TUKTOYAKTUK
Holly Ovayuak is a busy young woman. As the senior administrative officer trainee for the hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, Ovayuak is responsible for learning everything there is to know about running a municipality.
Holly Ovayuak is Tuktoyaktuk’s new senior administrative officer trainee. - photo courtesy of Katrina Cockney
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“If I’m not doing any courses, I have been reviewing bylaws, all the municipal bylaws,” she said. “I’ve attended council meetings.”
She must train for two years before being eligible to receive SAO certification.
Ovayuak started her career at the hamlet ten years ago when she worked as the community’s evening programmer in 2003, organizing and supervising sports programs at Kitty Hall.
She then took the recreation leadership program at Aurora College’s Inuvik campus until 2006, which led to an internship in Fort Smith. In 2009, Ovayuak was elected as a member of Tuktoyaktuk’s municipal council before resigning in 2010 in order to be hired as the community’s recreation co-ordinator.
She started her current position in November.
“I’ve gained experience at the regional level and municipal level,” she said. “I’ve just been working my up to getting higher positions and getting more experience and education.”
Ovayuak is also the secretary/treasurer for the Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation and has four children.
She said she enjoys being on the go.
“It keeps you young,” she said.
Ovayuak said she believes leadership roles suit her personality type.
“I’ve always been fond of being in senior positions, I’m that type of person,” she said. “I’m very outgoing and very outspoken.”
For her, the best part of her job is learning how to act quickly to solve issues.
“I like when something comes up and we have to act on it fast,” Ovayuak said. “I really like doing things hands-on.”
Creating more jobs in the community is one of Ovayuak’s future goals as SAO. One of her biggest hopes is for the Inuvik-Tuk Highway project to be approved.
“If that goes ahead, a lot of people will be provided with jobs,” she said.
Ovayuak said she personally knows what someone can achieve by being ambitious and working hard. She said her message to others is to keep going, even when things get tough.
“It may be challenging, but in the end, it pays off,” she said. “You gain more knowledge, you gain more experience and you can do whatever you want if you put your mind to it.”
