Board & Staff

Sharleen Gale has dedicated six years of service as a board member with FNMPC, assuming the role of Board Chair in 2017. Her unwavering commitment to her community, Fort Nelson First Nation, spans over 14 years having previously served in the esteemed positions of both Chief and Councillor from 2009 to 2024. In her previous capacity as Chief, she championed a future where every member of her Nation collaborates towards achieving strength, pride, health, and self-reliance.

She is the grand-daughter of Fred Burke and Madeline Needlay. Her roots run deep in the lives of her people and she enjoys being on the land with her family exploring the territory and teaching her son the traditional ways on the lands and how to hunt, fish, and gather medicines and berries. As a leader and previous Chief of the Nation, she understands the importance of upholding the spirit and intent of the treaty by asserting her peoples’ rights to their land and taking responsibility for ensuring that our future generations are able to live their lives in their territory in a way that honours their ancestors.

Gale brings a wealth of experience garnered from her extensive tenure in the oil and gas sector, the corporate realm, and various leadership roles. This rich background informs her invaluable contributions in shaping the aspirations of the Fort Nelson First Nation, previously at the Council table and now as the Chair of the Dehtai Corporation—the Nation’s economic development corporation driving prosperity.

Throughout her tenure as Chief, Gale oversaw significant milestones in her community’s development, including the realization of a geothermal electricity project, a pivotal partnership in a major renewable energy endeavor, the acquisition of the largest Indigenous woodlot license in British Columbia and partnership with the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality in securing the largest community forest in the province. Notably, in 2020, Gale served as the sole Indigenous member on the Premier’s Economic Recovery Task Force for the Province of BC, showcasing her dedication to inclusive economic growth.

In 2023, Gale further expanded her reach by joining the Canada Electricity Advisory Council, entrusted with the mission to provide counsel to the Minister of Natural Resources. Her role entails accelerating investments and advancing sustainable, affordable, and reliable electricity systems for the betterment of all Canadians.

Simoo’git Tsa Bux is a Gitxsan hereditary Chief and has dedicated five years of service as a board member with the FNMPC. Willie has served as the Chief Councillor for Gitsegukla First Nation for six years and a Councillor for an additional two years. He has served as a director for the BC Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Health Council. He currently sits on the board of the FNMPC Advisory Centre and Chairs the Gitxsan Treaty Society and their Oversight and Reform Committee. Willie has recently spearheaded a Gitxsan Youth Canoe Journey and conducts workshops on Seven Step Sexual Abuse Healing and Grief and Loss across Canada.

Corrina Leween was first elected Chief of the Cheslatta Carrier Nation in May 2003, the youngest Cheslatta person and third woman ever to hold that position. She has served five terms, being re-elected by acclamation as Chief in 2015 and 2017. She was re-elected to her fifth term in 2021.

Chief Leween was appointed Vice Chair of the FNMPC in 2015. In 2019, she was appointed to the Board of Directors of the CGL First Nations General Partnership and serves as a member of the Board’s management committee, overseeing the negotiation of a 10% equity option in the Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project.

Chief Jacqueline French has completed her first year on the FNMPC Board. She also sits on the Policing Program Committee at Fanshawe College. She recently held two-two-year terms as the Chief Councillor in her community of Chippewas of the Thames-Ontario, also know as Deshkan Ziibing. During this time Jacqueline, was able to establish a relationship with Hydro One, with a strong focus on transmission lines, relationship building, and community inclusion. This work led to an established 50-50 First Nations-Hydro One partnership with a focus on equity, procurement, and revenue. Prior to becoming Chief, Jacqueline was in office for four years as a Councillor in her community and held portfolios in education, social and health. She was appointed to a community Trust that was created to manage Clench Fraud Land Claim settlement. Prior to being an elected official, Jacqueline worked for 11 years as an advocate for families and children involved in the Child Welfare System.

