
Elaine Chambers
Chair
Over the past twenty-nine years Elaine has been employed with Däna Näye Ventures, an Aboriginal financial institution. Since 1996 has been the General Manager of this organization. From 1997 to 2015 Ms. Chambers has represented the Yukon on the National Aboriginal Capital Corporation Association (NACCA) and served as Chair and Treasurer. Also from 1996 to current Ms. Chambers has represented Däna Näye Ventures on the RAB Energy Group Inc. (Northerm) board of director’s where she is currently the Chair. April 2016 to current and from 1996 to 2009 Ms. Chambers has represented the Yukon on the Cando board of directors where she has served as the Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer. Elaine Chambers was born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon, and currently resides in Champagne, Yukon. She is a member of the Champagne & Aishihik First Nation and of the Crow Clan. She is the proud mother of two children, Odessa and Tina, as well as the proud grandmother of three grandchildren.

Stan Thompson
Director
Currently, Stan is the CFO & VP Corporate Services for Northwestel, a telecommunications company serving Canada’s three northern territories including northern BC and Alberta, based in Whitehorse, Yukon. Stan also served as President of Novartis Consumer Health Canada for many years and as CFO in several Consumer Products and Pulp and Paper companies in Ontario and BC.
Stan currently serves as:
- A Board Member and past Chair of the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce,
- A Board Member, Vice-Chair of the Resources committee, and a member of the Audit committee of the Board of Management for the Canada Revenue Agency
- A Board Member of DCILP, owned by the Dakwakada First Nation and responsible for investing in businesses on behalf of its members
- A Board Member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce representing Yukon
Stan earned his CPA/CA designation in Ontario with Thorne Riddell, a predecessor of KPMG. His work experience spans C Suite responsibilities in Consumer-Packaged Goods, Resource and Telecommunications companies.

Taylor Zeeg
Director
Taylor is the owner of Tributary Project Services Ltd., a Whitehorse-based management consultancy. A professional economist and planner, Taylor typically leads complex projects in the areas of real estate and infrastructure development, land use strategy, and socio/economic development for public, private and Indigenous entities operating in a northern context, which he greatly enjoys. In addition to Dakwakada Capital Investments, Taylor is a corporate director for Yukon Development Corporation, treasurer for Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects, and a Trustee of the Coastal Nations Fisheries Trust. Taylor is a devoted husband, proud father, and avid outdoorsman.

Steve Smith
Director
Kaaxnox
Steve Edward Smith
Kaaxnox was named by his Grandmother IXÍXCH TLÀ, Annie Ned, overseen by Jessie Joe elder Dak’laweidÍ from Klukshu. Kaaxnox spent a lot of time with his mother Shan’tlän Irene Smith learning traditional activities gathering and processing traditional foods work done by the women. This was an important aspect of the Southern Tutchone/Tlingit way of life. Steve also spent a lot of time learning from his uncles about the harvesting rules of his people. Steve counts himself very lucky that he had these opportunities to learn and takes his role in teaching his nephews their responsibilities to their community.
Steve was also lucky in that he spent a lot of time travelling the Yukon with his father Elijah, this gave him amazing opportunities to meet many leaders and friends of both his father and mother. Tomei (Elijah) taught him the importance of respecting traditional ways of the many people that he introduced Kaaxnox to while working on the Land Claims process in the Yukon.
While Kaaxnox spent a lot of time on the land, a formal education was very important and his father always impressed upon the next generation to get an education. Steve pursued a college education, he attended Royal Roads University taking an Master’s in Business Administration focusing on Executive Leadership. After completing the program, he unfortunately ran out of time in completing his final thesis as he was called on to lead the community in which he grew up as Chief.
Steve has spent many years in various leadership roles, from Director of Secretariat at the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, Director of First Nation’s Initiatives at Yukon College (now Yukon University), 2 terms as a councillor of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations and recently 2 terms as the Chief of the First Nation. It was during this time as Chief that Kaaxnox implemented many of the policies and programs that he learned during his extensive formal and traditional educational experiences. He has developed a new understanding of First Nation’s governance under a Self Government context.
Kaaxnox has been involved in the area of Economic Development for 28 years. He has developed his own unique understanding and view of First Nation’s economic development that he shares with other leaders whenever he is asked. He is humbled by the many requests to share his story.
Kaaxnox currently lives where he grew up in the Takhini River Valley just west of Whitehorse with his wife Kala. He has 3 adult children and 4 beautiful grandchildren.