OUR TEAM

April Ingham (Executive Director), has an extensive background and body of experience in the non-profit sector, most pertinently with the First Peoples' Cultural Foundation, public art galleries, the BC Arts Council and the BC Museums Association. Throughout her career, April has successfully managed complex projects in a cross-cultural and multi-stakeholder context. She was especially successful at fostering meaningful involvement by First Nations. Prior to joining the Pacific Peoples’ Partnership, she worked for three years as Production Manager for the nationally broadcast Indigenous arts and culture television show "The New Canoe". She is also credited as part of the development team for the web based Indigenous language archiving system First Voices.

April spent three years living in Caribbean, where she gained valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges facing small island developing states. This experience coupled with 16 years of northern British Columbia living has given her a unique perspective into the importance of community and partnerships when facing social and environmental concerns.

Todd Biderman (Papua Programme Coordinator), a BSc. in Ecology and Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria, and is nearing completion of his MSc. at Schumacher College in the UK, where his research is in linking traditional and emerging scientific approaches to ecological sustainability and social justice. In 2001 Todd served as a Community Forestry Facilitator in Flores, Indonesia, through Silva Forest Foundation. He returned to Indonesia for 18 months in 2003 as a CUSO sponsored Community Development Advisor in West Kalimantan, supporting capacity development of community forestry initiatives. This included linking traditional and emerging scientific approaches to ecosystem-based stewardship, Indigenous rights and governance, as well as facilitating community process and participatory planning across a diverse network of CSOs and indigenous Dayak communities.

Susan Albion (Financial Officer) brings a background in sociology and a passion for social justice to her work assisting PPP to make the most of our limited resources. 

---

Dr. James Boutilier (President Emeritus) established the South Pacific People's Foundation, the forerunner of the Pacific People's Partnership, in the 1970s and served as the president of SPPF for many years. He is currently Special Advisor (Policy) at Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC), the Canadian Navy formation on the West Coast. He received his PhD from the University of London (UK) in 1969 and taught at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, from 1969 to 1971 before taking up an appointment at Royal Roads Military College in Victoria, British Columbia. He served on the staff of RRMC until 1995 as a professor of history and Dean of Arts. He was an adjunct professor of Pacific Studies at the University of Victoria during the same period. He was instrumental in the establishment of Royal Roads University. He joined MARPAC in 1996 and travels widely on behalf of the Navy, primarily in Asia.

Eugene Lee (President) was born in the city-state of Brunei, Northern Borneo. He is of Kadazan, Dusun, and Chinese ancestry. Eugene immigrated to Canada in 1988 with his family. Like many Canadians, David Suzuki and the Nature of Things influenced his interest in the environmental movement. Torn between a career in music or Environmental studies, he pursued neither and went home to the island of Borneo. This trip was the catalyst to his decision to attend the School of Business at the University of Alberta. There he spent his formal training in the study of non-governmental organizations and Social Entrepreneurship. As chair of the Alberta Students’ Association for Social Entrepreneurship, he attended the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship in Oxford, England. There he heard inspiring stories of triumph and justice for peoples of the world and has decided to dedicate his energy to organizations such as the Pacific Peoples’ Partnership. Today when not earning his keep with the McPherson Theatre and Royal Theatre in Victoria, Eugene works on musical soundscapes on his laptop, or spends what little time he has daydreaming.

Ronald Vance Gardner (Vice President) is a retired lawyer and current MA Candidate in the Department of Archaeology at Simon Fraser University. His research Interests include: Oceanic archaeology and ethnology, exchange, shell valuables and shell technology in Oceania, especially in Lapita archaeology.

