Michael Dougherty: Co-chair
Michael Dougherty was appointed in December 2018. He served six terms on the Yukon Human Rights Panel of Adjudicators. Michael has been a member of the Judicial Council of the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council since 2004. Graduate studies at McGill University in Political Sciences and Urban Planning provided academic support for his work with global/local solidarity movements from participating as a human rights observer in Chiapas, Mexico to serving as the President of the National Council of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace. His refugee support work dates from 1975 to the present. A founding co-chair of the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition, his continued social justice involvement linked his rights-based approach to the Social Work and Political Sciences courses he taught at Yukon College for over 20 years.
Keely Bass: Co-chair
Keely Bass was appointed in December 2021. Keely grew up in Vancouver and has spent time living in Hong Kong and Spain. She completed a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at UBC Vancouver and a Master in International Relations at the IE School of Global Affairs in Madrid, Spain. During her studies, Keely enjoyed learning about international human rights, critical theory and public administration. In 2019, she moved to the Yukon to further her career in the public sector. Today, Keely is an active advocate for citizen participation and inclusivity in Yukon decision-making forums, especially for women, youth and Indigenous peoples. She recently represented Canada as a delegate to the 2021 Youth G20 hosted by Italy and the first-ever Can-Mex Youth Lab.