Inuvik Native Band’s Laska Nerysoo was declared Band Manager of the Year and Behchokǫ̀’s Pushp Seth won Senior Administrator of the Year at an awards ceremony this week.
Community and band leaders’ organization Local Government Administrators of the NWT, or LGANT, held its awards gala on Tuesday evening.
Nerysoo, born and raised in Inuvik, said she only took on the role of band manager in January after joining the band office last November as a receptionist.
“It’s a lot of work and a lot of things to get used to, like learning about all the funding opportunities and treaty rights, and just how to take care of our members,” she told Cabin Radio.
“It’s been a big role. It’s taken a lot to get used to but I am starting to feel comfortable and I am starting to kind-of trust myself to make decisions.
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“I’m super grateful and honoured. It’s been a crazy year with my new role and I’m just super appreciative that I was able to receive it.”
Nerysoo pursued her education in Edmonton and BC before returning north in 2017 to work as a support assistant at Inuvik’s East Three Elementary School.
She says the best part about her current job is working alongside wonderful and supportive colleagues.
She thanked her mother, who has been a mentor throughout, and Rami Kaur from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada for helping her adjust to the role.
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“I am hoping to stay in that position for as long as I can and, you know, one day maybe be chief,” she said.
‘A team of good people’
Seth, who has been the senior administrator of Behchokǫ̀ for two years, said he wasn’t expecting his name to be called out and got “a bit overwhelmed” to find he was the recipient.
“I am that kind of a person who would just do work in the [background] and not show you … Do your work and if somebody rewards you or awards you, it’s OK. If not, just do your duty,” he said.
Prior to moving to Behchokǫ̀, Seth worked as a finance manager at the community government in Whatì for roughly eight years. He said he “learnt a lot” from the community’s former senior administrator, Lisa Nitsiza.
After graduating in 1998, Seth said he worked in accounting and finance for 24 years and needed a change, which is when he applied for the role in Behchokǫ̀.
“I am very grateful to the Tłı̨chǫ people. They trust me a lot and now [residents of] Whatì, whenever they meet me in Yellowknife or Behchokǫ̀, they say they miss us – me and my wife. My wife was a teacher there and the kids used to love her,” he said.
“I’m grateful to my staff because I got this award due to their hard work and the guidance of our Chief Clifford Daniels. Our council is very progressive. I don’t know why I was selected for the award. It was all the effort of my staff. If you have a team of good people, then you can do it.
“I think I still have a lot of things to do for Behchokǫ̀. I need to do a lot of improvement in my work. It’s always an ongoing process – to learn and deliver, right?”
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Seth was presented the award by Hay River town manager Glenn Smith, who won the award last year, while Nerysoo’s award was given out by Cathy Goulet, who works closely with band managers through a program funded by Cirnac.
LGANT executive director Melanie Murphy said a small selection committee was established for each award category and winners were “selected based on information received and the criteria for selection.”
The gala was attended by communities minister Vince McKay and GNWT deputy ministers alongside LGANT partners and sponsors.
“It was a great networking opportunity,” Murphy said.
