Vanessa Mountain, a proud member of the N’quatqua Band of the St’at’imc Nation, carries the traditional name Kayaya. She has also been honored with the name T’sundi’gumgila’ogwa, gifted by her husband’s family.

Vanessa began her professional journey in the financial services sector, steadily advancing through leadership roles at a major financial institution. Her career evolved toward Indigenous economic development, where she designed and implemented programs that support capacity building within Aboriginal organizations. In particular, she has focused on fostering entrepreneurship by equipping individuals with access to capital and the business knowledge necessary for sustainable success.

In addition to her executive leadership, Vanessa contributes to several governance roles. She serves on the Board of Directors for The Bloom Group Society, which provides vital support services in Vancouver’s Downtown East side. She is also a Trustee for a significant trust on behalf of the St’at’imc Nation and was recently appointed to the Board of TTQ Development Corporation, the economic development entity of the Douglas First Nation.

Vanessa currently applies her diverse expertise in her role as Vice President of the BC Indigenous Land Development Society. She brings a strategic and community-centered approach to advancing Indigenous-led land development initiatives across British Columbia