Nella Nelson
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Ms. Nelson is a member of the Tsawataineuk Band of the Kwakwaka'wakw Nation, and is originally from the N’amgis Nation of Alert Bay, B.C. She has been married for 36 years, and is a mother and a grandmother. Nella and her husband, Alex, have also cared for 28 First Nations young people from their home communities.
Nella has worked for the Greater Victoria School District for the past 29 years as a high school history teacher and counsellor, and as district administrator for the Aboriginal Nations Education Division. She has also taught as a sessional instructor in the University of Victoria School of Social Work, and currently is a guest lecturer for the UVic Faculty of Education.
Nella is a very active member in the First Nations community. She is the current Chair of the Camosun College First Nations Advisory Board, and Co-chair of the University of Victoria Faculty of Education Aboriginal Advisory Council. Nella is also a Board Member of the M'akola Housing Society, Hulitan Social Services and the Miskawao Development Corporation.
She is a board/advisory member of the Victoria First Nations Inter-Agency Team as well as the University of Victoria Faculty of Education and Faculty of Nursing Aboriginal Advisory, Masters of Aboriginal Counselling Program Advisory, and the Red Cross First Nations Advisory for Abuse Prevention Services.
Additional appointments are to the Greater Victoria Police Diversity Advisory Committee, Surrounded by Cedar Child & Family Services Board of Directors, the Ministry of Education Provincial Audit Program Advisory Committee, the University of Victoria Office of Community-Based Research Steering Committee and the Representative Advisory Committee on Children & Youth with Special Needs with Mary Ellen Turpell-Lafond.
Nella was also seconded by the Ministry of Education to work on a variety of curriculum teams.
Nella has been an active presenter on suicide, racism and educational issues.
In 1994, Nella received the Queen’s 125 Commemorative Medal for community service. In 1998, she was awarded the YM/YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Education, Training and Development.
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