Claire Festel, nee Briand (1957 – 2014)
Claire Briand was born in Douglastown on the Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec to parents Teresa (Nellis) and Calvert Briand.1) Claire attended the Lethbridge Community College from 1976 to 1978.2) She moved to the Yukon in 1977. She lived in the Elsa mining area and became a leader in community development and tourism.3) After the mine closed, Claire attended the University of British Columbia from 1992 to 1996 and attained a Bachelor of Arts.4) At the same time, she was principal at Claire’s Research & Communications. Claire was the Executive Director for the Tourism Industry Association of Yukon (TIAY) from 1997 to 2002. She was Executive Account Manager in Tourism marking for Aasman Brand Communications from 2004 to 2006, and the Marketing Manager for Great River Journey from 2007 to 2008.5)
Claire and her husband Ed Festel explored the Yukon by canoe, small plane, snowshoe and on foot. They retired to Penticton in 2009. Claire was a talented writer and she and artist Val Hodgson published Remarkable Yukon Women. In 2013, Claire was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her achievements and contributions to Canada.6)