Chief Shawn Atleo
Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief
On July 23, 2009, Chief Shawn Atleo was elected and sworn in as the Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief. At 42, he became the first national First Nations leader from B.C. in more than three decades.
Formerly the Regional Chief of British Columbia to the Assembly of First Nations, Chief Atleo was elected as a member of the AFN Executive Committee in January 2004.
Atleo has long been a community activist, working tirelessly for the rights and freedoms of his people. Chief Atleo, whose home in Ahousaht off the coast of Vancouver Island is solar-powered with a generator as backup, also believes we don't have any choice but to act now on our pressing environmental concerns. He graduated in 2003 with a Masters of Education in adult learning and global change from the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. He lives with his partner of 20 years Nancy, and the couple has two children, Tyson and Tara.
Last Modified: Nov 2, 2009
