We are grateful to the dedicated and amazing individuals serving on Yukonstruct’s Board of Directors for the upcoming term. Your leadership, expertise and commitment to our organization means so much to us, and we’re excited for what you will continue to build together.
Hello Yukonstruct,
I’m delighted to be working with an energetic and diverse board. We’ll be meeting this summer to develop our approach and direction for the coming year. We’ll share our plans in the fall. In the meantime, I hope you’re enjoying the brief but beautiful Yukon summer with people you love (or just like a lot).
– Jaime Mellott (serving in the role of Board President)
Newly Elected Board of Directors
Ashley Cummings
Director
Ashley Cummings (Komangaapik) is an artist and storyteller with extensive experience in Inuit knowledge sharing, community-based programming, and youth engagement. Her work spans international expedition education, mental health advocacy, and nonprofit governance, and she’s widely recognized for centring Inuit and northern perspectives in program design and leadership.
A familiar face at Yukonstruct after working here in a few different roles (and a fan of the wood and metal shops), Ashley is looking to give back to a space she loves.
Jodie McKitchen
Secretary
Jodie McKitchen has lived in the Yukon since 2016 and recently transitioned out of her role as Executive Director of YWITT, where she worked closely with the Yukonstruct team since 2022. She has just launched her own business, Yukon Events, an event planning and coordination company.
Jodie brings nonprofit leadership experience, an entrepreneur’s perspective fresh from launching her own venture, and a passion for engaging with local businesses and supporting Whitehorse’s community of makers and entrepreneurs.
Laura Seeley
Director
Laura is a communications professional with experience in federal and territorial government, originally from small-town Ontario and a Yukoner since late 2021. She’s passionate about plain language and helping people feel more connected to the issues that shape their lives.
She’s drawn to Yukonstruct’s practical role connecting entrepreneurs, small businesses, and community across the North, and sees the Board as a chance to give back to a place she cares about.
Murray Long
Director
Murray brings decades of policy, communications, and government relations experience, including roles at Telesat, Stentor, and his own consulting practice, where he became a leading Canadian expert on private sector privacy law. He has served on four prior boards, including as Chair of the Lanark County Community Justice Program.
At Yukonstruct, he has mentored two Maker Academies and donated tools to the Makespace. Having just stepped off the Habitat Yukon Board, he’s looking for a new way to serve.
Our new Board members each bring valuable experience, fresh perspectives, and a shared commitment to supporting Yukonstruct’s mission. Their leadership will play an important role as we continue to strengthen our programs, serve our community, and create space for people to meet, make, and grow. Congratulations and a warm welcome to Yukonstruct’s new Board of Directors. We’re excited for the work ahead and grateful to have them with us.
Returning Board of Directors
Director
Vice President
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Director
Outgoing Board of Directors
With deep gratitude, we thank our outgoing Board of Directors for their time, dedication, and leadership. Their contributions have helped strengthen Yukonstruct, shape our programs, and support the makers, entrepreneurs, creators, and community members we serve across the Yukon.
A special thank you goes to our outgoing Board President, John Glynn-Morris. John’s thoughtful leadership, generosity, and commitment have left a lasting impact on Yukonstruct. He has led with integrity and a strong belief in the power of community, reflecting the values that define our organization.
To all of our outgoing board members, thank you. Your contributions are deeply appreciated, and your impact will continue to be felt as Yukonstruct moves forward into its next chapter.
Dear Members, Staff, and Partners,
This marks my final letter as President of Yukonstruct. This has been my third tenure on the board; having been one of the founding members and the society’s first president, I have intentionally chosen to step on and off over the years. I believe deeply that mixing up perspectives, strengths, and ideas is essential for the health of any organization. Yukonstruct should never rely on a single focal point—to do so only dilutes its relevance and its true potential. It has been an absolute pleasure to serve, and I look forward to staying involved and contributing in new ways.
As I step back, I want to leave you with a few perspectives on the world as it stands today.
We are navigating a profound moment of disruption—not just here at home, but across the territory, the country, and the globe. But for those of us who champion possibilities through innovation and creativity, we must remember that disruption is the very soil in which opportunity grows. I hope we can each seize these moments to advance positive, purposeful changes for ourselves and our communities.
Furthermore, we find ourselves in a world facing increased fracturing, layering, and polarization. As the economy tightens for so many, history warns us that these pressures can deepen social divides. I raise this because our ability to bridge those gaps is vital. Amidst our diverse backgrounds, the true strength of Yukonstruct lies in the people. Everyone who has benefited from, contributed to, and will carry forward our mission is bound by a bedrock of shared values—chief among them, an unwavering belief in possibilities and a better world.
None of this happens in a vacuum. Thank you to our members, sponsors, and funders for your continued belief in what was—and still is—a bold, audacious idea. Thank you to our staff, who pour so much into this organization, often putting in immense effort behind the scenes where it goes unseen. Thank you to our volunteers for your generous contributions. To my fellow Board of Directors: thank you for bringing your talent and wisdom to the table, choosing to dedicate your time here when you have so many other demands and options.
Last, but certainly not least, I want to extend my gratitude to Shayna, our intrepid Executive Director. Over her three years and counting of service, her sharp financial acumen and careful attention to organizational culture have been foundational. Her hard work, perseverance, and dedication are truly exemplary.
If we believe it, yes We-Can in the Yukon!
Enjoy the summer,
John
Outgoing President, Yukonstruct