Impact

We are working toward having a good life for all in St’at’imc Territory.

Our Impact

In 2024, we grew in several areas, including purchasing the HUB Building at 633 Main Street, working with community partners to begin two new programs: Elder Connect and the Lillooet Indigenous Court, implementing a re-aligned strategic vision, and growing our board and staff teams.

Read the Lillooet Learns 2024 Annual Report to see how we supported our impact goals and overall strategy of supporting St’a’timc and Lillooet community members.

In 2024, Lillooet Learns…

Convened community 55 times for events, workshops, and discussions
Collaborated with over 25 community partners and service providers
Welcomed the leadership of 3 new St’át’imc board directors
More than doubled the operating budget from the previous year
Earned $82,419.76 in enterprising revenue through the HUB
Recorded a value of $58,000 in contributed volunteer hours

A Theory for Change

‘Community development MUST be community-led’.

As part of a strategic planning process, the Board Chair and Director worked on a theory of change process in 2024. The intention was to re-address the needs of partners and align the present goals of Lillooet Learns with its founding mandate. With input from community partners, and the Board of Directors, an initial Theory of Change was created:

Sustainability

Lillooet Learns is committed to achieving sustainability through an approach that leverages team diversity, strategic partnerships, and innovative funding models.

We do this by:

Actively recruiting and empowering people with diverse backgrounds, ages, identities, perspectives, cognitive styles, and experience levels.
Amplfying long-term impact by breaking down silos between local organizations including nonprofits, community groups, Indigenous communities, government, and small businesses, to encourage collaboration on projects and sharing of resources.
Growing a social enterprise and its revenues, while expanding services and meeting evolving community needs.

Together with our communities, Lillooet Learns is building networks, organizations, and long-lasting initiatives that will impact all who live here for years to come.

Board of Directors

This group of volunteer Board Directors governs Lillooet Learns as a non-profit organization. Lillooet Learns has a mandate of 50% St’át’imc directors serving on the board.

Norm Leech

Norm speaks widely on inter-generational trauma due to colonization. He grew up in East Vancouver, with ancestry in the T’it’q’et community of the St’at’imc nation where he has served as Chief and also Administrator. He draws on his experiences as a recovering alcoholic/ addict, inter-generational survivor, and spiritual explorer to inform his current work which includes several boards and committees.

As the Executive Director of the Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House, he serves East Vancouver with a variety of programs including childcare, settlement, social housing, training, youth, families, seniors, and women’s services.

Through his work with the Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policy Centre, Norm serves over 70,000 urban Indigenous people in Vancouver and works to decolonize the relationship with land, and has training in restorative justice practices and circles.

Norm has assisted in leading and facilitating community dialogue sessions around reconciliation with Lillooet Learns and the HUB for the last 3 years and now sits on the board of directors. He previously served as an Executive Director of Lillooet Learns and now is back on the team to help create change in the community.

"I think one of the greatest gifts of being human is that we can learn just about anything. It is the natural state of the human brain to gather information. And if we can learn it, then we can believe we can do it, and with a bit of time and effort, things get done."

Chair

Moon Moore - Tl’an’amtn

Moon's roots are deeply connected to Xwisten and Tsk’waylaxw. Her mother was Judy Thomas of Xwisten. Her grandparents were Florence Tom, also Xwisten, and Jimmy Shintah from Tsk’waylaxw. Her great-grandparents were William Tom and Annie Montgomery. Moon carries the traditional name Tl’an’amtn, given to her in the Longhouse by her great uncles and great aunts, a name that connects Moon to her ancestors, her culture, and her responsibilities to her people.

Moon is a passionate community leader and lifelong advocate for learning and teaching, always prioritizing local knowledge and empowering others through restorative approaches. In 2005 at the Chillaxin Youth Centre, she mentored youth as they completed service hours following Restorative Justice Circles. During this time, Moon formed a lasting and meaningful relationship with the Lillooet Learning Communities Society (LLCS), where she have continued to serve in leadership roles including Director, Vice Chair, and Chair, under the mentorship of Trevor and Sarah Chandler and Toby Mueller.

Moon believes deeply in restorative principles rooted in communication, honesty, and self-reflection—foundations for healing, growth, and being teachable. She proudly serve on the Lillooet Indigenous Court Steering Committee and is currently in her second term as a Councillor for Xwisten, where she holds the Education and Emergency Management portfolios. In her day job work, she is honoured to serve with the Lillooet Tribal Council as the Aboriginal Supported Child Development (ASCD) Consultant and Aboriginal Family Group Conference (AFGC) Circle Facilitator. "I remain committed to creating safe, culturally grounded, and empowering spaces for our people, especially our children and youth, while carrying forward the work of those who came before me, for the benefit of those yet to come."

