Introducing our Board of Directors
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The Board of Directors are dedicated to the best interest of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.

Bobby Drygeese, Chair

Bobby is a Yellowknives Dene First Nation person born and raised in Dettah and living the traditional way of life.

His experience working for tourism, community programs and in the education field, have allowed Bobby to cultivate the relationships (both on the customer side and with the people delivering these programs) which help make this business a success.

​Bobby comes from a long line of Dene Chiefs: His Great-grandfather was a signatory in the Treaty 8 signing and his Grandfather was Chief in the late 1960s when Queen Elizabeth came to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, also known as Chief Drygeese Territory.

Jessica DeLeary 

Jessica DeLeary is a member of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, born and raised in Ottawa, ON. Moving home to the North in 2008, she realized that she wanted to reconnect with her traditional Dene lifestyle and learn her Wiiliideh language.

Over the years, she worked for her First Nations in different capacities, working directly for the Band, Treaty 8 Tribal Corp, and directly with Det’on Cho Corporation.

She was elected as a Yellowknives Dene First Nation councillor, representing Dettah in 2019. Jessica also sits on the Dettah District Education Authority and several committees in her Councillor position. She obtained a Certificate in Indigenous Language Revitalization, and has been doing several training over the years.

She enjoys spending time with her spouse and their children out on the land, and sharing the learning and teaching experience with them.  

Jonas Sangris

Jonas Sangris is serving his 6th term Councilor for Dettah, one of two communities within the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.  He also served 3 terms as Chief of Yellowknives Dene First Nation, retiring as Chief in June 1999, and served as the Community Negotiator for 8 years.  He also was owner and operator of Akaitcho Bay Trucking for 9 years after having been a contracted by the GNWT for Municipal Services for many years prior.

Jonas is the third oldest of seven children and has four sisters and two brothers.  After spending his schooling in Residence to grade 8 he stayed at home to help his dad with trapping and hunting. He gained experience through hard work and perseverance.

Spending time with his family, especially with his grandchildren, brings him much joy and being an active part of their lives is a priority. As a past hockey player, he enjoys now watching his sons and grandsons play hockey, as well as any sports all his children and grandchildren take part in. 
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As a Councilor Jonas is committed to be a strong leader for the members of his community. Though Jonas is busy with being a Councilor, he makes time to continue to hunt, and spend time at his cabin whenever he can with his grandchildren to help teach them to hunt and fish.

Ethel Liske

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Ethel is a member of Yellowknives Dene First Nation. She a obtained Grade 12 Diploma from Sir John Franklin High School and an Administration Certificate from Lethbridge Community College.

Ethel has served on several different boards on behalf of YDKFN, including the Stanton Hospital Board, YKDFN Health Board, and the Recreational Board.

Ethel is employed by the NWT Treaty 8 Tribal Corporation as Negotiation Coordinator and coordinates all activities relating to Akaitcho Negotiation Process on behalf of Akaitcho Dene First Nations. She was responsible for preparation of annual budgets, proposals, and activity reports and she coordinates all meetings relating to Akaitcho Negotiation process.

Catherine Cudmore

Cathy has been actively engaged providing clients services across the north with accounting, audit and financial management services for over twenty-six years.  She joined Avery Cooper in 1992 as a CGA student and junior accountant and became a manager soon after attaining her CGA designation in 1996.

Cathy became a partner with the firm in 2004.  Her many clients, past and present, include housing and local government organizations, education, health and social services agencies, other government agencies, First Nations organizations and a wide variety of private enterprises. In addition to her many responsibilities as Audit/Review Principal of one of the largest public practice firms in the north, Cathy has also been the firm’s Human Resources Principal since 2004.

Cathy received the FCGA (FCPA) designation in 2016, a professional honour conferred on Certified General Accountants who have made a significant contribution to the profession and in 2019 received a Distinguished Service Award as well as the Lee-Anne Tompkins Community Service Award from the Association for service to the accounting community.

Hughie Graham

Hughie has worked in commercial real estate leasing, operations, and facility maintenance for the past 15 years. During that time, he has worked with Canadian Government, Territorial Governments, multi-national companies, franchises, and small-medium enterprises.  Hughie’s real estate career has allowed him to work with commercial real estate in Yellowknife, Inuvik, Calgary, and a portfolio of warehouses in BC and Alberta. Hughie also lead a team of property managers in Iqaluit, NU and St. John’s NL. While managing the operations and leasing of a real estate portfolio in Inuvik, Hughie worked with an Indigenous real estate partnership for 9 years.

Hughie is the past President of the NWT Chamber of Commerce and served in all executive positions as well as director at large. Included in his volunteerism are positions with the Yellowknife Homeful Partnership, Yellowknife Golf Club and Yellowknife Ukrainian Association.
 
Hughie holds a Real Property Administration designation from BOMA and has lived in Yellowknife for the past 27 years.