Riley David, MSW, RSW, CIAS III, Director, Allied Health Clinical Practice, Office of the Chief Nursing Officer FNHA

Riley is a member of the Saik’uz First Nation in Northern BC, and she lives as a grateful guest on the unceded territory of the Squamish Nation.

Riley joined the FNHA in 2018, as the Vancouver Coastal Regional Addictions Specialist, before transitioning to the Regional Mental Health and Wellness Manager. Most recently, Riley held the role of Manager, Health Systems Reporting in Health Surveillance, demonstrating her unwavering dedication to improving Indigenous health outcomes. She also teaches the Indigenous Holistic Wellness program at Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and integrates cultural teachings into her practice.

Riley champions holistic health solutions that honor Indigenous cultures and empower First Nations communities, families and Individuals

Dr. Lisa Bourke Bearskin, RN, PhD,

Associate Professor, School of Nursing

BC Chair Indigenous Health Nursing

University of Victoria.

Inez Louis, Manager Clinical Quality, Office of the Chief Nursing Office, FNHA

Inez Louis (nee Point) is a Registered Nurse from the Skowkale First Nation, Stó:lō Nation, Sólh Téméxw. She began her health career after graduating from the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia in 2006.

After a short stint of bedside care at St. Paul’s Hospital, Inez transitioned to work with the Stó:lō Health Service On-reserve, a federally transferred Community Health and homecare Nursing team.

Inez explains her journey as a unique blend of nursing and music. While she worked at a hybrid of immunization clinics and homecare nursing, she was afforded the space to intermittently tour as a music artist.

She used these musical traveling opportunities to learn more about health care in rural and remote communities across Canada and share nursing knowledge to promote health education and advocate for careers in the industry.

As family and cultural commitments got busier, she retired from her music to take on a full-time role as a Nursing Supervisor and later the Strategic Operations Planner at the Stó:lō Service Agency (SSA).

Inez’s passion for improving services and client outcomes provided the drive to contribute to projects such as the Panorama Implementation Project, SSA Accreditation review, 10-year Health & Wellness Planning, and COVID-19 Pandemic response & related Indigenous focused public health education.

After a short term as the Health Director at the Cheam First Nation, she brought her curiosity and experience to the OCNO Quality Team.  As a student of the Indigenous worldview of culture and language, Inez is committed to “serving the people” by upholding excellence in Quality Care.

Gary Housty, Executive Director, Office of the Chief Nursing Office, FNHA

Gary Housty is from Haíɫzaqv First Nation in Bella Bella, British Columbia (BC). He holds the traditional name K̓vsḷsm̓ṇixv (One Wolf). Gary serves as Executive Director, Office of the Chief Nursing Officer (OCNO) with the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA).

This position holds delegated leadership and line responsibility for FNHA nursing services in BC, providing consultative and advisory services to First Nation communities. As the Executive Director, Gary will work to develop and strengthen internal and external partnerships provincially and nationally, as well as lead and support organization-wide strategic initiatives.

Over the past 22 years, Gary has worked in various nursing and health leadership positions, initially as a specialized emergency room nurse in a busy trauma center in the Lower Mainland. He graduated with a Registered Nurse Diploma from the BC Institute of Technology (BCIT) in 2002, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 2007 and completed a Master of Arts in Leadership, Health Specialization program at Royal Roads University in 2015. Gary joined the FNHA in January 2019 as Director, Nursing Operations within the OCNO.

His vision is to improve health programming, to enhance patient services and to innovate interweaving strategy and organizational change with the aim to support BC First Nations individuals, families and communities to achieve and enjoy the highest level of health and wellness.

Gary upholds the values and responsibilities in honoring his ancestors, and creating a better world for his children and their future generations. In his personal time, Gary enjoys adventures with his wife and three young boys as well as traveling, reading, and is appreciative to be on the journey of fatherhood.

Dr. Sheila Blackstock PhD, COHN (University of Alberta); RN, MScN, BScN, Associate Professor, Nursing UNBC