Meet the New Board of Directors

Over the past several months, Queer Yukon Society has been intentional about building a Board of Directors that reflects a wide range of lived experience, professional expertise, and community knowledge. Our goal has been to bring together people with strong skills in governance, policy, finance, human resources, community advocacy, and systems thinking, alongside deep roots in 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and the Yukon.

This diversity of perspectives and expertise strengthens our ability to steward the organization responsibly, ask good questions, and make thoughtful decisions in service of our community, both now and into the future.

We are extremely fortunate to be supported by a skilled, committed, and values-driven Board. We look forward to sharing more from them in the months ahead. For now, we are pleased to introduce the members of the Queer Yukon Society Board of Directors.

Chase Blodgett (he/him) - President

Supports governance, conflict resolution, labour relations, human resources, and human rights. He is a respected gender and sexuality advocate, community organizer, and consultant with a strong record of advancing equity and inclusion. Chase is widely recognized for his extraordinary commitment to human rights for transgender, Two-Spirit, and non-binary individuals and their immediate supports.

Chase has participated in regional and national dialogues on gender inclusion and equality and has led multiple successful policy and legislative reform initiatives, including the Government of Yukon’s 2017 amendments to the Yukon Human Rights Act and the Vital Statistics Act. His advocacy is recognized as a driving force behind the Government of Yukon’s precedent-setting gender affirming care policy, and practitioner training, and his leadership has been instrumental in positioning Yukon as a national leader in gender diversity and inclusion. His work has been featured on Rogers Hometown Hockey and in Airbnb’s #Hostwithpride campaign.

In October 2014, Chase founded All Genders Yukon and served as its President  for many years following incorporation as a Society in 2015. He has also served as Chair of the PSAC Pride Committee and as the PSAC North Region Pride Equity Director on the National Pride Equity Committee. Chase retired from activism after successfully advocating for paid positions and services in the community. Chase has come out of retirement to support community healing and doing things in a good way.

Born in Ontario, Chase lives on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch'än Council in Whitehorse, Yukon. He holds an Honours degree in Health and Physical Education as well as a Bachelor of Education. Outside of his professional work, Chase enjoys spending time with his partner, foster daughter, and two dogs. He finds peace on the hockey rink and on the land, and holds a vision of a world where all individuals are free to express their gender fully and without limitation.

Aaren S. Hajash (she/her) - Vice President

yóo xát duwasáakw. Gooch áyá xát. Dakl’áwèidi naax xát sitee. Deislin kwáandáx áyá xát.

In English her name is Aaren S Hajash (she/her). Her moiety is wolf, and her clan is Dakl’áwèidi (Eagle/Killer Whale). Aaren’s home community is Teslin.

One of Aaren’s roles is to provide support to the treasurer and her fellow QYS board members. Aaren is a woman who is kind, a good listener, thoughtful and wants the best for everyone around her. Aaren’s family, friends, culture, and clan are an integral part of who she is as well as her Hungarian heritage. Aaren’s father was of Hungarian descent, and her mother is of Tlingit descent from Teslin Yukon (YT).

Aaren was born in Brooks, Alberta where she lived for approximately three months. She then moved with her mother and father to the Yukon Territory. Aaren’s father was an RCMP officer. As an officer of the RCMP the family moved around every year to two years as this was the life of an RCMP officer.

Aaren Hajash has lived in Whitehorse, YT for approximately 30 plus years off and on. The last 10 somethings years 😉 she lived in Salmon Arm, B.C where she received her Associate of Arts degree with a psychology emphasis. Aaren now lives in Whitehorse YT.

Aaren has worked a variety of different jobs throughout her life: housekeeping, Class 1 truck driver, administrator assistant, bookkeeping and now office manager for a local property developer company here in Whitehorse.

Aaren has been a part of the Queer community for the last 30 plus years. She has participated in many events within the community. However, this is the first time she has actively played a part in the governance and engagement of the Queer community.

Gunałchîsh (thank you).

Selene Vakharia (they/them) - Secretary

Selene a queer, biracial, non-binary social innovator whose vision is to lead and inspire positive change. They have been an organizational and marketing strategist who for over 20 years has worked with NGOs, governments, businesses, and award- winning ad agencies across Canada. In 2014, they moved to Whitehorse, Yukon, where they continue to reside today.

As a member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community and a Community Builder at heart, they have spent many years creating fun events for people to find and celebrate their community and selves. Through their work, they have been committed to creating healthy communities where people can feel a sense of belonging and can access the supports they need to lead lives they love.

Their passion for empowering communities and creating inclusive and affirming spaces and places led them to join the board of Queer Yukon Society.  In this role, they support strategic prioritization and planning to contribute to the organization uplifting and supporting the community.

They spend much of their free time with their cat and dog, enjoy London Fog lattes, and are always learning new things.

Tharian Botting

In his role, he supports policy development and review to advance the organization’s mission. Tharian has more than eleven years of experience as a public servant providing corporate policy advice and guidance on policymaking and legislative development and process improvement. Tharian is keen to problem solve using active listening, empathy and diplomacy. 

Committed to community, Tharian was a member of the All Genders Yukon community group from its inception in 2015, and for several years before becoming a member of its Board once it became a society, and later held the position of President for two years. He currently serves on the YG Pride Employee Resource Group Steering Committee and has recent experience providing training on 2SLGBTQIA+ Awareness and Inclusion in Services and Practices. Tharian holds a Master’s in Public and International Affairs from the University of Ottawa, as well as a Social Justice Diploma and a Bachelor’s in Social Science from the University of Victoria.

He was born in Alberta, grew up and went to school in Victoria, went to graduate school in Ontario, worked in Quebec, and has lived in the Yukon since 2014. Tharian is a veteran, and a former field archaeologist. He has a cat and a dog, and two wonderful children with his life-partner. In his quiet time, he loves to quilt, listen to audiobooks and read. 

Sandy Chism (she/they)

has been actively advocating for queer rights since before most current members were born, making her eligible for many senior discounts today.

Their extensive experience includes community event organizer, volunteer coordinator, and logistics lead. Sandy has also dedicated nearly 20 years to all aspects of stewarding charity boards. Utilizing their engineering background, Sandy offers problem-solving, a big picture perspective, and a results-oriented approach.

She has a strong sense of equality, inclusion, respect, the democratic process and interconnection. They are a visible and engaged presence within all organizations they participate in.

She enjoys gardening and attending community events. Please feel welcome to say hello.

Rodney Hatcher (they/he)

made their way to the Yukon in 2023. Born of settler Acadian ancestry in the Sɨpekne'katik region of Mi'kma'ki, also known as Truro, Nova Scotia, they now live, work, and play on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, also known as Whitehorse, Yukon. They strive to relate to this land and its people with the responsibilities of a respectful guest, while acknowledging that true guesthood requires a justice not yet achieved.

Rodney has a deep love for people, especially those within their community and all those with which it intersects. With a diverse background in finance, law, and human resources; a special interest in the identification and dismantling of oppressive and normative barriers; and a genuine desire to uplift and empower those around them, Rodney's work is holistic, grounded, and keeps people at its core.

More personally, they are a queer, neurodivergent person who loves cuddling their cat, nerding out about many things (board games, video games, D&D, etc.), and continuously learning, in all the messy and imperfect ways it happens.