Vice-Chair

Toby Mueller

Toby grew up in Toronto. Her mother was Paula Faith, a nurse and childbirth educator. Her mother’s family came to Canada from different European Jewish communities in the late 1800’s. Toby’s father was Jochen Mueller, an artist. He came to Canada from Germany after the Second World War.

Toby studied community building, arts and environmental studies in Peterborough and worked as a coordinator at the Ontario Public Interest Research Group. In1995, love brought her out west to live on a remote farm outside Lillooet. She obtained a Community Librarian Certificate equivalency through the Lillooet Area Library Association. She has worked at the library since 2010, and has been the Library Director since 2016. While living these years in St’at’imc Territory, Toby has learned a lot about what it means to live on unceded land. She was taught by family that all cultures have important knowledge, especially Indigenous people who have been living with the land for time out of mind.

Toby has served on the Board of Lillooet Learns since 2013; first as Treasurer, then Co-Chair and finally Chair since 2019. She became involved with the organization after taking the Community Justice Forum training and volunteering for Lillooet Restorative Justice. The work caught her heart and mind; Restorative processes are the art of having difficult conversations and making mistakes into chances to learn.

“It’s been an amazing process to be in this role as Lillooet Learns has grown and evolved. I am humbled and proud of the work that Lillooet Learns does, and our continued commitment to taking a restorative approach to the problems, challenges and opportunities facing us.”

Treasurer

Lauren Roberts

Ren Roberts (Polish, Welsh & Scottish) is a Planner, Facilitator and Graphic Recorder living in Upper St'át'imc territory NW of Lillooet. She has an undergraduate degree in Indigenous Environmental Studies from Trent University and a Master’s in Community and Regional Planning from UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning Master’s program, with a specialization in Indigenous Community Planning. She also recently completed a micro-credential in Truth and Reconciliation in the Workplace through Royal Roads University.

Ren has experience in Comprehensive Community Planning, health and wellness planning, strategic planning, project management, and graphic design. She has worked on projects relating to systemic redress, decolonization, Indigenous food sovereignty, Indigenous climate resilience, rights and title, Indigenous health and wellness, and more. Her passions lie in community-building, creative problem solving, reconciliation, youth leadership and land-based mentorship.

Secretary

Kim Davy

Kim Davy (Ukrainian, Scottish) is a Registered Nurse living in the St’at’imc Territory since 2002. Kim has worked full time as a Public Health Nurse in Lillooet since 2002 and has raised 3 children. She volunteers on several committees and boards in Lillooet.

She values the importance of volunteerism and being a part of creating a healthy community. She has served as a Director for the Lillooet Learns Society for almost 10 years. Kim enjoys being a part of Lillooet Learns and watching how much it has grown since she first joined when it had only Restorative Justice as the main program. Lillooet Learns brings together amazing people and creates a place of connectiveness and resources. Kim believes in life long learning and values all the programs and initiatives of Lillooet Learns.

Director

Matilda Fenton - White Dove Woman

A strong S’ta’timc women with many hats and proud Grandmother (Kukwa7), (Skicez7a) Mother. Matilda works for S’ta’timc Health Outreach Services of Lillooet Tribal Council as a Certified Addictions Worker and the Day Treatment Program Manager.

In this last two years in this role, she runs an eight-week holistic healing program within the community. Matilda has a goal to reduce the substance misuse in the 6 Northern St'átimc communities and to improve and promote the health and wellness of future generations of all families and members through access to culturally appropriate, holistic, community/client-focused wellness programs.

Matilda is the Chair of the Lillooet Indigenous Court Steering Committee and helps to create healing plans with the assistance of local Elders. She also sits on the Lillooet Learns board of directors and is always pushing her people to heal and grow in an effective way, breaking the cycles, in the spirit of healing.

Director

Lynda Sampson

Lynda raised her kids at 30 Mile Ranch, and then moved away to pursue education and a career as an instructor with Capilano University in the Lil'wat Nation. Since returning to Lillooet in 2018, Lynda has been involved in many exciting projects including literacy, restorative justice, Community Resource Network, and Elder Connect. Lynda has been a board member for Lillooet Learns over the time that the Community Connect HUB came to fruition and Better at Home was instituted. These amazing projects and the many incredible people who are involved in them have added richness and meaning to Lynda's life in retirement, and she hope to continue to serve in any way she can.

