At our 2025 Annual General Meeting, Métis Nation British Columbia launched the Nation Builders Award. In every community across all regions, there are dozens of stories about our people giving of themselves to help others, advocate for Métis, steward our traditions, and build community. This award is intended to be an annual way we recognize Citizens who have gone above and beyond to contribute to our Nation and to Métis people in B.C.
2025 Award Recipients
Bernadette Chaboyer
Bernadette Chaboyer is the President of the Northwest B.C. Métis Association and has been a force of both resilience and care. Bernadette is passionate about building relationships and works tirelessly with all Nations in her community. She ensures no one feels left out or left behind: Bernadette supports local Elders by providing food, driving them to appointments, picking up supplies and making check-in calls. She is a reliable presence that her community knows they can count on. As a longtime resident of the Terrace area, Bernadette has developed an extensive network of knowledge that she shares with everyone. She is a skilled cook and generously shares her memorable dishes with those who know her. She is recognized for her passion, her commitment, her big heart and her smile to match.
Nominated by Susie Hooper, MNBC Region 6 Director
Cheryl Dodman
Cheryl Dodman has had over 18 years of experience working for the Kelowna Métis Association. She has been President since 2020 and has contributed countless volunteer hours to her community. Cheryl is known for her ethical and pragmatic approach to governance. She has the rare quality of both being able to look at the bigger picture and of fostering personal connections with community members. Cheryl is steadfast in her passion for Métis culture, and exhibits exemplary leadership qualities: care, honesty, integrity, and gentle strength. Her involvement both in her community and at MNBC illustrates a deep commitment to uplifting the Métis.
Nominated by Dean Gladue, MNBC Region 3 Director
Sadie Lukan
Sadie Lukan née Supernault is a well-recognized Métis Elder currently living in Dawson Creek, B.C. Sadie is a founding member of the North East Métis Association and has strived to bolster Métis representation throughout the broader community. Sadie is a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. In addition to being a Knowledge Keeper, she is an artisan, a talented seamstress, a Tipi storyteller, a Cree Language instructor, a theatre director and a dance coordinator. Previously, she was a spiritual drug and alcohol counsellor. Sadie generously passes down teachings from her father. Her beautiful designs are created from visions and are imbued with care felt by anyone who comes across them. She inspires by embodying healthy leadership, grounded wisdom, and a kind heart.
Nominated by Melanie Allard, MNBC Acting President
Denise McCuaig
Elder Denise McCuaig is a knowledge keeper who has dedicated her life to building community and promoting Métis culture. With humility, strength and warmth, Elder Denise not only speaks to Métis traditions and values, but she also embodies them as a powerful model for her community. Over the years, she shared wisdom, offered support, and modeled a way of being rooted in compassion, integrity and leadership. She is known for her unwavering commitment to uplifting the upcoming generations, and for the way she shows up with care, strength and love. Elder Denise is cherished as an Elder, a trusted mentor, and a steady presence.
Nominated by Danielle Bergevin, MNBC Provincial Youth Chairperson
Lottie McDougall-Kozak
Lottie McDougall-Kozak is a deeply respected Métis Elder living in Falkland, B.C. She is known across Canada for her contributions and has been sought out by documentarians and academics for her rich experiences and profound knowledge. Lottie is a spiritual visionary, a former logger, an artisan, a carver, a storyteller and a famous fly-tying expert. Her gifts have benefited the broader Métis community in many ways. Her impactful paintings and wood carvings come from memories and visions and offer a window into a spiritual dimension that reminds us of our wholeness. Her involvement with Vernon & District Métis Association helped lead to the first ever Métis Days at the Falkland rodeo grounds, building the profile of Métis people across the broader community. She is a multi-talented and multi-faceted person who deserves every ounce of recognition she receives.
Nominated by Melanie Allard, MNBC Acting President
Jan Ovans
Jan Ovans has been a steadfast fixture in her community as Vice-President of the Cowichan Valley Métis Nation for well over a decade. She supports the President with invaluable wisdom and guidance and is always the first to step in to offer support. Community members know Jan for her unparalleled warmth: she has a knack for making even newcomers feel like old friends. She is an articulate speaker and a successful grant writer—a skill that has benefited her community time and again. Jan embodies the Métis values of interconnectedness and kinship in all she does. She maintains her openness and quiet strength throughout any challenge. Through her very presence, Jan inspires all those who meet her by reminding them just how Métis community feels like home.
Nominated by Patrick Harriott, MNBC Region 1 Director
Myrt Servatius
Myrt Servatius is a respected Elder and Knowledge Keeper. She established the Kootenay South Métis Society. Throughout the years, she has volunteered thousands of hours to build and serve her community. Myrt has hosted events, children’s jigging classes, beading classes, and cooking classes. In Trail, Myrt established a respectful reputation for Métis by engaging with the broader community and bringing people together. Recently, she was granted Elder status at Selkirk College. She teaches about Métis culture in local schools and relentlessly spreads the word about being a proud Métis. Her enthusiasm is inspiring and has a way of coaxing even unsuspecting community members into participation and belonging.
Nominated by Debra Fisher, MNBC Region 4 Director
Lisa Shepherd
Lisa Shepherd is a gifted artist whose beadwork is known across the country. Her art has been featured in Fort Edmonton Park, the Royal Ontario Museum, Fort Langley National Historic site, and more. Through her work, Lisa has raised the profile of Métis people at a national level and has invigorated Métis culture by blending the traditional and the contemporary. Lisa is the founder and current President of the Golden Ears Métis Society (GEMS). She has always supported the Métis Nation by generously sharing her time, skills, and cultural knowledge to help strengthen and celebrate Métis identity. She is a knowledge carrier who works to hold, share, and revitalize Métis through her art, and embodies the very best of Métis values in her day-to-day life.
Nominated by Allan Lavallee, MNBC Region 2 Director