The Hope and Health leadership team is an incredibly diverse and accomplished group of individuals, active professionals and community leaders within their respective fields of expertise. They each bring diverse skills, talents, and experiences with a common passion and vision for creating the most healthy and resilient future generation of Indigenous leaders and “champions for life”.

The governance structure is inclusive of Co-Founders (Deana Gill, Ed Georgica and James Merriman) and Advisors including the Matriarchs Advisory Circle “MAC”. The MAC formalizes the incredible women and community champions that are actively informing and guiding our vision and everyday work to ensure that the children and youth and their communities are central in everything we do. More info on MAC here

Our Leadership Model

Hope and Health was intentionally built as a  relational leadership model—one that reflects both Indigenous ways of knowing and the shared responsibility required for meaningful systems change. 

At the heart of our work is a commitment to: 

• Center Indigenous leadership and voice

• Build and maintain meaningful community connections through intentional and committed relationships 

• Seek youth leadership and the guidance of the Matriarchs Advisory Circle to provide cultural grounding, wisdom, and support accountability. 

• Collaboratively work in partnership

• Our co-founders and leadership include both Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals who have chosen to walk this path together—committed to trust, accountability, culture, and reconciliation in action. 

• Empower Indigenous youth

• Indigenous youth are not just participants in our work—they are leaders, changemakers, and they directly inform the future we are investing in together. 

This model is intentional and sustainable. In a time when many are asking what reconciliation means, we have been  living it—together—for over a decade.

What Reconciliation Looks Like to Us

We are often asked what reconciliation looks like in practice. 

For us, it looks like this: 

Indigenous and non-Indigenous people working  together, in authentic partnership—  each bringing their responsibilities, lived experiences, and strengths, while remaining accountable to Indigenous leadership, community voice, and cultural guidance. 

It looks like relationships that span years—not one-time engagements. 
It looks like trust that is built, tested, and strengthened over time. 
It looks like humility, learning, and unlearning. 

And it looks like action. 

We call this  reconciliACTION. 

Why This Matters

We recognize that conversations about leadership and identity are important. 

This dialogue is essential and reflects a deeper truth: The need to protect and uphold Indigenous sovereignty, voice, and self-determination. 

We honour that responsibility Hope and Health is an  Indigenous-led movement based in relationship—supported by allies who are accountable to that leadership, and who are committed to doing the work  with, not  for. 

Our strength is not defined by titles or roles. Our strength is defined by  how we show up in relationship—with integrity, humility, and shared purpose, and with each other.