Estella is a member of the Hesquiaht First Nation and belongs to the House of Kinquashtacumlth. Her traditional name is Hee Naih Cha Chist which means ‘water that glimmers’.
Estella is a practicing lawyer at JFK Law Corporation. Her practice involves advancing and protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples in the areas of Aboriginal, Indigenous and environmental law. Estella serves on the executive of the Canadian Bar Association Aboriginal Law Committee and the Aboriginal Lawyers Forum and is a member of the Indigenous Bar Association. Estella is also an appointed member of the BC Aboriginal Justice Council which is tasked with addressing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in the criminal and child welfare systems; and more recently Estella became a member of the RAVEN – Respecting Aboriginal Values and Environmental Needs Legal Advisory Panel.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Estella served as an elected councilor for her Nation and worked as a researcher for the national Accessing Justice and Reconciliation Project, which focused on the revitalization of Indigenous laws and legal traditions. Estella’s work with Indigenous legal traditions continues to be an important part of her practice as a lawyer.
In addition to law Estella is a Board of Director and long-time staff member at Hooksum Outdoor School, with more than ten years of experience leading outdoor education activities and programming in her traditional territory.