About Us
ABORIGINAL FINANCIAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF ATLANTIC CANADA
AFOA Atlantic is registered as a non-profit organization. It is governed by a board elected by AFOA members within Atlantic Canada. The chapter was founded in 2006 and has been run by its board members on a voluntary basis. AFOA Atlantic is financed through membership fees.
Board of Directors
Debbie Christmas, CAFM, CAPA
Chair
Director of Finance Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs
Debbie is a band member of the Paqtnkek First Nation. She is currently employed at the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs (APC) as the Director of Finance. She now resides in Dartmouth, NS; but her heart is still with her home Community. Debbie earned her Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager (CAFM) designation from AFOA Canada and is currently working on her Certified Aboriginal Administrator (CAPA) designation through AFOA Canada as well.
Prior to working with APC Debbie worked for the Paqtnkek First Nation for 28 years. She started as the Receptionist, then the Social Development Administrator and finally as the Financial Comptroller. She also volunteered for numerous activities and still helps out whenever she is home.
Debbie believes that education is the key to moving the Communities forward no matter what your age or background is. She is passionate about her work and the benefits it can provide to First Nation Communities and Organizations.
Annie E. Johnson, CIHRP, CAPA
Vice-Chair
Director of Administration Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources
Annie E. Johnson is the Director of Administration at the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources (UINR), a Mi’kmaq natural resources organization that serves all of the Mi’kmaq communities of Unama’ki (Cape Breton). Annie is a band member of Eskasoni First Nation and resides there with her partner Robert and her two dogs. She is the proud daughter of a residential school survivor and a Mi’kmaq language immersion teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Community Studies degree and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Cape Breton University. Annie is currently working on her Certified Aboriginal Public Administrator (CAPA) designation from AFOA Canada.
Annie began working at UINR in 2005 as a summer student in their finance office and has since been a finance clerk, Finance Officer and finally Director of Administration. Annie has been a board member of AFOA Atlantic for many years now and aspires towards promoting financial wellness in our Indigenous communities.
Jennifer is a band member and resident of Membertou. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University College of Cape Breton (currently Cape Breton University). In 2017, Jennifer earned her Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator (CAPA) designation from AFOA Canada and completed the Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities program at Harvard Business School. Jennifer received her First Nations Housing Professional (FNHP) designation from the First Nations Housing Professionals Association in September of 2023.
Jennifer began working for the First Nations Market Housing Fund in January 2023 as a Senior Program Officer. Jennifer assists First Nations communities across the country implement, sustain or improve market-based or loan-based housing in their communites by coordinating capacity development activities related to homeownership. Prior to working for the Fund, Jennifer worked with Membertou for 20 years; she began in the Finance Department, but the majority of her time with Membertou was as its Policy Coordinator. She oversaw all policy development and maintenance for Membertou and chaired the Policy Review Committee and Housing Advisory Committee.
Jennifer is a member of:
- AFOA Atlantic Board of Directors
- Micmacs of Gesgapegiag Finance and Audit Committee
- Membertou Governance Committee
- Nova Scotia Native Women’s Association Board of Directors
- Native Woman’s Association of Canada Board of Directors
Sarah Doyle, CPA
Treasurer
Mary Collier, CAFM
Director
Finance Administrator Ulnooweg Development Group Inc
Mary is currently employed at Ulnooweg Development Group as Financial Comptroller. Before that was employed by home community of Potlotek First Nation as their Chief Financial Officer. She is the sole proprietor of Mary Collier Accounting which assists clients in keeping bookkeeping records and training them to understand their company’s financial outlook.
Mary graduated from Cape Breton University in 1999 with BBA. She received her CAFM designation from AFOA Canada in 2006. She is currently working on her CPA designation.
Mary is a mother of 4, grandmother of 14 and is the eldest of 14 children.
Connie Moon-Martin, CAFM, CAPA
Director
Senior Accountant Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government
Connie Moon Martin is a band and community member of Listuguj. Connie began her finance career in 1993 as an Accounts Payable Clerk for the Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government (LMG). She is currently the Senior Accountant at LMG, where she concentrates on implementing modern accounting techniques and developing a strong finance team for Listuguj.
Connie studied business and political science at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). Through AFOA Canada, Connie earned a Certified Aboriginal Finance Manager (CAFM) designation in 2014. She then went on to complete the Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities program at Harvard Business School in 2018. Connie recently received her second designation from AFOA Canada as a Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator (CAPA) in 2019.
Throughout her career, Connie has worked closely with her colleagues to shape and evolve the governance of Listuguj through policy development. She has been involved in developing Human Resource, Finance, Governance and Information Technology policies all while promoting the importance of accountability and transparency; and helping to build a road map to long-term growth. She is currently leading the Listuguj Finance Team, with the help of First Nations Financial Management Board (FMB), to achieve a Financial Management System and Performance Certifications.
In addition to the AFOA Atlantic Board of Directors, Connie’s active boards and committees include:
- Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government Finance and Audit Committee
- Listuguj Mi’gmaq Development Centre Board of Directors
- Campbellton Library Board of Directors
Cynthia Howland, CAPA
Director
Kent D. Ferguson, B. Comm, FCPA, FCGA, CFE, CAFM
Director
Kent is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) formerly from and currently residing in Prince Edward Island.
Kent graduated from Dalhousie University in 1978, received his accounting designation in 1984, Certified Fraud Examiner designation (CFE) in 1997, awarded his Fellowship accounting designation (FCPA, FCGA) in 2001 and obtained the Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager certification (CAFM) in 2002.
Over the past 4 decades plus, Kent has spent time in a variety of accounting/auditor related working environments including as Controller/CFO for groups of companies in Nova Scotia, Quebec and PEI, Manager for an accounting firm in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (NWT) and in Frobisher Bay/Iqaluit, in Nunavut before journeying to Christchurch, New Zealand first as an Audit Manager and then as an Insolvency/Receivership Manager for an international accounting organization. On his return from New Zealand in 1991, Kent spent a short time as Partner in an accounting firm in Hay River, NWT before returning to Yellowknife, NWT as Partner in another accounting firm. Kent retired from that firm in 2008 and returned to PEI and since then has provided some professional services to that firm as requested, particularly in the area of Quality Control Reviews.
During these years, Kent has worked extensively with indigenous groups particularly throughout the NWT, Nunavut and Yukon and to a lesser extent in New Zealand with Māori connected organizations. In Northern Canada the groups included Band Councils, Development Corps, Regional Health and Education Councils, Hamlet/Community Councils, Local Education Authorities, Local Housing Associations/Authorities, Airlines, other indigenous/govt non-profits and private run entities.
Kent has been on numerous local, provincial/territorial and national accounting boards and committees, as well as some other volunteer boards as time allowed.
Kent resides in Burton, PEI with another accountant/auditor, his spouse Laurie Ouellette, FCPA, FCGA, TEP.
