William Julius Mussell

William Julius Mussell

Health (2015)

“Remember to call people by their name. Help them to remember who they are, the importance of family history, and value of personal pride, dignity, and togetherness.”

Bill was the first of his community to graduate from high school, and the first of his cultural territory to graduate from university. He has held roles as Executive Director of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, founding chair of the Coqualeetza Cultural-Education Centre, co-founder of the Sal’i’shan Institute, President and Co-chair of the Native Mental Health Association of Canada, and Chair of the First Nation, Inuit, and Métis Advisory Committee to the Mental Health Commission of Canada. His research experience has focused primarily upon Indigenous social development, education, health, management, and mental health issues. He has 50 years of volunteer experience, including service on the executive of the North American Indian Brotherhood, leader and spokesperson of the Sto:lo First Nation, and treasurer and president of the Vancouver Indian Friendship Centre. He has worked to build bridges between traditional knowledge and mainstream ways of learning. He continues to serve as the principal educator of the Sal’i’shan Institute, a private, post-secondary education organization that specializes in health, education, mental health, addictions, and social development.