BOARD MEMBERS
STAFF MEMBERS
Suzanne was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and spent the majority of her childhood in Kimberley BC and as an adult moved to several other communities in BC, Eventually, Suzanne moved back to Cranbrook in October 2018 to be closer to her family and still resides in Cranbrook. She is a descendent of the founders of the first Metis Nation.
Her ancestors resided at Red River for approximately 60 years. Suzanne’s ancestor, Peter Fidler, surveyed the land before the Selkirk Settlers came to settle in Red River in 1812. She is a descendant of Parentau, Delorme, Normand and Fidler.
Linda Miller resides in Cranbrook, BC, and is a retired chef, as well as a mother of two and grandmother of five. Originally from Watrous, Saskatchewan, she moved to British Columbia at the age of 16. While Linda always knew she was Métis, it wasn’t until the last five years that she delved deeper into understanding her heritage, marking it as a profound learning adventure. She looks forward to continuing this journey and is eager to serve the citizens of her Association.
Amy Cross is a Board Director of the Rocky Mountain Métis Association. She is a proud Métis woman, that seamlessly weaves her Métis cultural heritage into every aspect of her life. With over 30 years of experience in the Indigenous field, her heart lies with the Métis people and their rich culture. Amy draws inspiration from Métis Elders like Marie Schoenthal and Jeannette Hansen, both esteemed Métis Elders with national recognition.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Amy connects with nature, infusing her love for the environment into her artistic endeavours. Currently residing in Cranbrook, BC, Amy is married with two children. Her latest passion is
pebble art, culminating in the establishment of her business, “Pebble Art from Nature”.
Dan was was born in southern Alberta and spent his childhood and adult life in the Kootenays, raising his family in Marysville where he resides today. His Metis roots are in Batoche, a descendant of Ignace Poitras Sr & Jr, and grandmother Justina Bilyk (nee: Poitras). He is a father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. His interests are woodworking, metalworking, hunting, fishing, and harvesting in the East and West Kootenays.
Dan is a Director for RMMA. He is a proud Metis man and MNBC citizen and in his retirement is honoured to support his local on various committees and in service to Metis people and their relations.
Maxine is married to her wonderful husband of 51 years and together they have two grown children and three grandchildren. She moved to Cranbrook 43 years ago to take the position of Head Nurse of Psychiatry. Maxine was involved in the functional planning and the building of the Psychiatric Unit. Once the inpatient unit was opened, she started the Psychiatric Outpatient Department, which eventually amalgamated with Mental Health. She specialized in group and individual therapy with a major focus on borderline personality disorder (now known as Emotional Dysregulation Disorder) and working with individuals who experienced psychological trauma. Maxine led Assertive Training groups for forty years, which she believes will be an asset in her work on the board.
Due to prejudices and her mother’s experiences in residential day school, Maxine was shielded from the knowledge of her Métis heritage. She was 14 when she learned that her family had Indigenous heritage, but she and her siblings kept this information to themselves. Her daughter was instrumental in researching their heritage. Maxine has heard many Métis mention just three family names related to their heritage; however, she will share her family line differently. Her maternal grandfather’s lineage includes Laberge, Lafournaise, Larocque, L’Iroquois, Laberge, and Larence.
Maxine’s maternal grandmother’s lineage includes the Grant, Morin, Guiboche, Ganon, and McIvor families. Since becoming a citizen of the Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC), she has realized that many Métis cultural practices were an integral part of her upbringing. These practices included traditional food, music, caregiving, and sewing skills.
Christine is currently the Training & Career Counselor for Métis Nation BC in the Skills Training, Education, and Post-Secondary (STEPS) department. She has been in this role for over four years, and her passion for the work has only increased as she witnesses citizens achieving their career aspirations. In 2019, she had the honor of serving as the community navigator for the Rocky Mountain Métis Association, assisting with community needs.
Christine’s greatest passion is empowering citizens by supporting their educational journeys and guiding them in their cultural heritage. Through her role, she has built strong community relationships across her regional area, connecting students, employers, schools, colleges, and stakeholders from Cranbrook to Grand Forks to Golden. She continually seeks to enhance her knowledge by participating in various training opportunities, including Gender Bias training, Lateral Kindness, and Suicide Prevention.
Christine grew up locally, living in Wardner before moving to Jaffray in grade four. She then spent 25 years in the beautiful location of Chilliwack, BC, where she gained her education and life skills. Her passion for helping others began with volunteer work in local retirement homes, where she shared her crafting knowledge by guiding and teaching residents. In 2017, she discovered her love for painting and has since created over 100 acrylic paintings, along with developing an interest in spray paint art during a vacation in Mexico. Over the past decade, she has also delved deeper into her cultural crafts and heritage.
Tansi! Hannah Fenner, who uses she/her pronouns, has lived in Cranbrook for nearly her entire life. She was raised with knowledge of her Métis heritage by her mom and Kokum and learned to jig from Amy Cross at the age of eight. Currently, Hannah is a student at the College of the Rockies, studying biology with the hope of pursuing a career in the health sciences.
Hannah is grateful for the opportunity with RMMA and looks forward to increasing her involvement in the community.