Kat Zimmer (Secretary) is an undergraduate student in Political Science at the University of Victoria. She joined Pacific Peoples' Partnership in the summer of 2009 as their Cultural Events Co-ordinator. In this role she organized the second annual One Wave Festival, which raised awareness about the richly diverse cultures and challenges within the South Pacific. The two-day festival featured performance art, musical acts, spoken word, and dance. Kat is also active in the lead role for the UVIC student chapter of Rights and Democracy, an organization dedicated to the promotion of human rights. Her passions are snowboarding, the outdoors, and music, and she is motivated by a desire to affect positive change, locally and globally.

Darrel J. McLeod is Nehiyaw (nay-hee-yow) or Cree from Treaty 8 Territory in Northern Alberta. Darrel’s Mother is Cree, and his Father is Cree, Anishnabe, Scottish and French. He comes from a family of seven children, and a large extended family, most of whom still reside in lesser Slave Lake and Wabasca. Darrel has had a fascinating and privileged career. For almost 20 years, his work has been focussed entirely on Aboriginal people in Canada and internationally. Currently, Darrel is the Regional Director of the Canada School of the Public Service in Vancouver. In this role, one key responsibility is capacity building with First Nations in the Yukon region. In his last position, as Chief Negotiator of Self-government for the Federal government, Darrel is negotiated self-government agreements with five Sahtu Dene communities in the NWT. Prior to this role, he was the Executive Director of Learning, Languages and International Relations at the Assembly of First Nations and had the honour of working very closely with National Chief Phil Fontaine, Regional AFN Chief Shawn Atleo, and Grand Chief Ed John. Darrel was the head of delegation for the AFN at the United Nations working group on the Declaration of Indigenous Rights and held the same role at the Organization of American States. In this capacity, Darrel was the lead organizer of the Second Indigenous Peoples’ Summit in Buenos Aires and was a member of a historic international Indigenous delegation that presented a declaration to the 41 member states of the Organization of American States in 2005.

Also, while at the Assembly of First Nations, Darrel was the AFN technical lead for the process that lead up to the First Ministers’ meeting in Kelowna and the historic Kelowna Accord. Education has been a cornerstone of Darrel’s career as well as a personal passion. Darrel has been a classroom teacher, a school principal, a director of curriculum at the post-secondary level, and special advisor to the BC Minister of Advanced Education. Darrel has also authored acclaimed resources related to Aboriginal early childhood development. Darrel speaks English, French and Spanish fluently and is working on fluency in mother tongue, Cree. Darrel is a runner, a hobby musician, gardener and chef. He lives in his modest beach house on a small acreage near Sooke, BC.

Dr. Carol E. Mayer is head of the curatorial department at the UBC Museum of Anthropology (MOA) and an associate to the Department of Anthropology. She holds degrees from UBC, Cambridge University, and the University of Leicester. Mayer is responsible for the African and Pacific Islands collections as well as the European and Canadian ceramics collections. She also oversees the Asian collections. She has taught museum-related courses at UBC, University of Victoria, and Emily Carr University of Art and Design, plus she has been awarded Fellowships at the Smithsonian Institute and the Sainsbury Research Centre. She has served on various museum councils, has been a jury member for numerous granting agencies, is an expert examiner for the Cultural Property Review Board, and a reviewer and editor for several publications. She has delivered papers at several conferences and published widely on topics relating to museum practice. She has also published exhibition catalogues, articles and books on various areas of material culture. She has received awards from the BC Museums Association and the Canadian Museums Association (where she is also an elected Fellow). In 2009 she received the ICOM (Canada) International Award of Excellence for her work in the Pacific, Europe and Africa and in 2010 she received the 30th Anniversary of Independence medal for her cultural contributions to the Republic of Vanuatu.

Dr. John Moore is a retired geologist and professor with experience as an educational development advisor in Ethiopia, Mongolia and eight years in Western New Guinea (Indonesian Papuan Provinces). He has an active interest in indigenous arts, language and culture. He lives on Salt Spring Island, where he and his wife Pip are part of the choral and jazz music communities. They continue to travel to Indonesia, where their son operates a dive resort in North Sulawesi.

