Articles

Joanne Oskatamin-Potts, FNHP

Director

Ermineskin Cree Nation

Joanne is a member of the Ermineskin Cree Nation which is part of the Treaty Six Territory. The reserve is situated in central Alberta. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Native Studies from the University of Alberta. She is a mother, grandmother, and a sister to 8 siblings. A few extracurricular activities Joanne enjoys are golfing, reading, and walking. She also like to sew my own ribbon skirts.

Joanne has worked for her Nation the past 29 years in various management capacities as well as having served as the Tribal Administrator for a few years working along side Chief and Council. She has very much enjoyed working in the management area because it gave  opportunities to set the direction for the organization through planning and policies.

The past five years Joanne has been working in the housing sector for the Nation in a management capacity as the CMHC Project Manager. he has learned so much working in the housing sector and appreciates having the opportunity to make a difference with housing for the Nation. Joanne completed the First Nation Housing Professional Association certification in January 2023. She said it certainly has been challenging but at the same time rewarding especially when I see the homes completed and knowing that the life of the homes has been extended another 20 years for families!

Joanne has served on several boards and committees in her Nation during her employment namely, Ermineskin Education, Miyowahkohtowin Education, Kanawehmawasohwin CFS Board, and Housing Committee. Joannes involvement with boards and committees allowed her to get to know her community and see the needs at a wholistic level. It also gave her a  wider perspective of where the future of housing should move toward in my community. And lastly, She looks forward to learning more from being involved with FNHPA as a board member.

Darlene Marshall, FNHP, CIL

Chair

Eskasoni First Nation, NS

Darlene Marshall is the Housing Director and Emergency Management Officer for her community, the Eskasoni First Nation located in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Eskasoni First Nation is the largest Mikmaq community east of Montreal.

She has dedicated her career in the housing field for the past 30 years and has been a part of many positive changes within her community by providing a better quality of life for the community’s band members. As a band member, parent and grandparent Darlene sees the importance of being a role model for youth, especially in the field of housing. It is important for youth to see that housing goals are attainable and can make their community a place where they want to call home.

Rosie Charles, FNHP

Vice-Chair

Prince Albert Grand Council, SK

For almost four years, Rosie Charles has held the position of Housing Circuit Rider Trainer and one year as Program Manager with Prince Albert Grand Council. In her position Charles serves as a mentor to twelve First Nation communities with respect to their housing administration and management functions, conducting assessments, and providing support and assistance where needs are identified. Prior to holding this position, she served as a Housing Manager and a Housing Consultant.

She was proud to be one of the first members of the First Nations Housing Professionals Association to achieve certification by way of the Prior Learning and Recognition (PLAR) pathway.

Harvey McCue, C.M.

Secretary Treasurer

McCue Consulting, Ottawa, ON

In 1969 Harvey co-founded the Native Studies department (now Indigenous Studies) at Trent University which was the first such academic initiative in Canada where he taught for 14 years, from 1969 to 1983.  As the Director of Education Services for the Cree School Board in Northern Quebec for five years (1983-1988), he managed and directed eight Principals and four vice-Principals in eight Cree communities, as well as 65 professional staff and education consultants. As the Director of Education Services, Harvey provided the direction and over-all supervision for Cree elementary and secondary education and some 300 teachers.

He became the first-ever First Nations Director General of Indian education at INAC in Ottawa where he served for five years (1988-1993). He also assisted the Migmaw in Nova Scotia, working as the first Chief Executive Officer and founder of the Mikmaq Education Authority for two and a half years, 1993-1995.   He founded First Nations Youth At Risk, a charitable Aboriginal organization that provided community grants for youth at risk, in 1999 and served as its President and National Coordinator.

Harvey served as a Governor of the Trent University Board of Governors, a board member of the National Reading Campaign, and recently completed his tenure as Chair of the Ontario Heritage Trust. He is currently on the board of the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund and the Stratford Festival. He has served on the boards of the Ontario Aboriginal Sports Circle, the First Nations Technical Institute, and Breakfast for Learning.

In 2019 he co-directed the production of a FN Suicide Prevention Curriculum that is currently available free on-line. In August 2020 he completed a Kindergarten to Grade 12 history curriculum for the Long Lake #58 First Nation in Ontario (the first of its kind in Canada). He has an MA from McMaster U (1979) and two grandchildren. He was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in 2020.

Tabitha Eneas, FNHP, CIL

Director

Penticton Indian Band, BC

Tabitha Eneas is a proud member of the Penticton Indian Band. Her Okanagan name is Sneena, which means Owl in the Syilx language. She has worked for her community for 23 years, in multiple areas building experience and capacity. Tabitha started out in finance as a data entry clerk and through hard work and commitment, was appointed the Housing Administrator in 2010, overseeing the Penticton Indian Bands Housing and Infrastructure department which consists of a multi-million dollar budget, a housing portfolio of over two hundred homes, and staff ranging from 1 to 5 employees.

