Rick Brant teho:ka
Chief Executive Officer

Rick Brant is Mohawk, a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Ontario. He was a member of Canada's National Track and Field Team and in 1987 was awarded the Tom Longboat Award as the most outstanding Aboriginal athlete in Canada. Since then Rick has become an influential leader within the Aboriginal sport movement. He was a founding member of the Aboriginal Sport Circle and has extensive involvement with the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). Rick helped form the NAIG Council, the international governing body for the Games, and has been a General Manager for two previous Host Societies, first with Prince Albert, Saskatchewan (1993), and then with Victoria, British Columbia (1997).

Dano Thorne kwa'liquinum'
Community Sport Development Officer

Dano Thorne's dedication to sport, as an elite athlete, coach and administrator, has provided him with a thorough understanding of the Aboriginal, Canadian and North American sport systems. He has held numerous positions with boards and committees for the development of aboriginal athletes and coaches, including the Coaches Association of B.C., Athletes Can, the NAIG Council, Team BC (Chef de Mission), the Aboriginal Sport Circle and the renowned Esteem Team. He was the first recipient of the National Aboriginal Coach of the Year Award in 1999 and for a number of years has been head coach of the elite NIFA Aboriginal Women's Select soccer team.

Alicia Maluta
Communications and Marketing Manager

Alicia's information is not available at this time.

Doug Allan
Finance Manager

Doug Allan has extensive background in senior management and financial administration and was the Finance Manager for the 1997 North American Indigenous Games in Victoria. In addition to his past experience with the NAIG, Doug's resume includes Vice-President Finance and Administration of Payless Gas, Audit and Administrative Partner with KPMG in Calgary, and Vice-President and Controller of Morgan Trustco, a large multi-divisional trust-holding company based in Toronto. Doug has also provided consulting services to small and medium-sized businesses on the Island, and his volunteer experience includes chair of the United Way in Calgary and other organizations.

Derek Paton
Operations Manager

A seasoned event manager and operations and venue fit-out specialist, Derek has experience in all areas of event planning, management, and delivery with all types and sizes of events, including the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the 1999 Winnipeg Pan Am Games, the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games, and the 2003 Santo Domingo Pan Am Games. His passion for smaller events in smaller communities is also evident in his involvement with an impressive five Canada Games and two Arctic Winter Games. Most recently, Derek managed the highly successful 2005 Ford World Curling Championships in Victoria.

Laurie Schuerbeke
Volunteers Manager

Laurie was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and raised in the community of St. Adolphe, a few kilometres southwest of Winnipeg. Laurie has a Bachelor of Social Work from UBC and has been active in community development and capacity-building throughout her life. Since moving to British Columbia in 1989, Laurie has been involved in community-based programs and projects, serving as a program manager, educator, and workshop facilitator, and has travelled throughout British Columbia delivering life-skills programs to a wide variety of communities. As Volunteers Manager, Laurie is responsible for the recruitment, orientation, training and placement of the Games' volunteers.

Ron Rice
Manager, Cultural Events and Ceremonies

Ron was born and raised in Duncan and is a member of Cowichan Tribes. He was an integral part of the successful Cowichan Bid Committee and the Coordinator of Volunteers for the 1997 North American Indigenous Games held in Victoria, BC. Since the 1997 NAIG, Ron has continued to be involved in planning special events and conferences for provincial and national groups. He has also gained prominence within the Aboriginal Friendship Centres movement working to support a number of Friendship Centres in transition throughout BC and in Quebec. Ron has been the President of the Victoria Native Friendship Centre since 2003.

Garrett Elliott Sawbutztun
Sport Manager

Garrett Elliott has excelled in a number of sports, competing at the provincial, national and international levels. He was a member of the team that captured the gold medal at both the 1991 and 1992 Senior "A" Canadian Fastpitch Softball Championships, and represented Team British Columbia in golf in the 1997 North American Indigenous Games. He also has considerable expertise in youth, family services. He is a member of Cowichan Tribes and has worked in his community for many years, most recently with Lalum'utul' Smun'eem (Child & Family Services), helping to develop and deliver long-term training programs for Foster Parents.

Kimberley Taylor
Sponsorship Manager

Kimberly Taylor brings over 30 years of accounting and financial experience to her position of Co-Manager, Sponsorship, with her most recent work experience being a Regional Manager of Wealth Management for one of the largest Credit Unions in Canada. She has obtained her designation as a Certified Financial Planner, Elder Planning Councillor and Chartered Life Underwriter while maintaining a balanced life on her farm south of Duncan where she raises horses with her husband.

Rick Joyce
Sponsorship Manager

Rick Joyce is a Certified Human Resource Professional [CHRP]. For the last nineteen years he has been self-employed as a consultant, providing human resources development and management consulting services. Rick's career has also included protocol & event logistics for political and non-political conferences, official honours, visitations, ceremonial and formal protocol activities. Rick spends considerable time as a volunteer in leadership and membership as Past Board Chair of Community Futures Cowichan [FutureCorp]; Vice-Chair Community Futures BC; Fisheries Legacy Trust, including Appointment to the Community Economic Adjustment Initiative [CEAI]; Past Chair and Board Director of Glenshiel Housing Society; Director on the Canadian Society Social Development Board; and is a member of BC Healthy Communities Initiative.