Director

Kwimtsxn John

Kwimtsxn was born and raised in Tsal'alh. He is educated through contemporary and traditional means. He went to school for First Nations History, Language Structure and Fluency and has traditional knowledge in local practices and cultural activities. Kwimtsxn has worked as an educator in School District 74 for 5 years and also teaches St'át'imcets in university classes. He has been a board director on USLCES (Upper St'át'imc Language, Culture, and Education Society) since 2011. In 2024, Kwimtsxn worked with Lillooet Learns to give language classes to the public and staff, which included stories of the land and culture. Kwimtsxn joined the board of directors after facilitating these training sessions. He also has a 3D printing business and is a proud father of a young family.

Director

Janna Pike

Janna was born and raised in Lillooet and enjoys participating in the creation of community programs, art, projects, and engagement. She is passionate about her community and loves to see exciting things happen for local people.

She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Fine Arts minor. Always keen for adventure and ready to lead, Janna has lived in India and Russia for 8 years teaching English. She completed the Sustainable Living Leadership Program, a 28 day trip down the length of the Fraser River. She has also taken social enterprise courses, board governance training, and ran for the Council in 2022.

In the community, she is always helping in leadership roles and has started projects such as Arts Lillooet, the Art on Loan Library Program, and the Lillooet Grown Market food store. She is president of Skate Lillooet, sits as a director on the Lillooet Learns board, and is the Program Coordinator for the Lillooet Agriculture and Food Society.

She has family in Lillooet and is raising 3 kids, which gives her a perspective that being involved in communities important to make it better for your kids.

"The town and all that we have available can support the community; we are an amazing community that has the resources to support itself when we work together".

Director

Daryn Scotchman

K̓alhwá7a’lap, sDaryn Scotchman nskwátsitsa. Sekw’el’was tmuta. Nilh Eleanor Scotchman nskícez7a, nilh Francis Alec Sr.

Hello everyone, my name is Daryn Scotchman, I’m from Sekw’el’was. My mother is Eleanor Scotchman and my father is Francis Alec Sr.

Daryn has been apart of the HUB project since it started. Kim North asked her to create the HUB logo back in 2021, and in 2024 Megan asked her to be a part of the board of directors. Daryn is an artist and has been selling art pieces in the HUB store since the beginning. She has been a part of the St’át’imc grad committee since 2023. Also, Daryn helped set up various Indigenous themed and Truth & Reconciliation art shows in 2021 and 2022. Daryn is the lands office manager for the Sekw’el’was community and has been involved for many years at Splitrock Environmental.

Director

Charlene John

Bio coming soon....

Director

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Kind words

What Our Community Members Say

Community comes first.

Thank you for the kind words of people we have worked with on projects and programming.

Vivian Birch Jones

Squamish Lillooet Regional District

“The SLRD Area B is a funder and supporter of the Community Connect HUB, which is run by Lillooet Learns. They are partnering with local government, businesses, and non-profit organizations. I am proud and excited about the truth and reconciliation work and community sessions happening through the HUB and their team.”

Ernest Arman

Lillooet Tribal Council

“Partnering with Lillooet Learns through the Indigenous Skills, Training and Employment Program has given community members good opportunities to get training and learn job skills.”

Jacquie Rasmussen

Lillooet Regional Invasive Species Society

“LLCS is a valuable partner of the Lillooet Regional Invasive Species Society. We are grateful for the shared workspace and collaborations. We see the impact that the HUB and the LLCS programs have in our community. They are integral to supporting non-profit work that is vital to our region.”

Norm Leech

Executive Director of Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House and R.O.O.T.S (Reclaiming Our Original Traditions & Spirituality)

"I think one of the greatest gifts of being human is that we can learn just about anything. It is the natural state of the human brain to gather information. And if we can learn it, then we can believe we can do it, and with a bit of time and effort, things get done."

Sarah Chandler

Previous Director of Lillooet Learns

"Lillooet Learns has been providing culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, life-long learning opportunities for people of all ages for nearly 25 years. It is a true gift that continues to give to everyone in the Lillooet/Upper St’at’imc Region.”

Barb Veda

Kinetic Books

"We had the privilege of partnering with Lillooet Learning Communities Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving diverse local communities. Over the past year, we've transformed their financial systems from an outdated bookkeeping process to a sophisticated, organized reporting structure that enables directors to effectively analyze their funding and programs. Thanks to the input from Megan who has a clear vision and really cares. We have had the pleasure of mentoring one of their staff members. When people learn together - everyone grows stronger!"

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Contribute to Lillooet Learning Communities Society’s programs and initiatives by becoming a member or donating.