Current Chair, Members and staff

Chair

Herb Nakimayak (2021 to present), Paulatuk, NT

Herb was raised in Paulatuk, NT, with a traditional lifestyle (including hunting, fishing, and trapping) by his parents Helen and Jonah. Jonah and many other hunters taught Herb values and principles that he carries each day in all that he does. Herb presently lives in Yellowknife, NT, with his family, spending time hunting and fishing.

From 2014 to 2018, Herb served as Vice President for Inuit Circumpolar Council, Canada. During this time, he had a direct role in the negotiations with other Arctic states on the Central Arctic Ocean fisheries agreement. Herb also served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for the riding of Nunakput (Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk, and Ulukhaktok) from 2015-2019.  During his term there were many accomplishments reached such as passing the Environment Act, and many other bills that have improved the quality of life of residents in the NWT. Most recently, he worked with DFO developing the new Arctic Region. Herb has developed strong relationships and partnerships with Indigenous, territorial, and federal governments and his diverse work history has led him to become a valuable resource in all capacities, from the front line to negotiating in the boardroom. He has been effective in developing strategies to enable Inuit to thrive and succeed at home or internationally, and has proven to be a strong, resilient leader and team player.

Members

Burton Ayles (1997 to present) – Canada Member, Winnipeg, MB

Dr. Ayles joined the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as a fisheries research scientist in 1972. He has served in several different senior managerial positions with the Central and Arctic Region of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. He first became involved in Arctic programs in 1979 when he participated in a Departmental reorganization that led to the establishment of Arctic marine mammal research programs at the Freshwater Institute. He has also served as a Canadian member of the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission.

Gerald Inglangasuk (2013- 2019, 2021 to present), Inuvik, NT

Lois Harwood (2021 to present) – Canada Member, Yellowknife, NT 

Lois has lived and worked in the north for over 30 years, holds a BSc with distinction from the University of Victoria (Marine Biology) and a M.Sc. (Zoology) from the University of Alberta (1989). Her work has focused on marine mammals and freshwater/anadromous fishes in the Beaufort Sea region, including with the private sector on Beaufort Sea oil and gas environmental impact assessments, as FJMC staff biologist 1988-1991, and 28 years as aquatic biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Working closely with Indigenous knowledge holders, she designed, co-delivered and published multiple long-term research and monitoring projects assessing trend, status, harvests, reproduction and body condition of beluga whales, ringed seals and Arctic char. She also conducted several multi-year, marine mammal aerial survey and satellite tagging programs. Lois was a recipient of the FJMC Cooperative Management Award (2000, co-recipient 2003), a Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal (2002), was co-recipient (2010) of the US Dept. of Interior Partner in Conservation Award, is a Research Fellow of the Arctic Institute of North America (since 2004), serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for the journal Arctic, and was an Acting Canada Member on FJMC from August 2019 to January 2021.

Stan Ruben (2022 to present) – Inuvialuit Member, Inuvik, NT

Alternates

Eileen Jacobson  (2023 to present) – Inuvialuit Alternate Member, Tuktoyaktuk, NT

Tyrone Raddi  (2023 to present) – Inuvialuit Alternate Member, Tuktoyaktuk, NT

Staff

Shannon O’Hara (2023 to present) – RP & Community Liaison, Inuvik, NT

Stacey Challinor (2023 to present) – Fisheries Management Biologist, Inuvik, NT

Stacey was born and raised in a rural fishing community in Newfoundland called Cape Broyle. She has grown up surrounded by small scale fisheries and has worked directly within them in the past as her father was a lifelong fisherman who sailed all over Newfoundland. Stacey studied at Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland from 2017-2022. She has a Diploma of Marine Environmental Technology, Bachelor of Technology (Engineering and Applied Science) and Master of Marine Studies (Fisheries Resource Management). She is the recipient of the Marine Institute’s Students on Ice Scholarship (2019), Dr. Aidan Maloney Scholarship in Fisheries Resource Management (2022) and Women in Cybersecurity and Technology FAST Award in Education (2022). She attributes her passion for the protection and preservation of coastal communities, small scale fisheries and the marine environment from being raised by a large family whose livelihood depends on subsistence fisheries every day. 

Lauren Aarts (2024 to present) – Resource Biologist, Inuvik, NT

Lauren has an interdisciplinary academic background from a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Masters in Sustainable Forest and Nature Management, which she completed at universities in four different countries. Her past role in New Brunswick involved working with communities to help them steward their habitats for species at risk, and her favourite part was learning from the Peskotomuhkati Nation as they worked toward establishing their Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA). Lauren is excited to transition into this new position and to work alongside the dedicated and knowledgeable team at FJMC. She hopes to continue her journey of learning from the beautiful land and people of the Inuvialuit region.