Labrador Inuit Capital Strategy Trust

Garry Best is the Chair of the Labrador Inuit Capital Strategy Trust. He is a beneficiary who grew up in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Garry is a graduate of Memorial University’s Engineering program, served for 23 years as an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy, and is currently Regional Executive Officer, Ontario, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Indigenous Services Canada.

Garry has had leadership roles in our nation’s military, and since 2006, various roles in the federal government. His successful involvement in several First Nations programs, including the rebuilding and relocation of Manitoba First Nations impacted by the 2011 flood and First Nations Infrastructure and Housing Programs testify to his strong leadership and management skills.

Isabella was born and raised in Nain, Nunatsiavut. She graduated from Memorial University with a Bachelor of Arts degree (Political Science), and a minor in Business.

In 2000, she was appointed as the co-chief negotiator of the Nunatsiavut land claims negotiation team. A year later, she became the chief negotiator of the Impact and Benefits Agreement (IBA) with Voisey’s Bay Nickel Company (VBNC). Isabella became Aboriginal Affairs Superintendent for VBNC in 2004, and was part of the team responsible for ensuring that the Inuit and Innu IBAs were properly implemented.

Isabella went to work for the Nunatsiavut Government in 2009. Her current roles are Deputy Minister of the Nunatsiavut Secretariat, Secretary of Executive Council, and senior negotiator.

Natan has a Bachelor of Arts in both English and American Studies from Tufts University.

Natan grew up in Nain. He is currently President and CEO of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the organization which represents Canada’s 60,000 Inuit. In his previous role, he was Director of Social and Cultural Development for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated in Iqualuit, where his work focused on issues such as health, education, language, justice, research, and suicide prevention.

Kristy resides in Rigolet. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Acadia University, and a Master of Arts in Tourism Management from Royal Roads University.

Kristy is a senior manager with the Nunatsiavut Government. Her career spans ten years and has been focused on community development. As Nunatsiavut’s first Director of Tourism, she helped establish the region as a tourism destination. Kristy has recently transitioned into the role of Director of Economic Development. At the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference in June 2017, she was recognized as one of 250 up-and-coming leaders in Canada.

Kristy is an active member with industry organizations, including SmartICE and the Atlantic Aboriginal Economic Development Integrated Research Program.

Catharyn Andersen is the Special Advisor to the President on Indigenous Affairs, holding a university-wide mandate to support Indigenous education broadly across the university, encouraging respectful engagement and relationship building with Indigenous peoples and communities, and supporting the success of Indigenous students across Memorial University. Stemming from her passion for her culture, language and beginning with her work in language revitalization, Catharyn believes that universities must create inclusive and equitable spaces for Indigenous peoples, at all levels.

As part of this role, Catharyn is leading the development of the Strategic Framework for Indigenization, including conducting the most extensive Indigenous community consultations by Memorial University, visiting 26 Indigenous communities throughout the province, holding more than 50 university and community meetings, and working in ongoing dialogue with Indigenous Elders, communities, organizations, and governments. Catharyn is looking forward to furthering the strategic priorities identified in the framework’s 5 year timeframe from 2021 – 2026 in her continued mandate to strengthen and expand Indigenization and decolonization throughout Memorial University.

As an administrative leader, with diverse expertise in Indigenization and decolonization, Catharyn is also extensively involved in Memorial University and in the community at large, sitting on multiple councils and boards, including chairing the President’s Advisory Committee on Indigenous Affairs, sitting on the Inuit Co-Management Board for the Akami-Uapishku-KakKasuak-Mealy Mountain National Park Reserve, as well as the Board of Directors for the YWCA St. John’s and the Bonavista Biennale.

Before coming to Memorial University, Catharyn worked with the Nunatsiavut Government, formerly the Labrador Inuit Association, in the roles of director and Inuktitut language program co-ordinator with the Torngâsok Cultural Centre in Nain, Labrador. She has also worked with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in the Small Craft Harbours branch.

Catharyn is an Inuk from Nunatsiavut, born and raised in Labrador, with Inuit, Norwegian, English and Scottish ancestry. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics, a Master of Arts in linguistics, and a Master of Business Administration from Memorial University, as well as an International Baccalaureate diploma from Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific in Victoria, B.C. She is a 2020 member of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference. In her spare time, she likes to run and loves to return home to Labrador as much as she can.