President, Union of BC Indian Chiefs

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip is a Syilx leader and the longtime President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, where he has served for more than two decades and was re-elected by acclamation to a tenth consecutive three-year term in October 2025. He previously served as Chief of the Penticton Indian Band for 14 years, as an elected Band Councillor for 10 years, and as Chair of the Okanagan Nation Alliance for 16 years. 

In 2006, the Okanagan Nation bestowed upon him the title of Grand Chief in recognition of his lifelong commitment to advancing Indigenous title and rights. His advocacy has spanned land and water protection, Indigenous rights, reconciliation and implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

Grand Chief Phillip has received numerous honours for his leadership, including the BC Reconciliation Award and an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of British Columbia. His decades of experience bring a deeply informed perspective on Indigenous leadership, Nation-to-Nation relationships and the future of reconciliation in British Columbia. 

Chief, Musqueam Indian Band

Chief Wayne Sparrow is a respected Indigenous leader and the elected Chief of the Musqueam Indian Band, a role he has held since 2012 after first being elected to Council in 1995. Over decades of leadership, he has played an important role in advancing Musqueam governance, economic development and long-term partnerships. 

Chief Sparrow also serves as Chair of Musqueam Capital Corporation and has been closely involved in major Indigenous-led development and partnership initiatives, including the MST Development Corporation, a partnership between the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. He has also helped advance significant agreements with organizations including Vancouver International Airport and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, creating opportunities related to economic participation, employment, education and training. 

Recognized for his pragmatic and collaborative approach, Chief Sparrow brings extensive experience in Indigenous governance, economic reconciliation, community engagement and building enduring relationships between Indigenous Nations, governments and industry.

Founder & Executive Producer, Bears’ Lair

Geena Jackson is a proud member of the shíshálh Nation and an entrepreneur, speaker and longtime advocate for Indigenous economic development and entrepreneurship. For more than 25 years, she has worked to build partnerships among Indigenous communities, industry, governments and entrepreneurs, creating opportunities that support business growth, leadership and community advancement. 

Geena is the creator and Executive Producer of Bears’ Lair TV, a nationally broadcast Indigenous entrepreneurship series that connects Indigenous business owners with mentorship, investment and national exposure. She also co-founded Bears’ Lair Dream Camps, a youth entrepreneurship and leadership initiative that has reached thousands of Indigenous youth and partnered with communities across Canada. 

Her career has included extensive work in business and economic development, media, procurement and Indigenous community relations, including more than a decade supporting entrepreneurs and major projects with the Squamish Nation. Through Bears’ Lair and her broader work, Geena continues to champion Indigenous entrepreneurship, economic participation and the next generation of Indigenous leaders.

Howard Blank is a respected leader in entertainment, media, and philanthropy. As CEO of Point-Blank Entertainment Ltd., he has helped raise over $1 billion for charities across North America. Howard serves on several public boards in BC and is an ambassador for ZLC Financial, Innovative Fitness, White Spot Restaurants, Fairmont Resorts, and the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC.

He is a recipient of multiple honors including the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, the BC Community Achievement Medal, the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteerism, and the King’s Coronation Medal. Howard was also named to Business in Vancouver’s BIV 500 list of top BC executives.