My name is Janet Hanuse.  I am a member of the Gwa’sala-‘Nak’waxda’xw Nations and the ‘Wuikinukv Nations. Born and raised in rural Port Hardy, BC, I have grown accustomed to limited access to services, which has resulted in my passion for innovative approaches to increasing access to meaningful program delivery and authentic leadership. 

I am currently a guest in the WSÁNEĆ Territory, specifically the land of the Tsartlip First Nation.  My approach to leadership was first developed while I was a part of the Friendship Centre movement with the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres and my passion for bringing awareness to the truth in honour of reconciliation, I delivered orientation training to health staff that shared stories of the impacts of colonization on the local First Nations in the North Island. The presentation that brought forward this learning was a collection of stories shared by the elders of the region that detailed their experiences and identified contemporary issues each nation faces today.

My inspiration for resilience derives from the untold experiences of my parents who were both residential school survivors.  I live and breathe each day in honour of my ancestors, my family, and future generations of all Indigenous people across Canada. I am currently working at the Royal BC Museum as the Vice President for Engagement and UNDRIP Implementation to support the organization in aligning its practices and policies with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In 2011, I received a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from University of Victoria and expect to complete my masters degree in Executive Leadership in 2023 from Royal Roads University.