Lena Mallary Russ is a Haida woman from Haida Gwaii and the founder of Maaman Gitanee Consulting. She brings more than 18 years of combined experience in executive leadership, Indigenous governance, grant management, business development, and operational strategy — and a career built on the belief that strong organizations grow from strong relationships.

Lena grew up surrounded by a lineage of Haida women whose strength, integrity, and matriarchal leadership shaped her worldview. "Maaman Gitanee" is the name of that matriarchal Haida clan, whose origins trace to the lands of Haida Gwaii. It is the foundation the business is built on — not as a brand, but as a commitment.

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Executive Experience

As Director of Operations at The Four Pillars Society, Lena provides executive-level strategic leadership and full operational oversight, partnering with the Board to develop governance policy, reporting systems, and strategic priorities in compliance with legislative requirements. She leads stakeholder engagement across 325 Nations, directs organizational workflow design, and oversees performance management for staff and leadership.

Previously, Lena served as RISE Grant Manager at ISPARC (Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council), directing the full program lifecycle from strategy and promotion through allocation, monitoring, evaluation, and funder reporting. As Indigenous Relations Coordinator with British Columbia Infrastructure Benefits, she led province-wide strategic initiatives to increase Indigenous workforce participation in provincial infrastructure, serving as the primary liaison across government, industry, and community stakeholders.

Earlier in her career, she held Operations Administrator and Business Development roles at Haico Enterprises and Haida Wild, working directly with the CEO and Board on governance documentation, strategic projects, sales strategy, and international market development. At the Council of the Haida Nation, she founded and led the citizenship department from the ground up, building a 39-clan genealogical database, directing more than 100 community meetings across Haida Gwaii, and developing the Citizenship Nation Policy.

Before pivoting to Indigenous governance, Lena built 18 years of hospitality leadership, including serving as part of the opening team for 7 new restaurant locations.

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Board and Governance 

Lena currently serves as a Board Director at PLAN Okanagan, contributing to governance oversight, strategic direction, and organizational decision-making. She brings firsthand governance perspective to every client engagement.

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Education 

• Professional Sales Certificate, Langara College, Vancouver, BC

• Diploma in Social Work, Langara College, Vancouver, BC

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Current Roles 

• Director of Operations, The Four Pillars Society (April 2024 – Present)

• Strategic Advisor and Special Projects, Authentic Indigenous Seafood (April 2023 – Present)

• Board Director, PLAN Okanagan (July 2026 – Present)