Wed 30 Nov 2022

Meet Rowena

Posted by mbcstaff

I am honoured to join the team at Mediate BC as their Indigenous Initiatives Lead.

I live with my husband and daughter in North Vancouver on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. I am proud to be of mixed heritage that includes Ukrainian/Polish on my mother’s side and Dunne-za on my father’s and am a member of the West Moberly First Nations.

In the early 2000’s, I decided to take a mediation course as one of my electives, while finishing up my Masters degree at UBC. Seeing the impact that mediation could have on preserving and even repairing relationships led me to continue my training and I spent some time mediating in small claims court. For the past twenty years I have been working as a professional fundraiser, building relationships and serving my community.

Life sometimes takes you in a full circle and leads you back to where you are supposed to be. I am excited to be working with the Mediate BC team to further many of their initiatives, honoured to have the opportunity to speak to Indigenous communities and organizations across BC and humbled to play a role in assisting those seeking collaborative-decision making to address the needs of their families.