Tsekonámus Rosemary Stager is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Líl̓wat Business Group (LBG).
Appointed in August 2023, Rosemary Stager is the first woman to become CEO of he Líl̓wat Business Group. She brings extensive experience in the administration of Indigenous organizations to this role with the Líl̓wat Nation’s arms-length economic development corporation. However, her involvement with LBG dates back more than a decade. As a council member for Líl̓wat Nation, Rosemary held the Economic Development portfolio for much of the 12 years she was in office, developing a solid understanding of regional business opportunities, strategic partnerships, and how to best address community needs. And early in her working life, she worked at the original Líl̓wat Gas, managing the convenience store when the business group was known as Creekside Resources.
Before assuming the role of CEO with LBG, Rosemary worked for almost a decade in the health care sector in senior leadership positions. Before joining LBG she was the Executive Director at the Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society (VAHS). In addition to overseeing a team of almost 100 people working in four distinct programs in two locations, she introduced vital cultural programming. A passionate proponent of living a decolonized life, she brought land-based healing and traditional Indigenous knowledge to the urban Indigenous community of Vancouver by creating opportunities for traditional wellness, such as participating in sweat lodges, drumming and taking part in ceremonies, including the powerful Lakota Yuwipi ceremony. She was also the driving force behind VAHS hosting Vancouver’s first Father’s Day Weekend Powwow in June 2023, an event that brought out thousands of spectators and hundreds of performers from across Turtle Island.
At VAHS, she built on the experience she had gained as Health Director for the Southern Stl’atl’imx Health Society (SSHS) from 2015-2021. Under her leadership, SSHS adopted a vision of providing Stl’atl’imx-enhanced holistic health services and a mission to weave traditional wellness into services the organization delivered to its member communities of N’Quatqua, Samahquam, Skatin and Xa’xtsa.
While at SSHS, she guided the expansion of its health and wellness services, developing a team of nearly 40 staff and contractors to deliver innovative, culturally grounded programming. Designed to strengthen SSHS’s members’ cultural and community connections, these projects included the Native American Music Award-winning recording Lateral Kindness, and The Nt̓ákmen Calendar, a field guide to the food and medicine plants found in the Southern Stl’atl’imx region, and opportunities for members to engage in traditional First Nations ceremonies.
Rosemary was recognized for her work in land-based healing in 2016 with a First Nations Health Directors Association (FNHDA) Inspiration Award for Grounding Work Within Culture and Tradition, and in 2023 with a YWCA Women of Distinction Award nomination.
Deeply committed to community, Rosemary is a determined capacity-builder. She is dedicated to investigating new business prospects, expanding LBG’s offerings and building on existing projects to bring greater prosperity to Líl̓wat families through the development of more well-paying jobs and training opportunities. One of her goals is to expand support services and develop a framework for Líl̓wat entrepreneurs to help ensure the success of their businesses. This Lil̓wat7úl entrepreneurial ventures project will be an important aspect of Líl̓wat Marketplace, a project in development in the community’s commercial core.
Her vision for LBG is to grow its reputation as a leader in Indigenous-led business, maintain and develop strong partnerships, expand its holdings, and create opportunities that enrich the lives of Líl̓wat citizens. Her ultimate goal is an economically empowered Líl̓wat Nation, with residents contributing to and supporting a sustainable economy.
Rosemary’s passion for Indigenous advocacy and leadership stems from her upbringing as the daughter of the late Stl’atl’imx Hereditary Chief Allen Stager. She has had a distinguished political career, which has included negotiating significant agreements such as 2017’s Whistler Blackcomb Master Development Agreement. She has also sat on numerous committees and boards including the FNHDA Board of from 2019-2023.
The mother of four adult children, Rosemary is also the grandmother of seven. She shares her life with her husband, Án̓wasúlmec Brett Wallace in their home in Líl̓wat Nation. Both she and Brett spend time exploring what Nt̓ákmen (The Ways of Our Ancestors) means and participating in cultural events. An avid home chef, Rosemary enjoys preparing traditional Stl’atl’imx foods and hosting gatherings for friends and family, cherishing moments of connection and celebration.
