Chief Robert Louie LL.B, OC, Hon. Dr LL.B, Hon. Fellow Okanagan College
Chief, Westbank First Nation
Over the past few decades, newly elected Westbank First Nation Chief Robert Louie has built a reputation as a trusted leader, successful businessman and advocate for legislative change to further the economic and social well-being of Indigenous Peoples.
A longtime Westbank First Nation leader and former lawyer specializing in Indigenous law, Robert previously served as Chief for 24 years until 2016 – during which time he helped guide the Nation through independence, achieving self-governance in 2005.
Robert has held many leadership and advisory roles with government and private industry over the years, including more than 30 years as Chairman of the First Nations Lands Advisory Board. Louie is a recipient of many esteemed designations and awards, including Officer of the Order of Canada, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business’ 2022 Aboriginal Business Lifetime Achievement Award.
Robert is committed to supporting and ensuring WFN works on affordable housing, education, employment, and health care for Membership. He supports cultural, elders, and youth programs. He is a team builder and is prepared to mentor the Council, Administration, and key staff. Robert brings experience, strong leadership abilities, the knowledge and know-how, and the energetic drive to do what it takes to get the job done.
Kristal Kinsela
Aboriginal Businesswoman & Entrepreneur
Kristal is a proud Aboriginal woman, a descendant of both the Jawoyn and Wiradjuri nations. Kristal has more than 18 years’ experience in education and training, organisational and workforce development, and supplier diversity working across Government, Corporate and Not-for-Profit sectors.
Kristal is a well-known Aboriginal businesswoman and entrepreneur, she has worked nationally across Australia and is highly regarded as a skilled facilitator, expert in stakeholder engagement and project manager.
Kristal is a Director of Uniting NSW/ACT, Director Many Rivers, and a member of Woolworths Group’s First Nation Advisory Board. She is also an Advisory Committee Member of Family Friendly Workplaces and NSW Governments Women’s Entrepreneurship Industry Reference Group. Most recently Kristal was Minister appointed to the Council of Charles Sturt University.
Kristal is passionate about creating lasting pathways and growing the capabilities of Indigenous businesses and individuals. She contributes at the interface of Aboriginal business development and government and business procurement.
Awards
- 2023 Telstra Best of Business Awards Finalist – Indigenous Excellence
- 2022 Women’s Agenda, Agenda Setter of the Year
- 2019 AFR 100 Women of Influence
- 2019 Indigenous Defence Leader of the Year
- 2017 NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year
- 2017 Supplier Diversity Advocate of the Year
Ronald (“Ron”) J. Solimon
Owner, Solimon Business Development & Strategy
Ron is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna, which is one of the nineteen Pueblo Indian Tribes of New Mexico. His paternal bloodlines also go to the Pueblo of Zuni. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from New Mexico State University, College of Business Administration & Economics, and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law.
Following a distinguished career in several industry sectors, including economic development at the tribal level, advocacy at the national level for American Indian and Alaska Native enterprise development, defense contracting, government & public relations, gaming & hospitality, travel & tourism, and higher education, Mr. Solimon now provides business development representation and other consulting services to various companies and organizations through his own company—Solimon Business Development & Strategy (SBDS) LLC.
Ron is the former Director of the Center for Lifelong Education (“CLE”) at the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Arts (“IAIA”) in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He retired from this position in June of 2015. Prior to joining the President’s Cabinet at the Institute of American Indian Arts, Ron served as the Executive Director of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Inc., President & CEO of Indian Pueblos Marketing, Inc., a for-profit, federally-chartered corporation and Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Inc., a not for profit, state-chartered-corporation.
Ron currently serves on several local, state and national boards and commissions, including Laguna Development Corporation, the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, Inc., and the Laguna Community Foundation, Inc. Most notably, Ron was recently selected and sworn-in to service (8.14.2019) on the newly established New Mexico State Ethics Commission. He was also re-appointed (on 8.12.2022) to serve on the Laguna Development Corporation Board of Directors where he serves as Vice Chair. This will be his fourth 3-year term of service on the Laguna Development Corporation Board of Directors. Ron serves as the Chair of the Laguna Community Foundation.
