EDGARD VILLANUEVA CRUZ

CEO of Turtle Island Connection

TOPIC: The value, influence and impact of today’s youth.

Edgard Villanueva Cruz is a budding leader and entrepreneur engrained with a mission to support the needs of Indigenous youth, economies and communities. As a Tahltan Nation member and a confident, engaging facilitator, Edgard leverages his leadership skills, honed through mentorship and hands-on experience, to drive impactful initiatives in youth leadership, policy development, and the dreams of Indigenous youth. His work embodies a collective, unified, and reciprocal approach, ensuring the needs of youth are met, and the protocol of the respective nation followed. As a champion of change, he always aims to inspire, educate and elevate.

LEAH COSS

Co-Founder of Build a Biz Kids & Founder of BBK Network

Leah’s journey, her why and the impact that instilling confidence in youth can make.

Leah Coss is a visionary leader revolutionizing education by equipping youth with essential soft skills, hands-on experiences and a growth mindset so they can thrive in a rapidly evolving world. As the Co-Founder of Build a Biz Kids and Founder of BBK Network, Leah leverages her extensive background in franchise systems to develop scalable, cost-effective learning models that reach even the most vulnerable demographics. Her innovative approach to programming combines advanced learning methodologies with strategic collaborative partnerships to maximize impact and foster a culture of growth and inclusion. Driven by her passion for empowering individuals, Leah is on a mission to create a society where everyone recognizes and realizes their true value and has the confidence to take action on their ideas. 

Teara fraser • Founder of Iskwew Air

Teara’s story about an unstoppable will to succeed at every level and push the limits of even her own expectations.

Becoming a pilot was transformational, truly giving this Métis woman wings. Teara is the Founder of Iskwew Air and elibird aero. She believes that together in this innovative space we will reimagine, rematriate, and rebuild our air transportation system - centring equity and sustainability. Teara also founded the not-for-profit Indigenous LIFT Collective and has recently co-founded Liberty Wilderness Lodge. Teara has been named WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100, Top 25 Women of Influence, YWCA Woman of Distinction, and one of 24 ‘real world heroes’ in the DC Comics Wonder Woman anthology. In 2023 she received the Indigenous Business Award of Distinction for Lifetime Achievement by the BC Achievement Foundation.

RYAN ST. GERMAINE • Founder & CEO of the Indigenous Tech Circle

How Ryan created a circle to support, advance, educate and inspire Indigenous tech entrepreneurs and companies.

Ryan St. Germaine is a seasoned entrepreneur, AI strategist, and advocate for Indigenous leadership in technology. As the Founder & CEO of the Indigenous Tech Circle, he established Canada’s largest Indigenous-led tech network, fostering growth, collaboration, and innovation among over 350 Indigenous founders, leaders, and changemakers. Now Board Chair of the Circle’s non-profit, he leads a 100%The Indigenous board focused on strategic vision and impactful programming.

With a career spanning HRTech, EdTech, AI-driven insights, and social recruitment, Ryan has co-founded and led companies like BCjobs.ca and Jobcast to successful exits. His expertise includes AI, product development, marketplace innovation, and purpose-driven community building. As an Executive in Residence with Foresight Canada, New Ventures BC, and Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, he mentors founders on AI, scaling ventures, and community-driven impact. Known for building resilient tech ecosystems, Ryan empowers Indigenous professionals by connecting them to capital, mentorship, and growth.

Shain Jackson • President of Spirit Works Ltd.
His journey making a difference as a lawyer, a social entrepreneur & leading change while improving Indigenous lives.

Shain Niniwem Selapem Jackson is Coast Salish from the community of Sechelt. He is a lawyer who has represented the interests of Indigenous communities and organizations throughout British Columbia in relation to a broad array of issues. After years working within the Canadian legal system, Shain switched gears to begin exploring Indigenous laws and their codification within artwork.

Artistically, Shain works in Coast Salish design. As he has continued to develop his own artwork to a higher level, he has had the privilege of collaborating with many well-known and up and coming artists.

Currently Shain is the President of Spirit Works Limited, an Indigenous owned, operated and staffed company focused on the design, production and distribution of Indigenous artwork such as jewelry, bentwood boxes, paddles, and artworks integrated into building infrastructure.

