With immense pride, the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) congratulates T’ec Georgina Dan of the Lil’wat Nation on winning the Rising Star of the Year Award at the 2026 Whistler Excellence Awards, hosted by the Whistler Chamber of Commerce on October 22, 2026, at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.
This well-deserved recognition celebrates Georgina’s continued growth, cultural leadership, and commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for people to connect with Indigenous cultures.
As Assistant Manager of Cultural Growth and Sharing and leader of the Spo7ez Performance team, Georgina brings passion and purpose to sharing the living cultures of the Lil’wat Nation and Squamish Nation. Her leadership is grounded in creating opportunities for others to grow, welcoming people into meaningful cultural experiences, and helping visitors leave with a deeper understanding of the peoples and lands they are visiting.
In the lead-up to the awards, Georgina reflected on the impact she hopes to make through her work:
“The kind of impact that I want to make through my work is to create more opportunities for people to learn about Indigenous cultures and bring a different perspective to understanding who we are and the land that we are on today.”
Named as a finalist, along with The Rising Star of the Year Award recognizes a Whistler employee or businessperson making an impact beyond their years through outstanding achievement, community involvement, and a commitment to future leadership and growth. Georgina exemplifies these qualities through her dedication to cultural sharing, her team, and the wider community. Georgina honoured finalists Oscar Krell of OK Services and Ania Spencer of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.
In her acceptance speech, Georgina spoke about the importance of bringing Indigenous voices into spaces where they have not always been represented, while recognizing the people who stand alongside her in this work.
“Throughout my time working in Whistler, I’ve had the opportunity to bring our voices into spaces where our Nations haven’t always been considered. I’m proud of the work I’ve done through the SLCC, but it’s hard to celebrate myself without thinking of the beautiful family I have alongside me."
“Our Spo7ez team now has over 20 Cultural Ambassadors, participating in over 200 events annually to welcome guests to the unceded territories of the Lil̓wat7úl and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw. I’m proud to be part of this work and to help create space for our songs, stories, and cultures to be shared.”
“I’m honoured to receive this recognition for this work that I am so proud to be a part of. kukwstum̓úlhkál̓ap, thank you all so much for allowing me to take this time to express how much this means to me”
— T’ec Georgina Dan, 2026 Whistler Excellence Awards
Georgina also acknowledged the importance of continued support for Indigenous voices at a time when racism, denialism, and hate remain visible in social media spaces. She thanked those in Whistler who continue to make space for Lil’wat and Squamish people, emphasizing that while there is still work to do, that support matters. She also raised her hands to the Lil’wat Business Group for its support and sponsorship, recognizing its role in helping create space for Indigenous people and voices.
The SLCC family is especially proud to celebrate Georgina’s achievement, which continues a tradition of recognition for the people behind the Centre. Moody Dan (Lil’wat Nation) received the Rising Star of the Year Award in 2022 for his leadership as Manager of Operations, while the SLCC team won Service Excellence – Large Business Award. In 2023, the SLCC Ambassadors were honoured with the Citizens of the Year Award for their extraordinary contributions to Whistler and the wider community. In 2025, Cheximiya Allison Burns Joseph (Squamish Nation) and Mixalhítsa7 Alison Pascal (Lil’wat Nation) as recipients of the Freedom of the Resort Municipality of Whistler—the municipality’s highest civic honour.
These awards reflect the dedication, leadership, and generosity of the people who make the SLCC a place of meaningful cultural connection and learning, along with the presence of the Ambassadors and their impact in the wider community.
We raise our hands to Georgina for this well-deserved recognition and for the leadership she brings to the SLCC, her community, and future generations.
The SLCC also extends heartfelt congratulations to all the finalists and winners of the 2026 Whistler Excellence Awards, and gratitude to the Whistler Chamber of Commerce for celebrating the people and organizations who help make Whistler such an exceptional place to live, work, and visit.
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