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.