Bob Chamberlin and Meaghan Cursons have been appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia to the Trust’s board of directors.
K’ómoks Territory, Courtenay, B.C, September 18, 2024 – The board of Island Coastal Economic Trust is pleased to announce Bob Chamberlin and Meaghan Cursons have joined Island Coastal Economic Trust’s board of directors. Chamberlin and Cursons were appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia through Order in Council and will serve a three-year term, which began on August 27, 2024.
“Chamberlin and Cursons bring a wealth of knowledge to our board of directors,” says Aaron Stone, Chair, Island Coastal Economic Trust. “Their experience will strengthen the Trust’s ability to realize its strategic goals and they bring vital experience from different areas of our region.”
“As we move towards our vision to become the first permanently capitalized regional economic development organization in Canada co-governed by First Nations and local governments, the addition of Chamberlin and Cursons is pivotal, “ said Sayaač̓atḥ John Jack, Vice Chair, Island Coastal Economic Trust; Chief Councillor, Huu-ay-aht First Nations; Chair, Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District. “Their experience and insight will help us achieve this strategic goal, ensuring that our governance reflects the shared decision-making necessary to build resilient and inclusive communities.”
Chamberlin is a citizen of Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation, where he has previously served as elected Chief Councillor for multiple terms. He has also served as the Vice-President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs for ten years, engaging with and presenting to Standing Senate Committees, various authorities and bodies on a wide range of issues advocating on behalf of the people he represents. He has dedicated his career to raising awareness about the most urgent democratic, environmental and social issues with a strong belief that a better way forward is achievable. He is especially proud of the transformation he helped lead for his community Gwa-yas-dums on Gilford Island.
He currently resides in qathet (Powell River). His firm, Chamberlin and Associates Consulting provides negotiation services for First Nations and government. He serves as the Chair of the First Nation Wild Salmon Alliance, which brings together like-minded First Nations to work in partnership to identify and explore ways of protecting and enhancing wild Pacific salmon stocks and encouraging recovery and restoration of salmon stocks and habitat. He serves as a director of the Royal BC Museum and he’s a commissioner with the Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission.
Cursons is a high-energy nonprofit and community leader with decades of experience in the arts and culture, heritage, conservation, publishing, festival and event production, and tourism sectors in the North Island region. A resident of the Village of Cumberland, she is Executive Director of the Cumberland Community Forest Society, a conservation organization purchasing forest land from private timber companies and leading work in watershed protection, collaborative parks planning, and wildfire resilience in the wildland urban interface of eastern Vancouver Island. She also serves as chair of the Cumberland Heritage Commission and Vice Chair at the Comox Valley Art Gallery.
She is a talented facilitator, strategic planner, interpretive guide, event planner, storyteller, and writer who shares stories about the history of the region to build community, connection, inclusion, and resilience.
“We are fortunate to work under the strategic leadership of an incredible board of directors with a diverse range of skills, experience, and strategic relationships,” says Brodie Guy, CEO, Island Coastal Economic Trust. “Bob Chamberlin and Meaghan Cursons will bring new perspectives and knowledge to ensure continued strong governance of our organization during an exciting time in our organization’s evolution.”
Along with the two new directors, Megan Hanacek was reappointed to the board for a third term, which began in 2018. Hanacek is the CEO of the non-profit Private Forest Landowners Association and owner of an environmental assessment firm. For over 25 years, she has led project work with the provincial and federal governments, private industry, First Nations, non-governmental organizations and academia throughout British Columbia.
Thanking Past Directors for their Commitment and Dedication
Chamberlin and Cursons join the board as directors Barry O’Neill, Roger Kishi, and Chief John Elliott complete their terms as provincially-appointed directors.
“On behalf of the Trust’s board and staff, I extend my gratitude for everything Barry, Roger, and John contributed to our organization,” said Aaron Stone, Chair, Island Coastal Economic Trust. “They are passionate about community-led projects that represents the core of our work with coastal communities.”
During their tenure as directors, O’Neill, Kishi, and Elliott played important roles with contributions to the development of the Trust’s strategic plan, which reflects on key learnings from the Trust’s first 16 years, independent legislative recommendations, and changing social and economic circumstances faced by coastal communities, businesses, and people.
Based on a consensus vision across the coast for the organization and its future, the Trust board set four strategic goals which were renewed in 2024:
- Transform the Trust into a permanent, co-governed regional development organization for coastal communities.
- Empower communities and partners to build an increasingly inclusive, productive, adaptive, and resilient coastal economy.
- Strengthen the stewardship and operations of the Trust
- Facilitate continuous Learning and knowledge sharing
The Trust has recently announced that Sanala Planning, an Indigenous-owned planning company, is leading engagements with First Nations across Vancouver Island and the surrounding coast about the future of the Trust. The dialogue will focus on transforming the Trust into a model of co-governance and shared decision-making among First Nations governments and local governments.
