Maxine Bruce is an elected leader and the Territorial Stewardship Manager for the Lil'wat Nation, where she oversees a large-scale salmon stock assessment program, the environmental monitoring program, and archaeological field studies. She is known by the Lil'wat people as Lhpatq, which is her ancestral name.

As an elected official she chairs several boards and committees, and holds the role of President of the Lil'wat Nation's corporate arm. Her portfolio also includes Economic Development & Restorative Justice, and she's a member of the Nation's Governance Transition Team. Maxine lives and works in Mount Currie, BC, and she feels honoured and proud to work for her community so she can give back and help incorporate her Nation's culture into her work.