The Abegweit First Nation is a tight-knit group that works hard together to serve our community. Every week brings new challenges, and every week we work together to meet them. We continuously work together to build something meaningful and lasting for our community and we strive to approach everything we do with a holistic basis in mind.
Mary Ellen Knockwood
Finance Director & Chief’s Executive Assistant
Mary Ellen Knockwood has been an employee with the Abegweit First Nation for over 25 years. She has been involved in many roles over these years such as grass cutter, home care for elders, teaching assistant, and for the past 15 years has been the Finance Director for Abegweit.
Mary Ellen enjoys Simply Accounting and, over the years she’s been in her role, she has learned a great deal. Always seeking to better herself and improve her knowledge, she is currently in the process of getting her Certified Aboriginal Finance Manager (CAFM) certification.
She cares deeply for her First Nation community and wants to see the community thrive. Mary Ellen’s belief in the community provides her with a passion that drives her in her professional roles and further compels her to get involved in community events – such as cooking for larger community events like the powwow.
When Mary Ellen isn’t busy in the community she enjoys spending her personal time with her family, especially her 4 grandchildren. One may also find her in her garden, swimming, reading her bible, or deeply engaged with a jigsaw puzzle or two.
Sarah Doyle
Senior Operations Officer
Sarah Doyle CPA, CA has been with the Abegweit First Nation since April 2019. She is part of Chief’s ‘red carpet team’ and works with the finance and senior management teams.
If you were to ask Sarah what she does every day, she would respond with “whatever the day requires”. Sarah was formerly with Grant Thornton where she was an Audit Senior Manager and was based in the Montague office. She has worked with several municipal governments and not-for-profit organizations as well as small businesses and personal tax returns.
When Sarah is not busy helping to solve the latest crisis she enjoys keeping busy with her two children. She is active in Sports in the Montague area, coaching Ringette and being the treasurer of several organizations. Sarah also volunteers with CPA PEI’s Financial literacy program and is passionate about educating everyone from students to seniors about the importance of financial literacy. She enjoys gardening, boating, the beach in the summer, and you might find her snowshoeing around Scotchfort on her lunch break in the winter.
Gerard Gould
Health Director
Gerard Gould is a father of twin boys and is happily married to his wife Tara. Being born on PEI and raised in Scotchfort with his siblings, he grew up with very loving parents that taught him a multitude of values that continue to ring true today.
Gerard has been the health director for Abegweit First Nation since 2004 and still passionately enjoys his job, fifteen years and counting. During this time he has been heavily involved with numerous programs and projects, working diligently toward increasing health services and creating positions for qualified community members. Yet, the ultimate accomplishment that he is most proud of is getting Abegweit First Nation health services Nationally Accredited with Accreditation Canada, which has allowed for and created numerous advantages to further build upon and promote pride within a first nation community.
When he’s not dedicating himself to the betterment of community health, Gerard’s personal enjoyment comes from raising his children and engaging in recreational activities with them. In all aspects of his life, he believes that growing up in competitive sports like hockey and baseball has made all the difference in the world.
“If one Indigenous person is able to get ahead in life, we all get ahead in life!”
Tyrone Paul
Acting Director of Natural Resources
Tyrone is very proud to be working with the Abegweit First Nation as the Acting Director of Natural Resources, having started with Abegweit in January of 2020.
He brings a very diverse professional background and considerable experience to the Natural Resources Department (“NeRD”) Team. Through his past involvement in the private, non-profit, provincial and federal government sectors, Tyrone applies a strategic and multidisciplinary view to the work he does while keeping in line with his traditional upbringing, teachings, and values.
When he’s not busy writing, strategizing, helping a team member, or otherwise creating for the greater professional good, you can find him laughing with someone nearby, cooking at home for his lovely wife, and having deep, philosophical conversations with his two dogs when he’s sure no one is listening in.
Olive Crane
Director of Operations
Olive Crane started working with the Abegweit First Nation in January 2018 as the Director of Economic Development. Her dedication in her role with the AFN and her expertise in a wide variety of areas have led to a breadth and depth of experience that have been invaluable to the community and its administration since she joined the team.
Prior to her time with the AFN, Olive spent time as an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in PEI and worked in provincial government in a variety of departments from social services to agriculture. Early in her career, along with her husband and their wild blueberry farm, she even played a part in expanding on the wild blueberry industry in PEI.
As a family focused person who loves children, and spending time with family, especially at large family gatherings, Olive has always wanted to work within the Abegweit community as her three children grew up, went to school, and played sports with many of the young people from this community – so she has always found a connection to Abegweit and its people.
Outside of work, you might find Olive reading or catching up on some Netflix, if she’s not showering her granddaughter with love and affection.