Team
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Tarrin Sam
Acting Executive Director
Tarrin Sam is a member of Songhees Nation and currently serves as Acting Executive Director of the Indigenous Prosperity Centre (IPC) at the South Island Prosperity Partnership. With a professional background in communications, Tarrin brings a strong relational lens to her work, grounded in meaningful engagement with Nations, Indigenous businesses, and regional partners.
Tarrin began her career path at her home Nation of Songhees, where she first discovered her deep passion for community engagement. That early foundation continues to shape how she approaches her work today, with a focus on building trust, creating space for collaboration, and ensuring Indigenous voices are meaningfully reflected in economic development conversations.
Her work at IPC is especially driven by a commitment to youth. Tarrin is passionate about opening doors and breaking down barriers through initiatives such as Indigenous youth camps, conferences, and pathway programming. She is dedicated to creating real, visible opportunities that connect young people to careers, entrepreneurship, and leadership pathways they may not have otherwise seen themselves in.
Through her role, Tarrin continues to strengthen relationships across the Indigenous Business Directory network and beyond, working to ensure Indigenous communities and businesses are well-positioned to participate in the region’s growing economy while inspiring the next generation of Indigenous leaders.
Anika Fernandez
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
Anika Fernandez was born and raised in North Vancouver, British Columbia, on the unceded territories of the Skwxwú7mesh Nation. For the past ten years, she has lived and worked as a settler on the lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples. Anika has blended cultural roots, with Kʼiche Mayan and Guatemalan heritage on her father’s side and English and Scottish ancestry on her mother’s.
She attended the University of Victoria, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts with a focus on Indigenous Studies. During her time at university, Anika developed a strong passion for integrating new-age media and storytelling into academic and professional spaces, recognizing their power to inform, connect, and inspire.
This passion led her to her current role as Communications and Marketing Coordinator at the Indigenous Prosperity Centre, where she supports Indigenous economic development initiatives by amplifying community-led programs, businesses, and opportunities. Anika is deeply committed to creating meaningful and lasting change in the region and is eager to help the Indigenous Prosperity Centre advance its goals and positively impact the communities it serves.
She attended the University of Victoria, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts with a focus on Indigenous Studies. During her time at university, Anika developed a strong passion for integrating new-age media and storytelling into academic and professional spaces, recognizing their power to inform, connect, and inspire.
This passion led her to her current role as Communications and Marketing Coordinator at the Indigenous Prosperity Centre, where she supports Indigenous economic development initiatives by amplifying community-led programs, businesses, and opportunities. Anika is deeply committed to creating meaningful and lasting change in the region and is eager to help the Indigenous Prosperity Centre advance its goals and positively impact the communities it serves.
Founding Leadership
Christina Clarke
Founding Executive Director, Indigenous Prosperity Centre
Christina Clarke played an instrumental role in bringing the Indigenous Prosperity Centre to life and shaping its early vision, partnerships, and direction. Her leadership helped lay the groundwork for the relationships and momentum that continue to guide IPC’s work today.
Christina has served Indigenous communities for more than 30 years, most recently as Executive Director of the Indigenous Prosperity Centre at the South Island Prosperity Partnership and as CEO of the Songhees Development Corporation. She began her work with Songhees Nation in 1995 after graduating from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Arts in Canadian History and Anthropology.
A graduate of UVic, Christina honours her NunatuKavut (Inuit-European) ancestry through her mother and is proud of her first-generation Irish Canadian father. She currently serves as Chair of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.
The Indigenous Prosperity Centre continues to carry this work forward, building on the strong foundation Christina helped establish.
Christina has served Indigenous communities for more than 30 years, most recently as Executive Director of the Indigenous Prosperity Centre at the South Island Prosperity Partnership and as CEO of the Songhees Development Corporation. She began her work with Songhees Nation in 1995 after graduating from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Arts in Canadian History and Anthropology.
A graduate of UVic, Christina honours her NunatuKavut (Inuit-European) ancestry through her mother and is proud of her first-generation Irish Canadian father. She currently serves as Chair of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.
The Indigenous Prosperity Centre continues to carry this work forward, building on the strong foundation Christina helped establish.
Advisory Board
The Indigenous Prosperity Centre operates under the guidance of an Indigenous Advisory Board, made up of Indigenous leaders and community representatives who provide strategic direction, cultural guidance, and accountability.
The Advisory Board works alongside IPC’s leadership and staff to ensure the organization’s work remains grounded in Indigenous values, responsive to community priorities, and aligned with IPC’s mandate to advance Indigenous-led prosperity and economic reconciliation.
