Ester Little is from ƛaʔuukwiʔatḥ (tla-o-qui-aht), with Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet First Nation) roots on her mother’s side. She carries a deep connection to her culture through dance, language, and community.

Ester is dedicated to learning and speaking nuučaan̓uł, and she values the time she spends with Elders, grounding herself in their teachings and guidance.

Vincent Titian is ƛaʔuukwiʔatḥ (Tla-o- qui-aht) and expresses his culture through creating nuučaan̓uł art. He brings creativity, passion, and positive energy—always sharing the stoke—into his work and his time with mułaa.

Vincent has been with mułaa for four years, and became a Youth Advisor in fall 2025. We are honoured to have him on our team! 

Chyyah Rampanen descends from John Rampanen and carries ancestry from Ahousaht, ƛaʔuukwiʔatḥ (tla-o-qui-aht) and Finnish roots. On her mother’s side, Nitanis Desjarlais is Cree from the Fort McMurray First Nation.

Chyahh is deeply rooted in her culture and expresses this through her strong interest in cedar weaving and regalia making. She is a budding artist, continuing to grow her creative gifts while staying connected to her cultural teachings.

Ivan is from ʔiiḥatisatḥ (ehattesaht) First Nation and Tsimtian from Lax-kw’alaams. 

Ivan is a photographer and Youth Advisor for the mulaa surf program. He has enjoyed his time participating and working with the team.

Ivan believes that being around and in the water is healing for the mind, body and soul and is very educational for the respect of water and how to move with it, which is a strong part of nuučaańuł culture. 

Surfing can be joyous to all levels from novice to pro, which is why it's so great and Ivan is excited to help bring surfing to nuučaańuł youth on the island.

ʔukłaas KC Hale, I’m ƛaʔuukwiʔatḥ (tla-o-qui-aht). I joined mułaa in 2022, and it deepened my love for surfing, land stewardship, and food sovereignty. 

Through surfing, I’ve been able to reconnect with my nuučaanuł culture, opening pathways to my heritage and strengthening my relationship with my ancestors. Supporting youth in finding their way in the ocean, with respect and connection, brings me both pride and joy.

Isha is a member of the ʕaaḥuusʔatḥ and c̓išaaʔatḥ (tseshaht) First Nations. She grew up in Nanaimo and Tofino, and first joined mułaa in our Summer camp 2022 program. Isha became a Youth Facilitator in January 2024.

Along with surfing, Isha is passionate about her culture and loves to attend weekly community culture nights. She also enjoys snowboarding and watercolour painting.

My name is Haałmaʔaqsa (pronounced: haalth-ma-ahk-sah) my English name is Karemarena Frank, I am from ƛaʔuukwiʔatḥ First Nation and grew up here for most of my life. I also have roots tied to ʕaaḥuusʔatḥ as well through my mom’s side, and to Ditidaht through my dad’s side. I am one of the youth workers for my nation and a board member for mułaa!

I assist with snacks and the youth every week during surf sessions. I used to be a part of the Junior Wave Riders TFN surf group when I was younger and I’m so glad to be a part of this one as well! I believe that the water is a beautiful, healing and cleansing place. I love to help get all our youth outdoors and staying connected to the earth and waters, surfing is a great way to do it!

To see all the progress each of them make is so memorizing! I am so stoked to be a member of this amazing team of youth, staff, counselors, board members, and surf instructors that show tremendous dedication to the program and our youth.

Rachel is Ts'msyen, from Lax Kw'alaams and a member of the Gispaxlo'ots Tribe. She was born and raised in her people's traditional territory of Prince Rupert, in northern British Columbia. She currently resides on the unceded and ancestral homelands of the ƛaʔuukwiʔatḥ and nuučaan̓uł Nations, where she works alongside Nations as a dietitian, focusing on diabetes care through food sovereignty and intergenerational approaches.

Rachel is passionate about the healing powers of food and land-based physical activity, and is committed to supporting Indigenous health and well-being through culturally grounded practices. As a founding board member, she actively works toward decolonizing surfing by encouraging inclusivity, representation, and diversity in the water.

Selena Lasota is of mixed European and Coast Salish heritage. She grew up in Kyuquot and is from the Katzie First Nation. 

Selena has loved board sports throughout her life, and when she moved to ƛaʔuukwiʔatḥ Territory in 2019, she fell in love with surfing. Selena loves to spend the winter months surfing at nanakwuuʔa (North Chesterman Beach) and the summer season at yaaqsis (Long Beach) and the skateboard park.

Selena views surfing as a form of medicine and a hobby that can benefit her spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally. With mułaa, Selena enjoys helping youth build connections with their community and their land.

Ali is an ocean lover who grew up in Quebec City, with Québécois and Sénégalais background.

Between her surfing and work for the Marine Stewardship Program for Toquaht Nation, she freedives and sails. After realizing how colonization removed BIPoC communities from sectors where they used to be the natural knowledge holders, she decided to do her best to increase accessibility to people that are currently underrepresented.

She joined muuła to help empower nuučaan̓uł youth in surfing activities as they continue to develop their love for the ocean.

Shireen is Métis on her mother’s side and Persian on her father’s side and was born and raised on the Traditional Territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən people. She is grateful to now live on the Hahuulthii of the ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ Ha'wiih.

She supports the Minister’s Advisory Council on Indigenous Women (MACIW) in their aim to improve the quality of life for Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse kin. Shireen is a student and teacher of yoga.

She is passionate about uplifting Indigenous youth to cultivate a deeper connection to their breath, body and Mother Earth through the soulful experience of surfing. Since 2022, it has been an honour for Shireen to develop relationships with nuučaan̓uł youth and support them to practice siiksaanapšiił (surfing) as they connect with the ocean, their language, culture, and one another.

Sinthuran was born and raised in Toronto, the traditional territory of the Mississaugas and Chippewa bands. He is the son of Tamil Sri Lankan immigrants. 

He works in community as both a Substance Use Outreach Worker and Youth Navigator. He is also a part-time Ski Patroller and member of Westcoast Search and Rescue. 

mułaa has been a constant in Sin's life since he moved out to the coast in 2022. He is honoured to walk alongside the youth of the program, and witness their growth into adolescence as they deepen their holding and healing connections with mother earth, language, and cultural practice.

Alyssa is a passionate educator, facilitator and mental health counsellor that works with communities to develop land-based healing and educational programs. 

She is passionate about SUPing, kayaking, gardening, and being outdoors. 

Alyssa was raised on Catawba and Potolmac territory in North Carolina, and is grateful to live and play on Tla-o-qui-aht territory.

Cass Hale, Métis, originally from Treaty 8 Territory. In 2022, my family relocated to načiks to be closer to her partner’s nuučaanuł roots and to deepen our connection to this place.

Cass is a strong believer in land-based activities for everybody. Time on the land and in the water teaches us who we are, grounds us in where we come from, and guides us toward becoming better relatives — to ourselves, each other, and the natural world. She is honoured to walk along and support and learn from the youth on this journey.

Raised on Treaty 7 Territory, Brooke moved to ƛaʔuukwiʔatḥ Territory in 2019 in search of a refuge from the snow packed prairies. She has a deep connection to both the ocean and her community, leading her to join mułaa in the summer of 2024.

As a surfer, Brooke understands the importance of Indigenous representation in the water. With a professional background in the environmental non-profit sector, she leverages her skills and experiences working alongside nuučaanuł communities to drive meaningful change in surfing culture and narratives. What started off initially as a small role with 'behind the scenes' work quickly evolved into Brooke becoming a dedicated mentor to our youth, joining them in their adventures on land and in the water and sharing her passion for surfing with the team.