Lou-ann Neel joins the team carving the World's Tallest Totem Pole

Our team continues to grow. We are honoured to welcome Lou-ann Neel, whose lifelong work as an artist, advocate, and cultural leader brings a vital dimension to our shared journey.

Meet Lou-ann

Meet Lou-ann Neel

Lou-ann Neel is a Kwakwaka’wakw artist from the Mamalilikulla and ‘Namgis Nations. Over four decades she has balanced two paths--one as a practicing artist in textiles, jewelry, and digital design, and another as a cultural leader advancing Indigenous rights, policy, and arts resurgence.

Artistry Lou-ann is the granddaughter of Ellen Neel, the first woman to operate a totem pole carving business on the Northwest Coast, and a descendant of master carver Charlie James, whose influence shaped a generation of Kwakwaka’wakw artists. Her own work in textiles, jewelry, and digital design carries this family legacy forward, while adapting traditional Kwakwaka’wakw design principles to contemporary forms and materials. Alongside her own practice, Lou-ann has dedicated herself to mentorship, ensuring that emerging artists inherit both the technical skills and the cultural responsibilities carried on in her family for generations.

Policy and Advocacy Lou-ann has held leadership roles in arts administration and Indigenous policy development, including with the First Peoples’ Cultural Council and the Royal BC Museum. Her work has focused on protecting Indigenous intellectual property, strengthening support for artists, and ensuring that cultural practices and languages thrive in future generations.

Community Engagement As a writer and speaker, Lou-ann has been a clear voice on issues of repatriation, cultural appropriation, and the urgent need for Indigenous-led solutions in the arts sector. She consistently grounds this work in Kwakwaka’wakw teachings, emphasizing respect, accountability, and the sacred responsibilities of artists to their Nations.

Lou-ann’s presence on the totem pole team is both symbolic and practical. She brings an artist’s eye to the design process, an advocate’s commitment to ensuring Indigenous voices lead the way, and a community member’s devotion to the cultural resurgence that this pole represents. Her guidance will help ensure that the World’s Tallest Totem Pole stands not only as a record of carving skill but also as a living testament to the values, histories, and responsibilities of Kwakwaka’wakw people.

Support the Carvers Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes progress and meet more of the team as we carve history together. The journey of carving the World’s Tallest Totem Pole is not just about the art; it's about the people and the community we build together. Your support is crucial in this global endeavour!

Support the Carvers

Vanessa Mountain and Elain Evans join the team building the Worlds Tallest Totem Pole

For the Nakalkala Society, carving the World’s Tallest Totem Pole isn’t just about carving and sculpture—it’s about people. We’re excited to welcome two extraordinary leaders—Vanessa Mountain and Elain Evans—whose expertise in economic development and fundraising will accelerate our carving milestones and community impact.

Meet Vanessa Mountain

Vanessa Mountain (traditional name Kayaya) is a proud member of the N’quatqua Band of the St’at’imc Nation. Over the past 25+ years, she’s shaped Indigenous economic landscapes from the ground up:

• Early Career in Finance & Procurement: Vanessa climbed the ranks at a major national financial institution, mastering mortgage brokerage, residential lending, and office management. In 2008 she pivoted to Indigenous procurement— notably working on Procurement for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. There, she organized the Aboriginal Artisan Village at both Vancouver Community College and the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler.

• Board & Community Leadership: She currently serves on the board of The Bloom Group Society (DTES community programming), sits as a Trustee for the St’at’imc Nation’s major trust, and was recently appointed to the TTQ Development Corp. board—Douglas First Nation’s economic arm.

• Strategic Vision for Housing: As VP Properties and Land Development at BC Indigenous Land Development, Vanessa applies her well-rounded skill set—finance, procurement, and community engagement—to deliver culturally appropriate, scalable housing solutions across B.C.

Vanessa's blend of corporate rigor, community-rooted insight, and procurement savvy will ensure our totem pole project stays on schedule, within budget, and fully supported by Indigenous artisans and businesses.

Meet Elain Evans

Elain Evans, CFRE, is a veteran fundraiser with 28 years of experience helping charities secure transformative gifts across healthcare, education, and the arts.

