Shemica Harry

Shemica Harry is excited to be in her new position of Health Station Coordinator at the Cwelcwélt Health Station in Sugar Cane. Working with the public all day, she is enjoying getting to know the people in her community better, and spending more time with Elders. She says she can’t wait until the summer heat comes, so she has an excuse to start doling out freezies to the kids.

Shemica was born in Williams Lake, and raised in Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek / Dog Creek; SXFN). She is the granddaughter of Louise Harry and Earl Boston. She stayed in SXFN until completing grade 10, then came to Williams Lake for grades 11 and 12.

Straight out of highschool, Shemica started working at Three Corners Health Services Society, where she cut her teeth in office administration and reception. She worked at Three Corners for six years before eyeing the position at the Health Station, and jumping on the oportunity to work in the community of Sugar Cane where she lives with her spouse and four-year-old son.

On the weekends, Shemica loves going on walks and spending time outside with her family. If the weather isn’t cooperating, she enjoys watching a movie with a bowl of popcorn, or reading with her son (she notes that “Hockey with Dad” is one of his favourites).

Stop by the Health Station and say “hi” to Shemica, weekdays from 8:30am-4:30pm.

Welcome to WLFN, Referrals Coordinator Kala Ivens

Kala joins the team following an 11 year tenure at Mount Polley Mining Corporation, where she held a variety of positions. For the past three and half years, she served as an Environmental Technician, largely doing field sampling and monitoring around the mine.

As the Referrals Coordinator, Kala spends her time working with and streamlining WLFN’s Referrals Management system, working closely with the Natural Resource department.

Kala is quickly becoming WLFN’s resident expert of an online database system called the NStQ Portal. Any time a development or natural resource project is undertaken in Northern Secwepemc territory, the project must be submitted to the NStQ Portal. WLFN closely examines each referral, assessing each listing for potential impacts on WLFN’s Stewardship lands. From April 2021 until March 2022, there were nearly 1000 referrals submitted through the portal which could potentially impact WLFN’s Stewardship lands.

Kala is also on board to help out with bigger WLFN environmental assessment projects, such as Osisko Development’s Cariboo Gold Project, or ongoing projects with Spanish Mountain Gold.

Kala loves snowshoeing and quading with her husband, six-year-old daughter, and two dogs, Lurch and Moose. She loves the summer months around their 150 Mile homestead as well, spending lots of time enjoying the nearby lakes.

Welcome to WLFN, Community Social Worker Leah Martin

Leah Martin may be new to WLFN, but she’s no stranger to the field of Human Service Work in the Central Cariboo and British Columbia. She got her start working at Insite: Supervised Injection Site, and providing harm-reduction services at music festivals and events. While working in the Downtown East Side might seem intimidating for many, in Leah’s words, she found it to be “... a wonderful challenge.”

In 2011 she made her way to the Cariboo, first settling into Wells, BC, while working at the Seasons House Shelter in Quesnel. Before joining the team at WLFN, Leah worked in Williams Lake for the Canadian Mental Health Association as the Community Bridge to Housing First Coordinator. This program assists people living homeless to re-enter the rental housing market by providing housing subsidies and wrap-around support services.

Through her diverse experience in the field, Leah knows that learning an effective selfcare routine is a journey. Leah suggests finding things that ground you, and making time for those things. For Leah, this includes “... getting outside, walking, skiing, snowboarding, kayaking — I like going to the rec centre for the hot tub.”

Leah is passionate about, and focuses her work on harm reduction services. She loves spending time with her two kids and playing music with friends. You can find her at the WLFN Administration building on Quigli, or out-and-about in the community.