ABOUT US
As an organization, we look at the world through two sets of eyes –
rooted in both Indigenous and Western ways of knowing and being.
Two Eyed Seeing was formed in 2019, by husband and wife partners – Dean Heron and Therese Hagen, to specialize in bringing together unique and balanced teams of people to deliver on the specific needs identified by Indigenous communities and their partners.
At Two Eyed Seeing, we believe in the power of bringing both world views to any situation and circumstance. What results are ways forward that are firmly rooted in the beliefs and knowing of where we come from, that also utilize the practices and standards of the world we live in today.
Investing in Indigenous Futures
Two Eyed Seeing Consulting is a majority Indigenous owned Community Contribution Corporation (C3). A C3 is a type of corporate structure that is a blend between a private enterprise and a non-profit entity. Specifically, a C3 ensures that 60% of profits made, go to charitable or non-profit ventures. In the case of Two Eyed Seeing, this means 60% of our profits are directly invested in Indigenous culture, education and workforce readiness programming for youth and adults alike.
Our Team
The team at Two Eyed Seeing is represented by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous members with the following expertise - project manager and policy and governance specialist; professional forester and natural resources specialist; Indigenous engagement specialist; artist, educator, and cultural advisor; and, community and regional planner.
Therese Hagen
BA (Political Science); Co-Owner, Project Manager
Therese brings her experience from the private sector, provincial government and First Nations government administrations to the table. She holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Victoria where she graduated with honours. She has worked in policy analysis, government communications, hospitality and tourism, health administration and First Nations Band Administration.
Most recently, Therese has been providing supports and expertise to individual Nations, as they take on the task of preparing their communities for today and the future. Recent projects include community workforce readiness planning, land management, environmental assessment and major project negotiations, housing policy and procedure development and refinement, occupational health and safety program development and staff safety training, finance and HR policy reviews, and Indigenous Tourism business planning and start-up.
As a former employee of the provincial government, Therese brings years of policy development, health administration and communications experience to the table – primarily in the areas of Indigenous health; communicable disease prevention and control; mental health; and addictions services.
She is trained in public speaking, drug and alcohol counselling and crisis communications.
And before Therese worked in government and First Nation administrations, she worked within tourism and hospitality, gaining valuable experience in business management, cost and inventory control measures, budgeting, staff training and development, policy, and procedural development.
Dean Heron
Co-Owner, Artist, Educator and Community Capacity Developer
Dean is Kaska/Tlingit and member of the Wolf Clan from Liard, Yukon, and an adopted member of the House of Xvusemdas in Owekeeno, BC. He has been a professional artist since 1993. Dean has works in public and private collections around the world, including (but not limited to): the Owekeeno Big House, Rivers Inlet, BC; Norwegian Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway; Burke Museum in Seattle, Washington; Kauffman & Associates in Washington, DC; High Commission of Canada in Canberra, Australia; and, University of British Columbia’s Aboriginal Fisheries Center in Vancouver, BC.
He graduated from the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art – First Nations Fine Arts 2-year program with honours in 2008; he studied under his mentors Dempsey Bob, Ken McNeil and Stan Bevan.
Encouraged to teach by his mentors, he was an instructor and program coordinator for the Freda Diesing School in Terrace, B.C. for 7 years before returning to Victoria in 2017.
Dean specializes in working with communities to revitalize their art and culture by connecting local artists and knowledge holders with educators and curriculum developers; and bringing awareness of how traditional skills and knowledge translate into the contemporary skilled trades workforce. He connects industry with communities to bring increased capacity development and career exploration opportunities to First Nations schools across BC.
A skilled communicator and facilitator, Dean has the ability to listen for what matters to a community and bring a network of artists and workforce development experts to create customized programming to meet community needs.
Sam Coggins
PhD RPF; Forestry, Lands and Resource Management, Major Project Negotiations
Sam has a PhD and a bachelor’s degree in forest resources management from the University of British Columbia, and a diploma in forestry and woodland management. In 2012 he became a Registered Professional Forester in British Columbia. He is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Forest Resources Management in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
Sam has held management positions in First Nations and provincial governments and has worked as a consultant. He is a natural resource professional with over 25 years’ experience working in forestry, land use planning, oil and gas, mining, environmental science, and geomatics (GIS and remote sensing). He has also worked on several projects to develop business opportunities and skill development in communities throughout BC. His most recent work has been leading a strategic forestry initiative on behalf of Two Eyed Seeing for a First Nation in the Kootenays. The project involves components of forestry and forestry-related business development as well as strategic planning for forestry activities.
