Interviewer: Can you tell me a bit about who you are and where you’re from?
ÍY, SȻÁĆEL SIÁM, ESE Desiree Jones ĆSE LÁ,E SEN EṮ W̱SÁNEĆ. My name is Desiree, and I am from Pauquachin First Nation, as well as Nooksack Tribe in Washington State. I lived on the Island for most of my life, but I also spent part of my childhood living in Lummi with my family and going back and forth between the two communities. I am currently doing my Master of Arts in Indigenous Governance at the University of Victoria, and I will be completing that by the end
of this Fall!
Could you share some of the background and experience you bring to this position?
A lot of my professional work has been rooted in community. I have had opportunities to do a lot of different work within the community in areas like culture and language revitalization, community programming, as well as research, which has given me a lot of different experiences and ways to learn. A big motivation for me has always been to continue my education, expand my knowledge and skills, and bring those things back into the community. That’s something I am really passionate about, and I am happy to now be bringing those experiences into my role as Tsartlip’s Referrals Coordinator.
What are you going to be doing in your new role as Tsartlip’s referrals coordinator?
The Referrals Coordinator is part of Tsartlip’s Intergovernmental Relations and Negotiations department. A big part of my role is helping to manage referrals that come into the department from governments, organizations, and other outside parties. I help keep track of those referrals, review the information that comes in, and help organize it so that it can be brought forward to the rest of the department. From there, the team can look at what’s being proposed, what may need attention, and what the appropriate steps are.
What kind of impact do you hope to have during your time at Tsartlip, and what excites you most about this role?
Being a W̱SÁNEĆ member, it’s important to me that the work I do contributes positively to our communities and future generations. I hope to contribute to the good work already happening within our communities and help in whatever ways I can by building strong relationships and being someone that the team and community can rely on.
What excites me most about this role is having the opportunity to put my education and experience into practice in a way that directly supports the community. I have always been interested in Indigenous governance and the relationships between our communities and other levels of government, so I am excited to be working in that area and continuing to build on the knowledge and skills that I have.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work, most of my time is spent with my 10 year old daughter. She’s involved in hockey and baseball, so that keeps us pretty busy. When we’re not running around to her activities, I like spending time with family and friends, going for walks, or honestly just relaxing at home. I’m definitely a homebody, so I really enjoy the quieter days when we don’t have anywhere we need to be.
Anything else you want to share?
I’m really happy to be part of the team and to have the opportunity to continue working within our communities. Everyone has been so welcoming since I started, and I’m looking forward to getting to know more people within the community and settling into my role. I’m grateful to be here and excited for what’s ahead!
