Melanie Rivers (Advisory Committee) is Senior Advisor, Strategic Policy; Policy, Planning & Transformation at the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia.
I am Coast Salish from the Squamish Nation. My St’atl’imc name is 7imlemelwet which means ‘medicine’. I have worked in First Nations health for 17 years and believe strongly in community-driven, culturally grounded and strength-based approaches to improving health outcomes for First Nations peoples. I have been a key leader in the area of Aboriginal HIV/AIDS work and now work at the First Nations Health Authority as a Senior Advisor in the area of Strategic Policy with a focus on cultural safety and humility, traditional healing and wellness and health human resources. I am honoured to have visited and partnered with a majority of the 201 First Nations communities in BC. I recently completed a Masters in Public Health at the University of British Columbia, where I broadened my knowledge and skills in public health. I bring dedication, creativity and balance, grounding my work in science, culture and community. For her personal wellness goals, Melanie enjoys mixed-media painting, yoga, travel and spending time with my husband and very large cat.