Chief Priscilla Mueller has dedicated six years of service as a board member with FNMPC. She also serves on the board for the Carrier Sekani Family Services, Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, and is a member of the Chiefs Committee on Jurisdiction of Children and Families. She is the Chief Councillor of Sak’uz First Nation for her second four-year term. Prior to being an elected official, she worked as an Aboriginal advocate and support worker for School District 91 for 16 years. She was instrumental in the development of the proposed Healing and Treatment center at Tachic Lake. She also organized the first healing fire in Prince George for homeless off-reserve First Nation and non-First Nation people which is now a monthly event.

Darrell Beaulieu was appointed President and CEO of Denendeh Investments  Incorporated (DII) and Denendeh group of companies in October 2005. DII is the General  Partner of Denendeh Investments Limited Partnership (DILP) which holds investments on  behalf of all the NWT Dene First Nations in Mineral Exploration, Communications  Infrastructure Logistics, Power Generation and Supply, Food Supply and Real Estate. He  also serves as President and CEO of Denendeh Development Corporation, a not-for-profit  corporation whose members are the 27 Chiefs of the Dene Nation. DDC owns 50% of  the NWT Metis Dene Development Fund, which provides developmental lending to NWT  businesses.

Mr. Beaulieu served one term as Councillor and three terms as Chief of the Yellowknives  Dene First Nation. He is a founder and past President of De’ton Cho Corporation from  1990 to 2000 and served as CEO from 1997 to 2002. He was also President and Director  of Denendeh Development Corporation from 1995-1997 and served on the Boards of  Northland Utilities Enterprises Ltd., Northland Utilities (NWT) Limited and Northland  Utilities (Yellowknife) Limited from 1995-1998, and was reappointed to those boards again  in 2006. He is a founding Director and served as President of De’ton Cho Diamonds Inc.  from 1998 to 2002. Mr. Beaulieu was Co-Chair of the Mine Training Committee from 1996- 2004. He also served on the NWT-Nunavut Chamber of Mines from 1998-2001 and was  re-appointed in 2015.

From 2005 to 2019, Mr. Beaulieu served as a Director and Chair of the Northwest  Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation (BDIC). Since 1998, he  has served as Chair of the Akaitcho Business Development Corporation, and from 2003  to 2019, was a Director of the NWT Law Foundation.

In 2015, he was appointed as a Director of Indspire (formerly known as the National  Aboriginal Achievement Foundation), elected as a Director to the Canadian Council of  Aboriginal Business and appointed to the Northwest Territories Mining Industry Advisory  Board. Since June 2017, he is a member of the External Advisory Committee for the

University of Calgary, School of Public Policy and also the Canadian Northern Corridor  (CNC) program, a multi-year research and outreach program run by the University of  Calgary, School of Public Policy. In 2019, Mr. Beaulieu was appointed as the  Spokesperson of the NWT Indigenous Leaders Economic Coalition, and Chair of its

Investors Committee. He represents the Coalition on the GNWT Business Advisory  Council. In 2021, he was asked to serve on Northwestel’s Community Advisor Board and  on ATCO’s Indigenous Relations Advisory Committee. Mr. Beaulieu is the recipient of  the 2016 Skookum Jim Award from the Prospectors and Developers Association of  Canada (PDAC), for exceptional Aboriginal achievement in the Mineral Industry.

Prior to 1988, Mr. Beaulieu was employed/self-employed in various aspects of mineral  exploration in the NWT. He was born and raised in Ndilo (Yellowknife) where he resides  with his wife, Cecilie Beaulieu. They have four sons, a daughter, a grandson and three  granddaughters.

Joe is Nisga’a/Tshimshian and a member of the Kitselas First Nation. Joe is currently a Chief Executive Officer of Gitga’at Development Corporation. Joe has 30 years of experience transforming financial management at First Nations administration, businesses, and societies.

Joe’s community leadership includes being Chief of Kitselas First Nation (2013-19) and serving as a director for several entities including the Tsimshian Tribal Council, the First Nations Finance Authority, and the AFN’s First Nations’ Economic Roundtable. He is a governor of the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, an External Advisory Committee member for BC Indigenous Procurement Initiative, and working on the final MBA course (Management Consulting) at Royal Roads University.