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.
Michael Niezen is a Métis counsellor based in Fort Steele and an advocate for community wellness, cultural connection, and ethical practice in helping professions. He brings experience in building relationships, guided by values of humility, relational safety, and respect for traditional and land-based knowledge.
As Vice President, Michael is committed to listening deeply, building relationships rooted in trust, and supporting the continued growth and strength of the Métis community.
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.
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.
Darelyn (she/her) is a mother to two children Amber and James, grandmother to Eden, and partner to a Ktunaxa man Kolton. Darelyn also has a son Jaxson who watches over her family with Creator. Darelyn was not raised in her Métis culture, but has been reconnecting for the last 8 years or so through programs, courses, and learning from the many amazing people that are a part of our Rocky Mountain Métis community. Darelyn has spent most of her life in Cranbrook, and loves being able to spend time in this beautiful community outdoors in the
warmer months.
Darelyn is a social worker for Indigenous children and families, including Métis families, at Ktunaxa Kinbasket Child and Family Services Society. Darelyn has a Bachelors Degree in Social work with an Indigenous Child Welfare specialization through University of Victoria, and is currently working on her Masters of Social work with a specialization in Indigenous ways of
Knowing in Leadership, through University of Calgary.
Darelyn is passionate about connecting with culture, being in community with people, supporting family connections, governance, and standing up for Indigenous peoples rights, and looks forward to bringing that passion to her role.
Marie Dawson is a proud Métis Citizen and serves as a Board Director for the Rocky Mountain Métis Association. With over 16 years of experience in the field of education, including the past seven dedicated to Indigenous Education, Marie is deeply committed to advancing culturally responsive learning and supporting the holistic well-being of Indigenous families and communities. In her current role, she works to strengthen cultural connections, promote wellness, and foster a deeper understanding.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Marie
enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the natural landscapes of the region through hiking, camping, and visiting local lakes. Her strong connection to the natural world and her love of animals inform both her personal values and professional outlook. A passionate traveler and lifelong learner, Marie seeks out opportunities for cultural exploration that continue to expand her global perspective and appreciation for diversity
Shelly Paradis was born and raised in Cranbrook, British Columbia. She has been a dedicated nurse for over 30 years and truly loves her profession. Nothing brings her greater satisfaction than leaving a client with a big smile, knowing she has done her job well and brightened their day.
Her interests include hunting, cooking, baking, knitting, sewing, and crochet. Shelly is always eager to learn new things and expand her skills.
She has been actively involved with the Métis community since 1990. She only discovered her Métis heritage in her twenties, as it was never discussed in her family home while growing up. Over the years, Shelly has contributed significantly to her community, having served as Secretary-Treasurer, Youth Leader, and on the board for the Ministry of Children and Families (Aboriginal). She also sat on the board for the Kootenay Region Métis Association and proudly served as Métis Women’s Secretary for five years, a role she loved deeply.
Currently, Shelly serves on the board of the Rocky Mountain Métis Association and is a member of the Citizens Committee.
She is immensely proud of her Métis culture and heritage and feels honoured to be Métis.
Sarah was born in the Okanagan but has resided in Cranbrook for the majority of her life. Her main passion in her life has been raising her children but as they continue to grow into young adults she has found herself time to indulge into her secondary passion. Which has always been to learn as much as she can about plants and their medicinal uses.
Her Métis roots come from Red River Manitoba, where many of her family still live. Sarah works at the community space as our part-time Navigator. When she is not working you might spot her out in the woods either playing in the river picking up stones, collecting plants or just enjoying her time outdoors with her family.
