Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of BC

10/07/2026

A new chapter begins at AFOA BC! 🌟

We’re pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle Garbe as AFOA BC’s new Executive Director, succeeding longtime Executive Director Wendy Ham.

Michelle is already a familiar face to many in the AFOA BC community. As our Operations Manager, she has worked closely with Wendy, our team, Board, members and partners, gaining first-hand knowledge of the organization and the people we serve. She also brings 17 years of experience in the non-profit sector and a career dedicated to community-focused work.

As AFOA BC celebrates its 30th anniversary, Michelle’s appointment represents both continuity and an exciting next generation of leadership.

We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Wendy for her tireless leadership and dedication to AFOA BC over the years. Her commitment to supporting Indigenous professionals, organizations and communities while building capacity across British Columbia has helped shape AFOA BC into the organization it is today.

As Wendy steps down as Executive Director, she isn’t going far. She will remain an important part of AFOA BC in an educator role, continuing to share her knowledge and experience through our finance and governance education and in-community workshops across B.C. We’re grateful that her knowledge and experience will remain part of AFOA BC as Michelle takes the organization into its next chapter.

Please join us in congratulating Michelle on this new role!

30 Years of Impact. A New Chapter Begins.

Read the full announcement:
https://afoabc.org/afoa-bc-announces-michelle-garbe-as-new-executive-director/

VANCOUVER, B.C., October 6, 2026 – AFOA British Columbia (AFOA BC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle Garbe as its new Executive Director, succeeding longtime Executive Director Wendy Ham.The leadership transition comes during a milestone year as AFOA BC celebrates 30 years of buil...

10/01/2026

AFOA BC is deeply saddened by the tragic events that took place today in Tsawwassen.

Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, those who were injured, and the entire Tsawwassen First Nation community during this incredibly difficult time.

We extend our care and condolences to all those affected.

🧡

09/30/2026

On September 30, we join communities across Canada in recognizing Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Today, we honour the courage and resilience of residential school Survivors and their families, and remember the children who never returned home.

We acknowledge the generations of families and communities who continue to carry the ongoing impacts and intergenerational effects of the residential school system, while recognizing the strength, resilience and healing that continue across Indigenous communities today.

Today, we remember. We listen. We learn. And we honour the truths and experiences of Survivors and their families.

Every Child Matters - yesterday, today and always. 🧡

09/29/2026

📍 Two stops down, two to go!

A big thank you to everyone who joined us in Kamloops and Prince George last week for AFOA BC’s Audit Prep Roadshow! We appreciated the great participation, conversations and learning along the way.

Next up: Vancouver and Parksville, and there are only a few seats left!

📊 If you’re responsible for your Nation or organization’s financial administration and audit preparation, join us for practical tools, expert insights and stronger financial practices you can take back to your workplace.

📅 Parksville | October 6 – A few seats left
📅 Vancouver | October 8 – A few seats left

Already registered? Thank you! We look forward to seeing you soon.

Still thinking about it? Now’s the time.

🔗 Register: afoabc.org/audit-prep-workshop-roadshow/

09/25/2026

And that’s a wrap! 🎉

Day 2 of the AFOA BC Indigenous Human Resources Conference did not disappoint!

One last look at some of the wonderful people, speakers and moments that made this year’s conference so memorable and valuable.

From the knowledge and experiences shared by our speakers to the conversations, laughter and new connections happening throughout the room, it was a great few days of connecting, sharing, learning and leading together.

Thank you again to everyone who joined us, contributed and helped make this conference such a meaningful experience. We loved having you with us!

Next up…our Indigenous Youth Entrepreneur Summit & Job Fair this October! We hope to see you there. 🙌

09/23/2026

Our hearts are full after an incredible Indigenous HR Conference and hearing feedback like this. 💛

Thank you, Simon Calder, from the Nisga’a Village of Gitwinksihlkw, for sharing your experience of the event. We appreciate your kind words.

🎥 Hear from him as he discusses some of his takeaways from the conference.

From our speakers and industry experts to the conversations, connections and experiences shared by delegates, these three days reminded us why bringing people together to learn from one another matters.

A big thank you to everyone who helped make the 2026 Indigenous HR Conference such a meaningful experience.

We can’t wait to do it again!

09/17/2026

What a fantastic first day at the Indigenous Human Resources Conference! 🙌

Day 1 was filled with learning, thoughtful conversations and practical insights from an incredible group of industry experts, covering so many of the issues shaping Indigenous workplaces today.

But one of the best parts? The people. 💛

New connections were made, ideas were shared, and it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces come together again.

A huge thank you to our speakers, attendees, partners and everyone who showed up ready to connect, share and learn.

🎥 Take a look at some of the Day 1 highlights, and follow AFOA BC for more learning, connection and capacity-building events.

09/15/2026

The 2026 Indigenous Human Resources Conference is HERE! 🫂

Our Pre-conference workshop is on: Paperwork to People - A Practical Guide to What’s Possible with HR Technology

Today's three-hour workshop explores how technology can help HR teams reduce administrative workload, support data sovereignty, develop leadership from within, give employees a voice and create more capacity for what matters most: people and community.

This is only the beginning. Over the next two days, we'll talk about leadership, workplace culture, recruitment and retention, cultural load and burnout, Indigenous youth and talent development, cultural safety, employee wellbeing, and more.

We look forward to the conversations, connections and learning ahead. Indigenous HR Conference Agenda

See everyone tomorrow!

09/11/2026

👥 What happens when the person who seems to know everything suddenly leaves?

For Nation governments and Indigenous organizations, the knowledge, experience and relationships employees carry can be difficult to replace. That’s why investing in people is about much more than training. It’s about building organizational capacity for the future.

In our latest AFOA BC Blog Insights, we look at four practical areas leadership teams can focus on:

🔹 Giving people clarity
🔹 Developing the people you already have
🔹 Planning for knowledge transfer and succession
🔹 Creating a workplace where people want to stay

We also look at how Westbank First Nation is putting employee development into practice through professional development and career and training pathways.

What skills will your organization need in three to five years, and are you developing them today?

📖 Read the full article: https://afoabc.org/human-resources-investing-in-people/

What happens when the person who seems to know everything suddenly leaves? Maybe they're your long-time Finance Manager, Band Administrator, HR Manager or department lead. Over the years, they've accumulated knowledge that isn't necessarily written down: how processes work, who needs to be involved,...