within her Nation’s Treaty negotiation organization, Hamatla Treaty Society. There she was mentored in the communications and governance departments. Some of her projects included organizing a large Community Governance Forum, an Urban Members meeting in Vancouver, and dedicating considerable time to community Youth Initiatives including a Youth Traditional Territories tour and the facilitation of dialogue around Youth vision for Governance. While she was at home, Brenna participated in the preparations for her family’s potlatch where she received her name “Nanokakeseelaga” and was trained in several dances that her family has maintained for countless generations. She witnessed marriage and adoption ceremonies, and the repatriation and reburial of one of her ancestors. Reinvigorated by witnessing the practice of her family’s own traditional governance and spending time on the traditional territories of her ancestors, Brenna moved to Vancouver where she began work with the NCFNG. She has also been involved with several other Provincial Youth initiatives outside of her community including an Internship within the Aboriginal Education department of School District #71, the BC First Nations Youth Caucus, Building Our Legacy Together (BOLT) Youth forums, and a Provincial Aboriginal youth dialogue through the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation. She was also a youth participant in the Joint Planning and Policy Development Forum. Brenna believes that being involved in this important work for First Nations is very important while always maintaining and remembering where she comes from.
