Shauna Yeomens, Taku River Tlingit

Shaunna Yeomens is the Senior Land Guardian for the Taku River Tlingit First Nation. A guardian since 2014, she was first connected with the program when she began conducting mine checks. Growing up in the mining town of Atlin, BC, Shauna had limited exposure to her Indigenous heritage. Through the Guardians Program, she began spending time on the land and found a renewed sense of purpose that grounded her in a cultural and spiritual place.

As a Guardian, Shauna liaises between the Guardian Program and other First Nations departments. She also assists in relationship building with other guardian programs in Northern BC and Southern Yukon. What excites her about guardianship? Seeing the youth in the community develop a sense of purpose: “I’m doing something that I love. I’m so excited to teach it to a younger generation and to see where they’re at in 10 years.”