Ron most recently completed terms of office on the following boards and commissions:
- the Albuquerque Commission on Indian Affairs;
- the New Mexico First Board of Directors.;
- the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian;
- the Albuquerque Community Foundation;
- the University of New Mexico Health Science Center;
- the Native American Professional Parents Resources, Inc. (“NAPPR”); and
- the Haverland Carter Lifestyle Group, Inc..
At the national, state, and local levels Ron also served on the boards of the following organizations:
- the S Travel Association, the Tourism Association of New Mexico (now known as the “New Mexico Hospitality Association”);
- the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association; and
- Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau (now known as “Visit Albuquerque”).
- Ron was elected to the New Mexico Tourism Hall of Fame in 2013.
Ron has received many awards and accolades for his service and advocacy in the several industry sectors in which he has worked. Ron and his wife Elaine live in Albuquerque. They have two adult children, two grandsons and two granddaughters.
Sandra Paillal Venegas
Senior Project Consultant, Indigenous Economic Development
Sandra Paillal Venegas, is a proud Chilean, from the Mapuche tribe, leader, and advocate of indigenous rights from North to South America. She is a professional Audit Accountant; Professor and Lecturer of various academic institutions in Chile; a Rapporteur for the Center of Sercotec Inakeyu; President of Indigenous-to-Indigenous Canada Ltd – International Consultant in business areas, leading social and community projects for Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, and Canada. Sandra’s passion is to assist Indigenous people towards the contribution to society with collective initiatives within economic, social, educational and cultural lines.
Sandra is the Ambassador of the World Indigenous Business Forum – WIBF, for Chile and Latin American countries; International Vice President of the “I” Foundation in Chile. Sandra is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of her own companies; Sandra was the President of the Mapuche Chamber of Commerce, for Santiago, Chile for eight years, where she developed major economic development initiatives. Sandra was successful in organizing, negotiating and administrating the seventh version of the WIBF, for the first time held in a Latin American country in 2017.
Sandra is a visionary Mapuche woman with a strong work ethics, passionate to collaborate with non-indigenous organizations, foundations and governments to improve indigenous community welfare, valuing cultural and spiritual diversity.
Vicky Young
Multilingual Entrepreneur
Vicky Young (Māori) Ngapuhi, and Te Rarawa tribes
Vicky is an Indigenous global citizen of the world, with a lifelong passion to connect, share knowledge, and empower other indigenous peoples. She is an educator, an entrepreneur and multilinguist. As a third generation musician and multi-instrumentalist. Vicky’s broad experience connects her with indigenous peoples from diverse backgrounds.
Indigenous tourism is one of her areas of expertise and she has worked in the tourism industry for 30+ years. She is also the Founder and Director of her own successful family owned Indigenous businesses including: Educational study tours and Language school. She has worked with Mapuche Tourism in Chile, and in partnership with Rise Global a for purpose business empowering Indigenous women one leader, one coach, one business at a time. Vicky is a sought after speaker, and business consultant respected by many.
As a Māori Academic she has been teaching at Waikato University, since 1989, including in the triple-crown accredited Waikato Management School (WMS). She is currently lecturing in the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies, and working for the Centre for Teaching and Learning. She graduated with 3 degrees: a BA(Japanese), a PGDip SLT (Second Language Teaching), and an MA(Applied Linguistics: Japanese, Education.) She also successfully completed a specialist NZ Government run one-year Certificate in Entrepreneurial Women in Business (one of the top 20 women entrepreneurs selected for this programme). She is currently an Ambassador for IWI – Indigenous Women in Industry and considering enrolment for an Indigenous PhD.
Author: Co-author of two e-books, Waikato Management School.
1) Academic Stepping Stones: A Guide to Academic Writing
2) English Grammar in Usage: A Guide for Students
(required and recommended texts) for WMS
Community Support: Board Member – Chairperson Te Papanui
Enderley Community Trust
Association of Tertiary Learning Advisors of Aotearoa New Zealand ATLANZ Life Member
Justice of the Peace (NZ).