Raised in remote communities in Quatsino Sound and Simoon Sound, and later in Sointula—taking the ferry alongside Jonathan Henderson and others from Alert Bay to attend high school—Elain has a deep personal connection to the land and communities of the North Island.

Today, she is Principal of The Fundery, a fundraising consultancy specializing in capital campaigns, sponsorship, and data- and story-driven fundraising strategies. She thrives at the intersection of storytelling, relationship building, and capacity strengthening—marrying the art and science of fundraising to enable deeper donor engagement and long-term organizational growth.

Throughout her career, Elain has contributed to major campaigns including the University of British Columbia’s landmark $1.5 billion Start an Evolution campaign, and led fundraising initiatives for healthcare organizations like Canuck Place Children’s Hospice and cultural institutions like the Vancouver Art Gallery, where she helped close a nine-figure gift. Her ties to the arts run deep: her grandfather was an artist, and her mother operated a gallery specializing in Indigenous art.

Having lived in Japan, Thailand, and Europe, Elain often oriented new friends to where she came from by proudly saying, “near the World’s Tallest Totem Pole.” Some of the most treasured times of her life were attending potlatches in the Alert Bay Big House—gatherings held in the very shadow of the pole.

Today, it is an honour for Elain to support the revitalization of the World’s Tallest Totem Pole, working alongside Jonathan Henderson. Over the past five years, she has also been privileged to work with Indigenous-led organizations like Nawalakw, helping to build sustainable fundraising programs grounded in cultural revitalization, mental wellness, and community priorities.

Support the Carvers

Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes progress and meet more of the team as we carve history.

The World’s Tallest Totem Pole

K’ikw Project, February 2025

Gila’kasla ‘Numwayut,

Hello Family and Friends,

My name is Johnathan Henderson, and my traditional name is Udzistalis. I carry this name from my father, whose mother was May Qwaucksistala of the Ligwiłdaxw Nation, and whose father was Sam Henderson of the Nakwaxda'xw Nation. My birth mother is Sharon Whonnock (Wa’nukw), and my stepmother is Lorraine Henderson. On my mother’s side, my grandmother was Lydia Whonnock (Wa’nukw), and her father was Gideon Whonnock (Wa’nukw).

I was born and raised in Alert Bay, the land of the ‘Nam’gis. On this website and in future letters, I want to share with you a journey that began as a dream, grew into an idea, and has now become a full project. Over the past year we have been in the initial phase of our feasibility study, continuing to move forward in the most humble and respectful way possible.

From the outset, I met with the Hereditary Chiefs to present the idea and seek their support. That initial meeting was a success, and while not all hereditary chiefs were present, I have since made efforts to meet with each of them. Their overwhelming support has encouraged us to move forward. Both the hereditary and elected leadership of ‘Nam’gis First Nation continue to stand behind this vision. From the beginning, the U’mista Cultural Centre has been a strong advocate, initially serving as the project’s governing body. In the past two years, the organization Indigenext has provided interim governance as we work towards establishing a new not-for-profit society–which will be called the Nakalkala Cultural Society.

This project has been made possible by the dedication of our team, whose efforts I deeply appreciate. We still have much work ahead, including raising funds for carving, meeting with all 17 tribes of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation, securing logs for the totem in partnership Western Forest Products, and finalizing a land lease agreement with the ‘Nam’gis Nation to strengthen our funding campaign.

Our K’ikw Project now consists of three key components:

1. Replacing the current Tallest Totem Pole – honoring and continuing our traditions, with 10 feet for each nation. We expect the carving will take a minimum of 2.5 years.

2. Creating an Experience Centre – where visitors can engage with and understand every foot of the new Tall Pole.

3. Establishing an Interactive Cultural Centre – a space dedicated to the preservation and transfer of our traditions.

This cultural centre will provide a home for essential practices, including Button Blanket making, Cedar Bark Weaving, Traditional Medicine, Singing and Song Composition, Language Revitalization, and Carving. As we prepare for our Pa’sa (potlatch), we recognize the critical need for a dedicated space to ensure that knowledge is passed from one generation to the next. Our vision is to create a safe, nurturing environment where our traditions can thrive. The survival of our culture depends on this transfer of knowledge.

I invite you to join us on this journey to bring the K’ikw Project to life.

Gilakas’la,

Johnathan Henderson (Udzistalis)

johnathan@thetotem.org