Empowering our Nations since 1982
Welcome to Treaty 8 Tribal Association. For over 40 years, we've partnered with six First Nations in northeastern British Columbia, Doig River, Fort Nelson, Halfway River, Prophet River, Saulteau, and West Moberly, providing specialized services and advisory support that strengthens capacity, protects treaty rights, and builds pathways to self-determination.
Our organization is dedicated to serving the member nations of the BC Treaty 8 territory by providing programs, services, and advisory support tailored to their needs. We also extend many of our services to Urban Indigenous people, ensuring support is accessible both within communities and beyond.
Our History: Supporting Traditional Territories Since 1982
Treaty 8 Tribal Association was incorporated in 1982 under the BC Societies Act, created at a time when member nations recognized the need for coordinated support and specialized services. Crown-Indigenous relations were growing increasingly complex. Consultation demands were expanding. Economic opportunities came with environmental risks. Nations needed capacity they couldn't always build individually.
We were formed to provide that collective strength, not to replace member nation decision-making, but to support it with expertise, research, coordination, and services that individual nations might struggle to deliver alone. From the beginning, we've been member-driven, with a Council of Treaty 8 Chiefs directing our priorities and ensuring our work responds to real community needs.
Over four decades, we've evolved from primarily advisory support to delivering tangible daily services, medical travel coordination, archival research, Jordan's Principle navigation, and Indian Registry Administration, while maintaining our commitment to empowering nations rather than speaking for them. Every service we provide, every position we take, flows from member nation priorities expressed through our Nations' Leadership.
We are primarily funded through the federal Ministry of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs (CIRNAC) and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), reflecting the recognition of our mandate to support member nations. Our nations and their members do not pay directly for our advisory services or programs.
Treaty 8 Tribal Association Team Charter
A commitment to preserving our cultural heritage and protecting our environment and historic Treaty 8 Rights and interests
A commitment to ensuring our work is founded on:
- Truth, Honesty and Respect
- Compassion and Fairness
- Accountability and Transparency
We are committed to providing a healthy working environment while:
- Taking ownership of our actions
- Being present for each other and for our communities
- Focusing on solutions and not fault
- Supporting different viewpoints
We will always, with kindness and respect, hold one another accountable and will always show up for our team 😊
Our Team: Specialized Knowledge Serving Member Nations
Treaty 8 Tribal Association brings professional expertise across multiple disciplines to support member nation priorities. Our team combines academic credentials with deep regional knowledge and genuine commitment to serving Treaty 8 communities.
Leadership
Marlene Roy, Executive Director
A proud member of Bigstone Cree Nation located in Alberta Treaty 8 territory, Fort St. John has always been Marlene's home. She joined Treaty 8 Tribal Association in 2008 and has worked in various capacities, building strong relationships with member nation leadership and community members over the years.
Marlene is committed to working with member nations to build a strong, responsible organization dedicated to providing quality support and services to communities and their members. Her leadership is guided by integrity, respect, and collaboration.
She believes that when we work together with purpose and compassion, we create lasting change and stronger, healthier communities for generations to come.
Finance
Alison Manitowabi, Finance Supervisor
An Anishnaabe, Odawa, and Cree member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory of the Three Fires Confederacy, located on Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, Alison was born in northwestern Ontario but has lived in the beautiful Treaty 8 Territory most of her life, working and raising her own family.
She has held several roles with Treaty 8 Tribal Association. Alison began working with the Association in 2015 as a Receptionist and Indian Registration Administrator, moved into the Finance Clerk role in 2017, and became Finance Supervisor in Spring 2025. She oversees financial operations while continuing to provide Indian Registry Administration services, assisting clients with registration and status card applications.
Treaty and Aboriginal Rights Research (TARR)
Denee Renouf, Archive Manager
As Archive Manager for the Treaty and Aboriginal Rights Research Department, Denée oversees the organization, preservation, and digital management of records created by and for T8TA's six member nations. Her work supports the protection and accessibility of vital historical materials, including oral histories and cultural traditions central to the nations' heritage.
Denée holds an MA in History, a BA in Archaeology and First Nations Studies, and a Certificate in Cultural Resource Management. She has worked in the Peace River region of British Columbia since 2017 and joined the T8TA team in 2020. Passionate about community-driven preservation, she is dedicated to maintaining archives that honor and sustain Indigenous knowledge for future generations.
Karen St. Pierre, TARR Coordinator
A Treaty 8 First Nation member from Prophet River First Nation, Karen began working as TARR Coordinator in January 2023. Her cultural background is with the Beaver Dane-Zaa nation, having grown up in Doig River First Nation where she gained her cultural knowledge.
Karen completed her dogwood diploma and acquired an Applied Business Technology Certificate in Administration. She has always loved history and enjoys working as TARR Coordinator with member nations, supporting research that protects treaty rights and traditional territories.
Jordan's Principle Coordination
Miah O'Neil-Simpson, Jordan's Principle Service Coordinator
A proud member of Bigstone Cree Nation, Miah was born and raised in Fort St. John. She earned her Public Administration Diploma at Camosun College in Victoria, where she developed a strong foundation in governance and community service.
