Sxwpilemaát Siyám, also known as Chief Leanne Joe, of the Squamish Nation, is one of sixteen Hereditary Chiefs of the Squamish Nation and the first female Chief of her Lackett Joe Family. She shares her ancestral name with her late father, Sxwpilem Siyám, Chief Philip Joe and all the Siyams before her. Sxwpilemaát Siyám is also a descendent of the Kwakwaka’wakw speaking people and carries the traditional name of Q-Gee-Sea Loud, which was given to her by her late Cheecheeya (grandmother on her mother’s side). She is also a descendant of the Thomas family of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation on her late grandmother’s side of the family (late father’s mother, Emma Thomas).

Sxwpilemaát Siyám was born and raised on the beautiful shores of North Vancouver while having close relations to her roots on the east coast shores of Vancouver Island. She moved to the Nicola Valley over 16 years ago, after she met, fell in love and married Timothy ‘Spike’ Manuel (N’petkwulax), from Upper Nicola Band (Sylix Speaking People) and also has relations to the Nlaka’pamux and Shuswap Peoples. Sxwpilemaát Siyám and N’petkwulax have a 16-year old son named Isaac, who carries Sylix, Sḵwxwu7mesh and Kwakwaka’wakw traditional names. Sxwpilemaát Siyám’s husband is a traditional knowledge keeper/cultural teacher and works with youth and community to engage them in rebuilding their cultural teachings and knowledge. Their son is their life teacher as he engages them in healing, listening, laughter and patience.

Sxwpilemaát Siyám holds space in many organizations, focusing her work on Economic Reconciliation,rematriatian and education. She owns her own consulting company, Siyam Consulting. In her former role as Transformative Storyteller for Economic Reconciliation, with Simon Fraser University, Faculty of Environment, Community Economic Development she co-authored Step into the River: An Economic Reconciliation Framework. She also supports SFU Beedie School of Business and many other Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations through her consulting business.

Sxwpilemaát Siyám serves as a Trustee for the Squamish Nation Trust and Board of Directors for the New Relationship Trust. She serves and has served as an advisory or board member for many other entities. Her educational background includes a B.A. in Business, Community Economic Development Certificate and many other related trainings and experiences.

Sxwpilemaát Siyám is a very passionate and resilient woman who is committed to working with others to keep her circle strong and continue the movement towards sovereignty. She believes her People’s greatest legacy is the children, thus, it is our responsibility to ensure that our children’s future and the generations to follow have a good life based in a holistic approach to wealth and well-being. So, that all the ‘People Yet to Be’ have
the tools to engage in the world in a completely different way than we have and can walk in two worlds with ease…using the past to make a better a future.