The Advisory Board works alongside IPC’s leadership and staff to ensure the organization’s work remains grounded in Indigenous values, responsive to community priorities, and aligned with IPC’s mandate to advance Indigenous-led prosperity and economic reconciliation.
Ron Rice
Ron Rice - Wush’q, serves as Executive Director of the Victoria Native Friendship Centre.
Adrian White
Adrian White is an entrepreneur and accounting professional with experience building and operating local Victoria businesses including Little June and Fernwood Coffee. He has led teams, managed growth, and overseen operations, giving him a practical understanding of the strategic, operational, and financial realities facing smaller, community-based businesses.
In addition, Adrian brings strong expertise in digital commerce, integrating retail and online systems and leveraging digital platforms to drive growth, operational efficiency, and scalable systems. He develops custom integrations and automation frameworks that strengthen technical infrastructure and support long-term scale, with primary development expertise in Shopify.
A member of the Muskowekwan First Nation, Adrian supports the Indigenous Prosperity Centre with a focus on practical economic development and Indigenous business growth, particularly for local, owner-operated enterprises.
Adrian holds a BBA in Accounting and is currently pursuing his Chartered Professional Accountant designation.
In addition, Adrian brings strong expertise in digital commerce, integrating retail and online systems and leveraging digital platforms to drive growth, operational efficiency, and scalable systems. He develops custom integrations and automation frameworks that strengthen technical infrastructure and support long-term scale, with primary development expertise in Shopify.
A member of the Muskowekwan First Nation, Adrian supports the Indigenous Prosperity Centre with a focus on practical economic development and Indigenous business growth, particularly for local, owner-operated enterprises.
Adrian holds a BBA in Accounting and is currently pursuing his Chartered Professional Accountant designation.
Jessica Joseph
Jessica Joseph is a lek̓ʷəŋen artist from Songhees Nation specializing in contemporary formline. Her work is grounded in community-engaged practice and a deep commitment to building strong and sustainable relationships rooted in lek̓ʷəŋen ways of knowing, being, and doing.
Jessica is passionate about inspiring future generations, cultivating culturally safe spaces, and creating pathways for Indigenous people to feel grounded and supported in exploring their creativity.
Jessica is passionate about inspiring future generations, cultivating culturally safe spaces, and creating pathways for Indigenous people to feel grounded and supported in exploring their creativity.
Kear Porttris
Kear is a Chinese-Métis professional dedicated to strengthening connections between Indigenous communities, businesses, and major economic development opportunities. Trained as a civil engineer, he brings a systems-focused and collaborative approach to advancing Indigenous inclusion across industries.
Kear’s work is grounded in creating practical, partnership-driven pathways that enable Indigenous Peoples and communities to meaningfully benefit from the regions in which they live and work. Through his leadership and advisory roles, he continues to champion approaches that move beyond participation toward long-term Indigenous economic presence and success.
Kear’s work is grounded in creating practical, partnership-driven pathways that enable Indigenous Peoples and communities to meaningfully benefit from the regions in which they live and work. Through his leadership and advisory roles, he continues to champion approaches that move beyond participation toward long-term Indigenous economic presence and success.
Eva Shaffer
Eva Shaffer serves as Marine Liaison and Communications Officer with T’Sou-ke First Nation.
Aaron Brown
Aaron Brown is a member of Swampy Cree First Nation in Northern Manitoba and is also of North-Western European ancestry. Based in Victoria, he currently serves as Executive Director with the Province of British Columbia’s Declaration Act Secretariat.
In this role, Aaron advances the Province’s obligations under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, with a focus on consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples and alignment of provincial laws with the Declaration. His work includes providing strategic guidance on consultation practices, supporting legislative alignment processes, and serving as an interlocutor between the Province and First Nations and First Nation organizations.
Aaron brings over a decade of senior leadership experience within the B.C. Provincial Government, including previous roles with Treasury Board Staff and the Ministry of Children and Family Development. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a specialization in entrepreneurship from the University of Victoria.
In this role, Aaron advances the Province’s obligations under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, with a focus on consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples and alignment of provincial laws with the Declaration. His work includes providing strategic guidance on consultation practices, supporting legislative alignment processes, and serving as an interlocutor between the Province and First Nations and First Nation organizations.
Aaron brings over a decade of senior leadership experience within the B.C. Provincial Government, including previous roles with Treasury Board Staff and the Ministry of Children and Family Development. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a specialization in entrepreneurship from the University of Victoria.