Since 2016, Miah has been employed with Treaty 8 Tribal Association, beginning her career as a Receptionist and Summer Student with the Treaty and Aboriginal Rights Research (TARR) Program. For the past four and a half years, she has served as the Jordan's Principle Service Coordinator, dedicated to supporting the health and wellbeing of children and families within member communities. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking, reading, and various sports.
Holly Yerhoff, Jordan's Principle Arc Administrator
A member of Sucker Creek First Nations in Alberta, Holly was born in Fort St. John. She joined Treaty 8 Tribal Association in 2021, beginning in TARR, then moving into the role of Medical Transportation Clerk, and now serving as Jordan's Principle ARC Administrator. She is grateful to be part of the Association and thankful for all the opportunities.
In her spare time, Holly loves to craft with dream catchers as her specialty. She also enjoys watching hockey, camping, kayaking, fishing, traveling, cultural learning, and spending time with family and friends.
Medical Transportation
Susan Simpson, Medical Transportation Clerk
A member of Bigstone Cree Nation located in Alberta Treaty 8 territory; Susan was born and raised in Fort St. John. She joined the Association in October 2024 as the Medical Transportation Clerk, coordinating travel logistics for registered off-reserve First Nations across northeastern BC's vast geography.
In her off time, Susan loves camping, quadding, fishing with family and friends, working in her garden in the summer, and traveling when she can.
Administration - Indian Registration Administrator
Kim Hucker, Receptionist/Indian Registration Administrator
Kim joined Treaty 8 Tribal Association in August 2017 as the temporary Receptionist and successfully obtained the permanent position in October 2017. In addition to her primary receptionist duties, she attained FNHA Medical Training and can assist in the Medical Transportation Department. Most recently, she has taken on the role of Indian Registration Administrator at the Association.
Kim currently lives in Charlie Lake with her family and enjoys camping, kayaking, and fishing with them. Her time at T8 has been enjoyable and she looks forward to the future.
What Guides Our Work
Integrity – We conduct ourselves at all times in a professional and ethical manner. Honesty and transparency are the trademarks in which we conduct our business.
Respect – We demonstrate fairness, responsibility, consistency, and empathy.
Teamwork – We encourage and promote innovation, creativity, organization, involvement and sharing.
Trust – We are reliable, dependable, and accountable.
Responsiveness – We are resourceful, adaptable and efficient.
Our Mission
We are a Treaty 8 First Nation-driven association guided by the teachings of our Elders and Ancestors. Treaty 8 Tribal Association (T8TA) provides advisory services and community focused programs. Our work supports the preservation of Treaty No. 8 and the member Treaty 8 Nations' achievement of self-sufficiency and empowerment.
Our Vision
Treaty 8 Tribal Association is a highly valued cultural resource centre for member Treaty 8 Nations, led by a diverse and well-respected team that provides support to our communities in a way that builds unity and strength. We bring communities together to share knowledge, plan for the future and honour cultural traditions and history.
Our Strengths Serving the Six BC Treaty 8 Nations
Choosing organizational partners matters. You need to know that support organizations understand your context, respect your authority, and deliver real value, not just consume resources or add administrative burden.
Treaty 8 Tribal Association focuses exclusively on the six BC member nations in the BC Treaty 8 territory. We understand the unique challenges, opportunities, and context of this region. Our Fort St. John office sits within the traditional territories we serve.
Council of Treaty 8 Chiefs directs our priorities. We provide advisory support and specialized expertise, but we respect each nation's sovereignty and decision-making authority. You know what's best for your community. We're here to strengthen your capacity, not replace your voice.
We deliver tangible services that produce real outcomes. Medical travel coordination happens daily through Susan Simpson's work. Our TARR team provides professional archival research that strengthens legal claims. Miah O'Neil-Simpson and Holly Yerhoff help families navigate Jordan's Principle systems. Kim Hucker and Alison Manitowabi process Indian Registry Administration applications.
Council of Treaty 8 Chiefs governance structure ensures accountability to member nations, not external funders or political bodies. Your leadership directs our priorities. Your needs shape our services. Your sovereignty guides our approach.
Community Presence
Treaty 8 Tribal Association's Fort St. John office at 10233 100 Ave sits within the traditional territories we serve. We live and work in the BC Treaty 8 territory, understanding the geography, economic pressures, and community connections that shape daily life in northeastern BC.
Many of our staff, including Executive Director Marlene Roy and Jordan's Principle Coordinator Miah O'Neil-Simpson, were born and raised in Fort St. John or have deep roots in the region. Others, like Archive Manager Denée Renouf, have built their careers around understanding the Treaty 8 region's history and archaeology. This local presence ensures our services remain grounded in practical realities rather than abstract policies.
We recognize that effective partnership requires more than professional expertise, it requires genuine understanding of and connection to the communities we serve. Our staff participate in regional gatherings, maintain relationships across member nations, and witness firsthand the challenges and opportunities facing Treaty 8 communities.