Award Year: 2024

Mo Dawson Creative

Mo Dawson is an Indigenous graphic recorder based on the unceded territory of the Lekwungen Peoples. He is Dzawada’enuxw from Gwa’yi (Kingcome Inlet, BC) and Gitxsan with roots in Gitanyow and Gitsegukla, BC. Mo has a background in professional cooking, working with top chefs across the country for nearly two decades. He trained in graphic recording with Shift-It Coach Christina Merkley and was mentored by Kelly Foxcroft-Poirier of White Raven Consulting.  

His experience includes working with public agencies, non-profits, governments, and post-secondary institutions. Visual communication has been a vital part of his culture for generations, and Mo combines his artistic skills and Indigenous values to provide a unique graphic recording experience. At Mo Dawson Creative Graphic Recording, ideas come to life through visual storytelling, transforming complex concepts into engaging visuals that inspire and connect audiences.  

AshFireWear

Ashley O’Neil, a member of the Ktunaxa Nation, is the owner and designer of AshFireWear. With nearly two decades of firefighting experience, both as a structural and wildland firefighter, Ashley identified a gap in women-specific personal protective equipment (PPE). Prior to firefighting, she worked in the oil patch, where she realized the absence of fire-resistant gear for women. In response, she founded AshFireWear in 2020, offering custom-fitted, environmentally friendly PPE made from 100% natural materials. The company’s products include eco-friendly fire-resistant spray, brass zippers, and cotton-wool blend thread, and cater to female firefighters, miners, oil field workers, and others.   

Beyond her business, Ashley coordinates training programs on BC reservations, teaches and certifies new firefighters, and is bringing back cultural burning practices in the Kootenays. Additionally, she works with non-Indigenous communities with prescribed burning practices to mitigate uncontrollable wildfires. As a respected instructor, medic, and crew leader, she is dedicated to enhancing firefighter safety and efficiency.  

Jane Devji

Jane Devji, founder and former CEO of Delta View Campus of Care is a transformative figure in senior care leadership. Over decades of service, Jane established herself as a trailblazer within residential care, breaking down barriers and elevating the standard of care for seniors. Drawing from her international studies, Jane pioneered a “hugs not drugs” gentle-care approach tailored for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Jane, her late husband Amin and her sons, Salim and Aly, were proud to have created the Delta View Habilitation Centre, one of Canada’s first purpose built for dementia care homes. Later, Jane and her family created the Delta View Life Enrichment Centre, where Jane championed the concept of care-hubs.

Jane advocates for seniors facilities to serve as comprehensive centers offering a spectrum of services tailored to individual needs. Continuously expanding Delta View’s offerings, she introduced additional wrap-around services including dialysis, rehabilitation therapy, and respite care. Jane’s innovative approach extends beyond the confines of Delta View. She shared her care-hub techniques with government and healthcare officials, catalyzing nationwide improvements in seniors care standards. Her legacy is marked by a tangible impact on countless seniors and their families, underscoring her commitment to advancing the quality of life for the elderly.

Doreen & Wayne Hewitt

Doreen and Wayne Hewitt have championed water protection on Salt Spring Island for over thirty years. Recognizing the watershed’s vulnerability, they forged partnerships with key stakeholders, including the Salmon Enhancement Society, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of the Environment, and Ministry of Water Land and Air Protection. In 1993, they founded the Cusheon Lake Stewardship Group. Their joint efforts have extended to establishing the Beddis and Cusheon Area Residents’ Association, fostering a broader community engagement from the original Beddis Area Residents’ Association.

Wayne’s leadership roles in the Salt Spring Island Water Preservation Society and Doreen’s tenure as a Special Commissioner on the Beddis Water Service Commission exemplify their commitment. Doreen held leadership roles in 15 community groups, while Wayne led the development of the “Watershed Management Plan for Cusheon Lake,” completed in 2007. For over three decades, the Hewitt’s have vigilantly monitored governmental initiatives, zoning applications, and potential threats to the island’s watershed. Their role as educators and advocates has helped to safeguard Salt Spring Island’s drinking water sources amidst increasing development pressures and climate change challenges.

Troy MacBeth Abromaitis

Troy MacBeth Abromaitis brings his extensive expertise to community development and sustainable growth, with a career spanning over two decades. He has overseen major real estate development projects, while also serving in leadership positions such as President of the Real Estate Institute of British Columbia. Troy’s advocacy for multi-family housing solutions and recent appointment as Senior Development Manager at Musqueam Capital Corporation underscore his commitment to advancing urban development initiatives.

As a member of the Nlaka’pamux Nation and the Lytton Indian Band, Troy draws upon his personal journey of resilience as a survivor of the 60s Scoop. After a 30-year journey to reconnect, Troy’s return home marks a transformative chapter, where he channels his experiences into empowering his community. Troy provides mentorship to individuals navigating adversity and played a role in the rebuild of Lytton First Nation after the devastating wildfires in 2021 as a member of the LFN’s Economic Development Corporation Board. He champions visual reconciliation in public spaces, recognizing art as a potent force for fostering healing, unity, and cultural expression. Troy leads initiatives in Surrey and Squamish that weave Salish art and narratives into the fabric of communities, creating vibrant spaces that symbolize collective resilience and hope.

Devon Black

Devon Black is the co-founder of AccessBC, a grassroots campaign advocating for free prescription contraception in British Columbia. For more than six years, Devon played a pivotal role in the campaign’s success, which led to the implementation of the policy in April 2023. Since then, 188,000 people in BC have accessed prescription contraception without cost, thanks to her dedication. Beyond organizing workshops and training over 80 volunteers provincewide, Devon has presented before government committees, served as media spokesperson (in both English and French), and propelled the campaign from local frustration to a national movement.

Devon continues her advocacy as AccessBC’s national liaison, supporting sibling campaigns across Canada. Her voluntary efforts have been instrumental in drafting press releases, providing media training, and fundraising. Devon’s impact empowers campaign members to advocate for reproductive justice issues, such as menstrual equity and improved pain management in gynecology. Without her work, prescription contraception access in the province would remain a financial barrier, defining her crucial role in advancing reproductive rights and health equity.

Prof. Nemkumar Banthia

Prof. Nemkumar (Nemy) Banthia is a University Killam Professor and mentor at the University of British Columbia (UBC), fostering academic and personal growth among students. With over 70 PhDs and Postdoctoral Fellows trained under his guidance, Nemy’s impact extends outside the classroom. As a world-renowned leader in carbon-neutral concrete infrastructure, Nemy’s research at UBC has improved the safety, sustainability, and resilience of civil infrastructure especially under extreme events such as earthquakes. As a Canada Research Chair, Nemy has also developed numerous advanced sensors and cyber-physical networks that are providing early warning signals on potential structural collapses.

Nemy serves as the founding CEO and Scientific Director of the India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability (IC-IMPACTS). This $60 million Center, supported by the Indian and Canadian governments, focuses on developing scalable solutions and transferring advanced technologies to resource-limited communities. From self-healing concrete pavements to water treatment systems, IC-IMPACTS’ projects have lifted boil water advisories and initiated transformative change in Indigenous communities in Canada and India, exemplifying Nemy’s commitment to making a meaningful impact on a global scale.