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SAO works with band to get the job done
Carol Ann Chaplin enjoys being employed with Deninu Ku'e First Nation

Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, September 16, 2013

DENINU KU'E/FORT RESOLUTION
Carol Ann Chaplin says some people are a bit surprised by one fact about her.

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Carol Ann Chaplin is the senior administrative officer with Deninu Ku'e First Nation in Fort Resolution. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

While she is the senior administrative officer (SAO) of Deninu Ku'e First Nation in Fort Resolution, she is not a member of that band.

She is actually a member of Salt River First Nation in Fort Smith.

"That's where my mother's father was from," she said.

Chaplin said her background has never created challenges with working for Deninu Ku'e First Nation.

"In my mind, I'm from here," she said of Fort Resolution.

"I have a vested interest in Fort Resolution doing good and part of that is this band doing good. I've been involved in municipal politics for years, too, and I've worked at the hamlet office."

Not being a member of the band did not impact getting the job, she said.

"I think the chief and council were familiar with me, and familiar with my qualifications."

Chaplin is also married to a member of Deninu Ku'e and one of her children is a band member.

"So I have not only a professional interest in seeing the band do good, but I do have a personal interest, too," she said.

Chaplin was born in Yellowknife and went to school in Saskatchewan - her father's home province - before moving to Fort Resolution 20 years ago after high school.

She said Fort Resolution is her mother's home community and she has many family ties there.

Chaplin served about six years on Fort Resolution's community council, including a couple of years as deputy mayor.

"I really don't have any aspirations to get into the political arena again," she said. "I think I've cured myself of that for a bit."

The 37-year-old has been the SAO with Deninu Ku'e First Nation for just more than a year.

Previously, she worked for three years with the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority as the community co-ordinator in Fort Resolution.

Her current job as SAO has multiple duties, including financial management.

"Basically, you oversee staff," Chaplin said.

"Some programs you oversee directly, or you're overseeing your staff to maintain certain programs and make sure they're OK. And then there's the human resources staff management. There's also some public relations."

She also described herself as a lifeline between the band office and the chief and council, to make sure the elected representatives are up-to-date on all issues and correspondence, and have access to all information.

Her education includes an office administration certificate and management studies diploma from Aurora College in Fort Smith.

Chaplin said being SAO is not a political position, but is rather administration.

Still, it's a very important role, which she enjoys because she doesn't know what she will be required to do on any given day.

"You know how some jobs are like so repetitive. You just feel like you're a robot," Chaplin said. "With this one, you have to have your brain on all the time and you have to be ready for issues that come up that you have to deal with. So it's good that way.

"I just do it when I have to do it, and get it done."

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