Meet the Team
Cody Thomas MPH, BHSc
Founder/Senior Lead Consultant
Cody is a Mohawk, Bear clan from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, Ontario, Canada. He grew up living on reserve and draws on lived experience in all aspects of his personal and professional life striving to improve the quality of life for First Nations people across Canada. Cody has experience in community-based settings specializing in mental health and wellness, addictions, and social aid support. Looking to further his education, Cody completed his Bachelors of Health Sciences at Western University and later returned to pursue a graduate degree in a Master of Public Health. From these opportunities, Cody understands the realities of living in two worlds (Western and Indigenous) as this is something he believes has helped him grow throughout the years. Cody acknowledges the importance of culture and tradition, and the ways of knowing as he embodies these as core values which reflect in his work ethic. This teaching has led to his adoption of the Two-Eyed Seeing approach, as he combines Indigenous traditional ways of knowing with Western knowledge to facilitate innovation and sustainability. At the core of partnership, Cody believes the most vital aspect to successful work is engaging in meaningful relationships.
Jessica Hill MPH, BHSc
Senior Lead Consultant
Jess is a Mohawk, Bear clan of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in Ontario, Canada. She grew up living on reserve and developed a passion for working alongside First Nations communities to improve overall population health and wellness. Jess brings lived experience and professional skills as a strong First Nations health advocate in various areas of public health and building healthy communities. While working with First Nations communities across BC, Jess carries expertise in building community health and wellness plans, planning/reporting/evaluation transformation, community engagement, and participatory action research.
Jess graduated with an Honors Specialization in Health Sciences from Western University in London, Ontario. Her journey focused on community-based settings and specialized in strength-based, holistic approaches within the mental health and wellness field. Jess wanted to create meaningful change at the systems-level and decided to pursue higher education graduating from Western University with a Master of Public Health in 2019.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Jess has expanded her skills into Emergency Preparedness and Response planning and first-hand experience at the provincial level response efforts during her time under the First Nations Health Authority. Jess acknowledges the importance of community-lead practices bringing culture and traditions to the forefront of health and wellness. Jess is a life-long learner and continues to value meaningful relationships with First Nations communities and health partners.