Sam lives in Smithers, BC. From 2014 until 2017 he held the position of Director of Lands and Resources with Kitselas First Nation, building the department from 5 staff to 25. He developed and maintained a budget of $1.5 million to provide programs and services. In this role Sam was involved with working with major project proponents and Kitselas’ neighbouring First Nations, and sat on several committees, including: the Environmental Stewardship Initiative. Sam has a strong understanding of the political climate and the opportunities and barriers facing First Nations in the north. In addition, Sam has worked throughout northern British Columbia as an environmental scientist on several major projects including: Forrest Kerr Hydroelectric Project, the Northwest Transmission Line, the Bitter Creek bridge replacement, and in Kitimat on a number of projects.
Pearl Penner
Research/Technical Writer, Community Planner
Pearl holds a Masters degree in Community and Regional Planning with an Indigenous Community Planning focus from the University of British Columbia; and a certificate in Indigenous Maps, Films, Rights and Land Claims from the University of the Fraser Valley. Pearl was born and raised in Abbotsford, BC, and grew up around the teachings of the Medicine Wheel. She learned from Elder Mary Uslick who brought the vision of the Medicine Wheel to the Stó:lō Nation Territory.
Pearl has dedicated her career to working with Indigenous people and communities. Pearl’s approach to working with communities is centered in her Medicine Wheel teachings. She was taught to respect and take care of all things. It is important to her that she works in a holistic way that honors the spiritual, mental, physical and emotional aspects of each community that she may work with.
Brittany Beck
Administrative Coordinator
Over 15 years of customer centered roles, specializing in sales, administrative and creative projects. Brittany is an extremely organized and self-motivated as many of her roles have required remote work. Britttany has extensive interpersonal skills and have experience leading classes, directing teams and working one-on-one with many clients and partners. Brittany enjoys taking on challenges and contributing to the growth and success of a company.
Matias Heron
Workshop Support
Matias is a responsible, confident, and hardworking individual, who makes a positive contribution to the Two Eyed Seeing team. As an Indigenous youth, Matias provides an important link to the young people we work with and provides a space for easy conversation that encourages youth to open up and lend their voices to the conversation.
Matias provides technical IT support when Two Eyed Seeing Consulting CC Inc. runs aviation exploration camps and is a great workshop support member when running community engagement sessions and art workshops. He provides workshop and community engagement prep support to team members and is a key participant in community sessions to encourage youth voices to be heard.
Our Board
Inger Hagen
Inger brings a wealth of experience to the Two Eyed Seeing Board of Directors. When first coming to Canada in the 1980s, Inger worked in Human Resources Management in Calgary for an International company. Subsequently, she established her own company to assist international companies wanting to open operations in Canada. Later in her career, Inger served as HR manager with the BC Ministry of Health and later as a senior manager/director in their Information Technology sector (1994-2006). She has more than 10 years of experience serving as a council member (secretary and Vice President on two residential strata properties in Victoria (2012-2023).
Sebastian Heron
Sebastian is the Youth Representative and brings bright and fresh eyes to the Two Eyed Seeing Board of Directors. He is a young Indigenous man with a keen interest in automotives. He has completed the first year of his Auto Service Technician training and works full time detailing and custom-wrapping high-end cars. On occasion, Sebastian has worked as a Youth Catalyst for Two Eyed Seeing Consulting, sharing his experiences in education, employment and training with other Indigenous youth who are searching for their ideal career path.
Dean Heron
In addition to his work experience as an Artist, Educator and Community Capacity Developer, Dean also has considerable Board experience, most recently serving three terms on the BC Arts Council. He first became involved in Board membership in 2005, when Choices Adoption and Counselling Services approached him to sit on their Board. Dean has also been invited to participate in many Committees over time, including: the Northwest Community College Awards Ctte, Course/Program Articulation Ctte, Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge Advisory Ctte and the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art Advisory Committee.
Therese Hagen
Therese’s Board experience includes serving as the Northwest Sub-Regional Representative At-Large to the Northern Regional Table and Member of the Northern First Nations Health Partnership Committee. As such, Therese represented the 23 Northwest Region First Nations communities in BC to further their health priorities and providing strategic direction and input into discussions for program delivery and priority setting. She brings her background in working in, with and for First Nations Administrations to the Board, as well as her years of experience working in the Public Sector as a communications specialist.
