New Interim General Manager Joins SRWA
Interim General Manager Stephanie Zamora with Elder Advisor Jimmy Clipping at the All Nations Gathering in November.
December 12, 2024
The Seal River Watershed Alliance is pleased to announce that Stephanie Zamora has joined our team as Interim General Manager. A Dene-Dakota woman from the Sayisi Dene First Nation and a skilled executive with nearly two decades of experience in human resources and organizational development, Zamora brings welcome knowledge and expertise to the Alliance.
Zamora was unanimously appointed by the SRWA Board of Directors—including Chiefs, a Councilor, and Elders—at the November All Nations Gathering.
“I have been a supporter of the Alliance since it began,” said Zamora. “I have watched it grow and accomplish amazing things for our Nations. Now I am honoured and excited to be a member of the team.”
Before joining the Alliance, Zamora worked as a human-resources professional for several major corporations. She was the Chief People Officer for software development company PLATO Testing and the Chief People and Culture Officer for Manitobah Mukluks.
She also served in leadership roles for First Nations organizations, including as the Director of Human Resources for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and for Island Lake First Nations Family Services. And she has supported youth and community health and wellness, both as the Vice President of Human Resources at the Link and as the Director Human Resources and Organizational Development at Marymound. Before her time at Marymound, Zamora worked for over 11 years at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.
Zamora also serves in several board roles, including for the Canadian Aboriginal Human Resource Management Association, the Sayisi Dene Relocation Trust, Main Street Project, St. Amant, Indigenous Relations Council for the United Way of Winnipeg, and Mount Carmel Clinic.
“We are lucky to have Stephanie share her decades of experience with the Alliance,” said SRWA Executive Director Stephanie Thorassie. “Her professionalism and skills will help ensure our foundation is solid and we can build on it into the future.”
“We often talk about the importance of bringing community members back, including those who have pursued education and training. Hiring people like Stephanie helps the Alliance stay Indigenous led and powered by people connected to the watershed,” said Thorassie.
In her new role, Zamora will be responsible for keeping Alliance projects on track, particularly during Executive Director Thorassie’s maternity leave. Zamora will also focus on building capacity among the Land Guardians.
Land Guardian Coordinator Jordan Stengard counts seals from the ice floe edge outside of Churchill as part of a seal monitoring project.
“I am very impressed with all the Land Guardians know—about the land, about the birds and seals, about how to monitor the watershed,” said Zamora. “I am excited to help them harness their knowledge. I love building capacity with young people through learning opportunities and professional competencies. Once they realize all that they know, they become more confident.”
Zamora’s father was a hunter and fisher in Tadoule Lake. “I come from a traditional family on both my Dakota and Dene sides, with traditional code of practice. My dad was very connected to the land. I am a city girl now, but I understand the importance of where we come from. Our people are part of the land, and to help support them in protecting the land for future generations is a great honour.”
Tadoule Lake, in the heart of the Seal River Watershed.