Elaine Monds first joined the Pacific People's Partnership board in 1989. She has served as Vice President, and is an important pillar of several Committees, including the Personnel and Tok Blong Pasifik committees. Elaine is the director of Alcheringa Gallery, specializing in Indigenous art from Papua New Guinea, Australia and the West Coast of Canada. She initiated PPP’s involvement with a primary health care project in Papua New Guinea (1987) and is a strong supporter of PPP’s work with indigenous peoples here in Canada and overseas.

Dr. Robin June Hood is a cultural geographer, educator, filmmaker and activist academic. Robin spent several years in Latin America supporting Mayan efforts to strengthen indigenous knowledge traditions, and secure cultural survival. During 25 years as a development worker and activist/academic she has focused on protecting endangered peoples and landscapes, and creating strategies for educational renewal. Robin completed a post doctorate position at the University on cultural keystone species research using digital storytelling.

Robin was the co founder of the Global Village Store, Youth Speaks, the Gaia Project, and Gumboot Productions. She was on the Rainforest Solutions team that crafted the landmark Great Bear Rainforest Agreement and served on the board of the Red Cross (Western Region) for several years. Her recent book, For the Love of Nature: Solutions for Biodiversity was published in 2010. Robin serves as a research associate at the Office of Community Based Research at the University of Victoria, and adjunct faculty for Royal Roads University where she supervises graduate students in environmental studies.

Robin is deeply committed to finding cultural solutions to global environmental problems. Her interests include biocultural diversity, community-based research, indigenous partnerships and alliances, youth leadership and multicultural wellness.

Andrea Clark has a BA Honours Degree in Directed Interdisciplinary Studies – with a focus on Sustainable Development in Latin America from Carleton University – International Human Rights Certificate from University of Ottawa – 25 years experience in the voluntary and NGO sector working with indigenous peoples, women’s organizations, peace and human rights organizations, environmental organizations and Latin American solidarity groups as well as working on affordable housing issues - Worked for SPPF from 1993-1994 as coordinator of SPPF Networking Conference and Organizer of BC Tour for South Pacific Islanders visiting First Nations Communities - CUSO volunteer 1995-1997 – based in Luganville, Santo, Vanuatu as Program Manager of IDEAS – (Industrial Development and Economic Alternatives for SANMA ) - Lived in Santo, Vanuatu from 1995-1999 working for IDEAS promoting ecologically sustainable economic development with a focus on the empowerment of customary land owners to make land use decisions that promote gender equity and community control of natural resources - Worked with several women’s organizations throughout SANMA province in a consultative capacity promoting women’s voices in decision making processes – have extensive public relations – media communications experience working as a promotions director of a theatre company and media contact for many NGO’s and non-profit organizations, as well as executive producer of radio programs and co-host of community/campus radio – Extensive experience in fundraising and program development both within Canada and in the Pacific and extensive experience in development education in Canada –Member of national human rights observer delegation in the 1994 El Salvador – conducted speaking tour upon return – Fluent in Bislama – (pidgin English in Vanuatu) iVanuatu)

Morgan Slavkin holds a B.A. in Sociology and Pacific and Asian Studies from the University of Victoria. In 2008 she was awarded a CIDA internship with the Pacific Islands AIDS Foundation (PIAF) in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Upon completion of her internship she accepted a contract position with PIAF to continue her work with the Pacific Alliance on HIV and AIDS. During her two years with PIAF Morgan coordinated events that brought together diverse island groups; obtained funding and supported the management of grants for projects, communication platforms and capacity building opportunities; and facilitated the increased communication within the Pacific Alliance Constituency. Upon her return to Canada in 2010 Morgan worked with PPP as a Communications and Outreach Coordinator. The position allowed her to explore the connections and support network building between Indigenous communities from the Pacific North and South.

Morgan’s academic and professional experience had solidified her belief that building equitable and sustainable communities requires strong collaboration between the communities themselves, grassroots organizations, national governments and international sectors.