Makaila Wenezenki (they/she) is a planner, filmmaker, and artist of mixed European ancestry (Slovak, Scottish, British) with a passion for work that lies at the intersection of human and natural systems. They recently joined the Sa̱nala team in Spring 2025, bringing with them experience in the arts, emergency management, education, and resource management fields.. Her work with Sa̱nala includes the Comox Valley Emergency Management Indigenous Engagement Requirements Program and her previous work outside of Sa̱nala includes the Siska Indian Band Community Emergency Management Plan and Islands Trust and Nautsa’mawt Tribal Council Freshwater Sustainability Program filmmaking project.

Makaila completed a Master of Community and Regional Planning in Indigenous Community Planning from the University of British Columbia and an undergraduate degree in Geography and Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria. Her hobbies include swimming outdoors, sharing meals with friends, and collecting the weirdest books from the ‘Free Little Libraries’ in her neighbourhood.