Stikine Airport Society
The purpose of the Stikine Airport society is to ensure safe and efficient air access to the Dease Lake community, and surrounding region. To achieve this purpose, the board consists of members from the Dease Lake community, aviation experts and representatives of the region's resource sectors.
Meet the Stikine Airport Society
Board of Directors
Christina Callbreath
Stikine Airport Society Board Director
Christina joined the Stikine Airport Society Board of Directors in February 2023 and is a member of the Tahltan Nation, a resident of Dease Lake and representative of the Tahltan Central Government.
Christina's position as Dease Lake Community Director within the Tahltan Central Government allows her to assist in bringing the community voice to the SAS Board for better representation from the Tahltan nation's government and community.
As Dease Lake Community Director, Christina interacts regularly with the people of Dease Lake and assists to gather opinions regarding the needs and wishes of the community.
Christina is also a gifted artist, and shares her interest in art through events hosted at the community center.
Jamie Gleason
Stikine Airport Society Board Director
Jamie joined the Stikine Airport Society Board of Directors in July 2022. He was born, raised and resides in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Jamie is a Certified Civil Engineering Technologist and has a Certificate in Business Administration. He is President of CMS Construction Management Services, providing project and construction management and quality control services for civil, environmental, mining and building construction projects since 1987.
Jamie has worked for private contractors in the heavy civil building (vertical) construction industries and the Federal and Yukon governments as an inspector and project manager. He was also Principal, Yukon and Northwest Territories, with Colliers Project Leaders, a national project management services company.
He served on the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC) Board of Directors from 2014-2022, held Vice Chair and Chair positions and served as TNDC's Managing Director from 2021-2022. Jamie has been serving as an Advisor to TNDC since 2022.
Bill Hess
Stikine Airport Society Board President
Bill joined the Stikine Airport Society in 2023, and is currently serving on the Board of Directors as President.
Bill has been in the aviation business since 1985, and has an extensive background in remote access aircraft operations, primarily for the mining industry.
Bill started flying in the Tahltan territory in 1990 as a bush pilot for Central Mountain Air in support for projects at Galore Creek, Bronson Creek, Sturdee Valley, Klappan and many others.
Bill was the General Manager at Northern Thunderbird Air (NT Air) from 1999-2012 and led the company into a long period of growth focused primarily on remote access operations for commuter sized aircraft, and scheduled service to Dease Lake.
In 2014, Bill joined the Bear Creek Group as the Vice President of Aviation and oversaw the merger and day to day operations of helicopter companies Lakelse Air and Pacific Western Helicopters. He has acquired extensive knowledge, experience and contacts throughout the aviation and mining industries operating in Northern British Columbia.
Bill has a strong background in safety and regulatory processes in addition to many years as a volunteer on the Stikine Airport Society and Bob Quinn Airport Society's Board of Directors.
In December 2019, Bill was hired by TNDC to help build the Airport Services division and since then, he has been the Aviation Advisor and subject matter expert for the Tahltan Nation.
Brian Young
Board Treasurer
Brian has been part of the Board of Directors of the Stikine Airport Society since its inception in 2011. He holds the position of Treasurer as an Officer of the Board.
He is a Chartered Professional Accountant and currently employed with Northern Health Authority (NHA) as the Regional Manager Reporting Services and Treasury since 2015.
Prior to this position, he was the Controller for Pacific Western Helicopters that operated bases in Prince George, Mackenzie, Dease Lake and Grand Cache Alberta until the Company shut down its operations in the spring of 2014.
Brian was born and raised in Prince George, BC and enjoys spending time in the outdoors every chance he can get.
Freda Campbell
Stikine Airport Society Board Director
Freda joined the Stikine Airport Society Board of Directors in February 2023 and is a member of the Tahltan Nation, Crow Clan, and Dekama family. She has lived in Tahltan Territory, in communities directly affected by the mining industry for over 15 years, currently residing in Dease Lake.
Freda is the Community Relations Director for Skeena Resources Ltd, and has worked for the mining industry for both proponents and Indigenous Nations for over 25 years. She embodies the future of the mining industry through her dedication to empowering the Indigenous workforce, innovation in Indigenous community engagement, and mentoring the next generation of Indigenous leaders.
Freda's commitment to the Tahltan Nation and her vision for the mining industry lead to her being recognized as the 2023 indigenous trailblazer by Women in Mining Canada.
Freda currently resides in Dease Lake, BC, and is the Community Relations Director for Skeena Resources Ltd.
Mack Cyrzan
Stikine Airport Society Board Director
Mack joined the Stikine Airport Society Board of Directors in February 2023.
Mack has an extensive aviation background gained through 25 years within the aviation industry. Following 10 years of teaching ground operations personnel, Mack joined WestJet's development strategies and teaching methods and leading the standard and procedures teams for eight operational departments including ground operations, customer service and flight attendants.
Mack has provided safety, security and training guidance for airlines and government agencies in Canada and internationally.
Mack has been with Executive Flight Center Aviation since 2017 as a training and instructional development professional. In Mack's current role as the Director of Aerodromes, he is responsible for providing strategic oversight for three aerodromes in Central Alberta, Dease Lake Aerodrome in British Columbia, as well as EFC's Fixed Base Operations (BFO) throughout British Columbia.
Mark Wheatley
Stikine Airport Society Board Vice President
Mark joined the Stikine Airport Society in 2021 and is currently serving on the Board of Directors as Vice President.
Mark is an aviation professional with extensive experience in the management of a broad spectrum of both fixed and rotary wing operations. Mark has flown, managed, and studied both military and civilian operations with wide exposure to humanitarian support and relief efforts.
He is a risk professional and a Certified Practicing Risk Manager.
Mark’s specialization is in the use of helicopters in field operations, particularly those conducting external load operations.
Kathleen Harris
Airport Administrator
Kathleen has been the administrator for the Stikine Airport Society since January 2019.
In 2008, she became a Registered Nurse and worked for Northern Health until 2019. She moved to Abbotsford and has been working for Fraser Health during the past 4 years. Kathleen has worked in emergency, pediatrics, home care, wound care, palliative care and outpatient medical therapy.
With a background that varies from athletic therapy to customs officer, from nursing to airport administration, and most recently, coaching her son's flag football team, she has proven herself to be an adaptable and competent individual in a variety of fields.
Kathleen is continually learning, both within these various fields and beyond, and is dedicated to working collaboratively with the community to ensure that health care services access is consistent and reliable for everyone.
Collaborations