Not only is Tabitha involved in Housing, but she assists in the management of other areas of the Band, including Capital, Emergency Management, Policy and Planning and Insurance Management.

The years of experience that Tabitha has gained has allowed for the opportunity to branch off into other areas. She has worked with Turtle Island and Associates and the First Nation Market Housing Fund, facilitating information sessions. She has worked with ISC as a mentor to other First Nations, offering support and guidance in the On Reserve Housing area through facilitation of information sessions and workshops. 

Tabitha has received a CAPA designation, Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator, through the Aboriginal Finance Officers Association; Housing Manger Certificate through BCIT; Project Management Certification through Okanagan University College. She is currently working with FNHPA towards the Housing Manager certification and is completing the Land Management Certificate program with Vancouver Island University.

Tabitha continually works towards improving housing initiatives for the members of the Penticton Indian Band, through best practices, innovation, and long-term planning.

Roxanne Harper, FNHP, CIL

Director

Turtle Island Associates, Ottawa, ON

Roxanne is Mi’kmaq from the Eel Ground First Nation in New Brunswick. 

Roxanne is a founding Board member of the First Nations Housing Professionals Association (FNHPA).  She is a partner in Turtle Island Associates Inc, an Aboriginal business committed to supporting the efforts of First Nation communities by providing housing advisory and training services. 

Roxanne has worked on Aboriginal housing issues for over 30 years and has extensive experience moderating workshops and facilitating community consultations. Roxanne has co-developed several adult educational curricula (e.g. Enhanced Arrears Management, Portfolio Management by Housing Tenure) and facilitates sessions to First Nation clients across the country. 

Roxanne holds a certificate in Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University, N.S. and is a certified FNHP.

Seetta Roccola, FNHP

Director

Interlake Reserves Tribal Council, MB

Seetta is a member of the Pinaymootang First Nation; Treaty 2 Territory in Manitoba. She has a Business Administration Diploma from Red River Community College and has been involved in various aspects of First Nation housing for over 30 years.

Seetta’s housing journey began at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in 1987. During her 10 years at CMHC, she worked in the delivery and administration of Non-Profit Housing specializing in Urban Native and On-Reserve Housing Programs. While there, she took several courses to increase her knowledge in the housing industry including all the course requirements for the Certified Property Management (C.P.M.) program. 

After leaving CMHC to pursue other options Seetta accepted the position as Housing Advisor for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. 

In 1998 a position became available in the housing department of Interlake Reserves Tribal Council which Seetta saw as an opportunity to provide services to her home and neighboring communities. She has been there ever since. During this 20 plus year period, Seetta worked for the Tribal Council as a NISI Inspector, prepared housing proposals for CMHC and ISC, assisted in policy development and training and many other areas of housing and capital for the member communities. She has also served as the Manitoba Representative for the First Nations National Building Official’s Association since almost the beginning of this organization. During this time, Seetta worked as an independent housing advisor for other First Nations and also spent two and a half years juggling her own job and the Housing Manager position at the Fisher River Cree Nation.

Currently, Seetta is the Technical Services Manager at IRTC and works with programs such as Housing, Climate Change, Emergency Management and others.

Teneal Nole, MBA, FNHP, FNHM

Director

Dease River First Nation, BC

Teneal lives in Northern BC in the community of Dease Lake located in Tahltan Territory, two (2) hours from the Yukon border. She has ten years of experience in housing in rural communities, some only assessable by narrow dirt roads, one way in and one way out. She has experience working with communities only accessible by air or boat, but each community has faced their own set of challenges. Even with 100-200 KM separating them, they cand be very different. Teneal has successfully obtained millions of dollars in housing renovation funds and new builds funds since 2018 and worked hard to bring 2 communities out of significant health and safety maintenance by creating plans for maintenance and prevention in all three communities.

Teneal realized the importance of leadership support with housing, strategic planning, and policy enforcement. She believed that housing will only go as far as leaders allow it to go. Teneal has taken the step to obtain her First Nations Housing Manager certification through Vancouver Island University, as well as being certified as a First Nations Housing Professional through the First Nations Housing Professionals Association (FNHPA). Further, she has taken numerous CMHC workshops such as mold identification, client counselling, rent collection, and identifying home maintenance. Most recently, Teneal successfully completed a Master's in Business Administration and Indigenous Business in Leadership in the summer of 2023 with Simon Fraser University. Using her education, experience, and passion for the work, she has the motivation and skills to take on many challenges in the housing field to help our people.