Shain has always taken very seriously his responsibilities not only to his own community, but to the larger urban Indigenous community. To further this he has developed programs aimed at providing employment and training to Indigenous youth; donates space, equipment and expertise to Indigenous artists in need; consistently donates time and artwork to numerous charitable organizations; has designed and facilitated workshops aimed at providing cultural teachings for at-risk Indigenous youth; and much more.

Steven Stark - President & CEO, Tsawwassen Shuttles Inc.
Challenges from the past can lead to strength and perseverance for business in the future

Steven Stark’s journey is a testament to resilience. Born in Chilliwack, BC, he faced challenges with family instability, abuse, and undiagnosed dyslexia and deafness. Expelled at 15, he experienced homelessness, addiction, and incarceration. At 24, a family intervention led him to rehab, where he rebuilt his life. Steven worked in carpentry and fishing while earning his 150GT maritime certificate. In 2011, he founded Tsawwassen Shuttles Inc. (TSI), which grew into a leading employer in the Tsawwassen First Nation community. TSI now offers transportation, street sweeping, water trucks, and marine logistics, serving a variety of industries. Steven's motto: "Persistence Overcomes Resistance."

Keerit Jutla - President & CEO, AME
The importance of meaningful participation in the mining sector, highlighting reconciliation, education, & building mutual respect between Indigenous peoples and industry.

Keerit is the President and CEO of the Association for Mineral Exploration BC (“AME”). He is a lawyer with a decade of experience in the natural resource sector, working with and acting for both mining companies and First Nations. Keerit is passionate about responsible natural resource development and brings with him a depth of knowledge and a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing the entire spectrum of mineral exploration and development.
 
Prior to joining AME, Keerit spent two years with the BC provincial government at the Environmental Assessment Office and the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, where he focused on promoting permit efficiency for mineral exploration projects and operationalizing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, striving to build permitting certainty to both companies and First Nations.
 
Keerit has also practiced regulatory and Aboriginal law across a variety of industries, including oil and gas, oil sands, pipelines, LNG and mining. Over his career, he has assisted companies and First Nations to develop impact benefit agreements and negotiate joint venture deals and equity investment for First Nations in the natural resource sector.
 
Keerit holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Western Ontario and a Master of Arts in political science from the University of Windsor. He completed a Master of Business Administration and Juris Doctor at the University of Alberta, with an applied focus on natural resources and Aboriginal law.

Jeff Ward - Founder & CEO, Animikii - Building a career in technology, the power of AI, and why data sovereignty is crucial for Indigenous communities.

Jeff founded Animikii in 2003 and has orchestrated and managed its growth ever since. Everything Jeff does in business is geared toward uplifting his family, communities and Indigenous Peoples. He is Ojibwe and Métis, originally from Manitoba, and now lives and works in Victoria, BC on Lekwungen territory. Jeff is a software developer, product designer, author, and speaker. He also serves as Vice Chair for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) board.

Zinat H. Damji - President & CEO, Alliance Trust Company: Core values from the first female in Canada to have founded a Corporate Trust company and how the social impact from supporting Indigenous communities feels.

Zinat comes from a family of entrepreneurs and believes in paying it forward. She thrives on the excitement of starting and growing successful companies, with a strong reputation for integrity and professionalism—key traits for running a trust company. Early in her career, Zinat founded Corporate Shareholder Services Inc., driven by a desire to provide cost‐effective, high‐quality service. She raised $100,000 in 30 minutes from a corporate contact, later securing $2.7 million from 14 investors to launch Valiant Trust Company, which was sold to Canadian Western Bank. Zinat took a break to travel the world, then raised $2.8 million for a new venture, Alliance Trust Company, which received its Trust Charter in 2007. Alliance Trust emphasizes community support, including initiatives like camps for Indigenous teens through Bears Lair. Zinat’s journey is a testament to succeeding as a female and visible minority in the male‐dominated finance industry.

Leadership, partnerships and the evolution of the Haisla Nation.

Crystal Smith, elected Chief Councillor of the Haisla Nation since 2017, has led groundbreaking initiatives like the Cedar LNG Project, the world’s first Indigenous majority-owned LNG facility, and established a fully electric-powered tugboat fleet in partnership with Seaspan. As Chair of the First Nations LNG Alliance, she champions economic and employment opportunities for BC’s Indigenous communities, balancing sustainable development with cultural preservation. 

Smith holds a Diploma in Business Administration from Coast Mountain College, a Business Skills Certificate from Thompson Rivers University, and is an ICD.D certified director.