Garry Oker

Past & Current Projects

Summary: Innovative Leader who provides creative solutions to project management teams, communicate design concept and integrate cultural mythology in marketing and promotion.

Key Concepts – Engagement Designer, Transforming Cultural Practice

Helps Aboriginal organizations, industry, government, and education sectors innovate and grow in three ways:

  • Identifying opportunities for growth in business by realizing new ways to serve and support them.
  • Visualizing new directions for companies by designing new product and services and bring them to life.
  • Enable organizations to adapt their cultural competency skills to create strategic teams to capitalize on opportunities.
  • A organizational prototyper.
  • A learning experience designer/facilitator.
  • A change agent.

Leadership and Training – Former Chief /CEO

  • Implementing organization structural change and development of Band governance policies.
  • Directed the development of a $5 m community complex.
  • Directed the implementation of a $27m permanent trust fund and created $10m social economic trust fund.
  • Provided leader strategies for Band Development Corporation (DRE) Doig River Energy, an operation and maintenance service company.
  • Developed a master’s thesis on the referral system between the Oil and Gas Commission and Doig River First Nation.
  • Directed Doig River First Nation Communication Plan.

Consultation-First Nation, Government, and Industry- Negotiator

  • Negotiated new MOU oil and gas referral agreement with provincial government and Treaty 8 First Nation.
  • Directed Treaty related issues such as:
  • Revenue sharing, cumulative land impacts, and co-management of land and resource development.
  • Development partnership agreements with multi- national oil and gas companies.
  • these agreements included: community and corporate development, cultural programs, education, employment and business development.
  • Commenced negotiation of Treaty land entitlement claim.
  • Negotiated with Provincial and Federal governments long-term social and economic development study.

Cultural Technology – Director

  • Development band programs which included: multi-media cultural information management program and employment related training.
  • Directed digitalization of historical archival photographs and video 1966-2001.
  • Directed and the development of Dane-zaa Wajiihe Language and Dreamers Songs CD 2000.
  • Organized drummers and singers performance for ceremonial dances, Elder’s feast, funerals and public events.
  • Directed a Virtual Museum art show Dane-zaa stories and symbolic language art.

Education - Instructor

  • Master of Arts in Leadership and Training, Royal Roads University, 2005.
  • Graduated with Distinction from St. Lawrence College, Kingston Ontario in Visual and Performing Arts/Fashion Design 1985.
  • Developed a Career Preparation Program, Native Fashion Design and Cultural Studies for grades 8 to 12.
  • Designed and delivered entrepreneurial training: Mentored students in business management and marketing through Native dance/theatrical performing group.
  • Under my direction the students formed a theatrical dance company, Northern Shadow Dancers this dance troupe performed nationally and internationally.
  • Created First Nations Symbols Clothing company – Marketed and presented at First Nations national and international events.

International / National Speaking Engagements and Presentation

  • Creative director-2020 Vision –Northeast Aboriginal business venture DVD-2006.
  • Directed a film They Dream About Everything -a story about the ancient dreaming tradition-2005.
  • Production of Dane-zaa language series which broadcasted on APTN 2003.
  • Featured in North West Business Magazine, October 2002.
  • CTV, W-5, filmed story of my design program February 1995.
  • CBC, Street Sense, September 1994.
  • The Spirit Lives: Native Entrepreneur Series, Aboriginal Business Canada video series Canada 1994.
  • Nominated for Ernest and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 1994.
  • Featured in Canadian Business Magazine, December 1994 issue.
  • Designs featured on National Aboriginal Fashion Show (Winds of Change), 1993.

International Presentations

  • Essen, Germany 1992.
  • Folk Festival France, 1993
  • Vancouver Pacific National Exhibition 1991-1993.
  • Common Wealth Games Victoria, BC 1992.
  • 2001, American Indian Film Festival, San Francisco.
  • 2001, Sundance Film Festival, Park City, Utah.
  • 2001, Montreal Film Festival, Montreal, Quebec.
  • 2001, Manchester Film Festival, Manchester, USA.

Speaking Engagements

  • Aboriginal Economic Development Conference, Vancouver, B.C. November, 2002.
  • International anthropology Conference-Sapporo Japan University, 2003 Presented Video Documentary Contact the people.
  • National Conference on Community & Stakeholder Relations. Calgary, Alberta December 2002.
  • International Aboriginal Business Relationship Presentation. EnCana Corporation Ecuador, South America 2003.
  • International Forestry Conference, Vancouver 2003.
  • First Nation Technology Council, Vancouver 2007.
  • The Canadian Institute- Natural Gas Symposium -June 2007.
  • Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists -October 2007.
  • Innovation Learning Methods.
  • Storytelling Information Management System (STIMS) a First Nations technological world view of dreamers and hunters’ transformation.
  • Translate First Nation stories through animation, music, arts, and multi-media.