Meet our Founding Members
New and continuing FNPN members engage in innovative pedagogical projects by collaborating with communities and those working in the Indigenous early learning and child care and related sectors, to their benefit—and to share what of this important work may be shared, developed and celebrated more widely.
The founding members of the FNPN pilot started working together in the Winter of 2019. The FNPN arose within their commitments to cultivate relationships with educators, programs, staff, Elders, community members and other knowledge keepers in local work and community contexts—bound together in the transformative networked collaborative of the pilot.
FNPN continues to celebrate their leadership, and honours their role in bringing to life the First Nations Pedagogies Network. In their inspiration and teachings, it continues to support and strengthen Indigenous cultures and cultural practices in First Nations ECE and community contexts, in fidelity to Indigenous rights to autonomy and cultural continuity, renewal and resurgence.
Leona Antoine
LEONA ANTOINE began her career as an ECE in 1992 deeply inspired by the family of care providers to which she belongs…
Mena Duncan
MENA DUNCAN belongs to the Ahousat Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation and has been in the early childhood education field since 1998…
Chelsey Hardy
CHELSEY HARDY is a mixed Indigenous, European woman. She is part of the Dakelh Nation in Central British Columbia… Her community is Nadleh Whu’ten.
Charmayne Nikal
CHARMAYNE NIKAL is from Witset First Nation on the Wet’suwet’en Territories where she works, plays and lives…
Elizabeth Williams
ELIZABETH WILLIAMS lives in Kitwanga BC and belongs to the Gitksen Nation. An early childhood educator since 1997…
Zelda Williams
ZELDA WILLIAMS’ late mother and ancestors belong to the Musqueam First Nation. She works in Mission and resides in Sts’ailes territory…
