The network consists of over 160 registered participants including Indigenous scholars, allies, Elders, staff and students as well as over 40 partnering organizations. These can be viewed in our online directory.
Principal Investigators:
Dr. Charlotte Loppie, University of Victoria
Dr. Charlotte Loppie is a Professor in the School of Public Health and Social Policy, Faculty of Human and Social Development, University of Victoria, Former Director for the Centre of Indigenous Research and Community Led-Engagement and Editor of the International Journal of Indigenous Health. Dr. Loppie has undertaken research and published in areas such as: Indigenous health inequities, Indigenous HIV/AIDS, social determinants of Indigenous health, racism and cultural safety, cancer among Indigenous peoples, Indigenous ethics and research capacity building as well as the sexual and reproductive health of Indigenous women. Charlotte is the Principal Investigator of the Indigenous Mentorship Network and a mentor for several students.
Meet Professor Charlotte Loppie: click here
Dr. Jeff Reading, Simon Fraser University
In 2016, Dr. Reading was appointed Inaugural BC First Nations Health Authority Chair in Heart Health and Wellness at St. Paul’s Hospital and Professor, Simon Fraser University. Jeff obtained his PhD in Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto (1994). He has served as inaugural Scientific Director of the Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (2000-2008), founding Director of the Centre for Aboriginal Health Research at the University of Victoria (2008-2012) and first interim director at the new Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health that was created with a generous gift of $10M from Dr. Michael Dan, based at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto (2015). Jeff’s broad interests include First Nations heart health and wellbeing, community engaged and evidence based program research and health interventions timed to key stages and gender in the life course, the social and economic determinants of health and well-being, disease and disability prevention, treatment and accessibility to health care, public health and safe potable water. Presently Jeff is a member of the Genome BC Board of Directors and was a member of the CIHR Indigenous Health Research Iterative Review Working Group, 2016-2017.
Meet Professor Jeff Reading: click here
Dr. Nadine Caron, University of British Columbia
Co-Director, Centre for Excellence in Indigenous HealthDr Nadine Caron currently resides in Prince George, BC where she provides surgical oncology care for those that call rural and remote Canada home. Nadine is also an associate professor in the UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Surgery where she teaches in the Northern Medical Program. During her surgical residency, Nadine completed a Master’s in Public Health from Harvard University and was awarded UBC’s Top Student Award. Nadine is also appointed as an Associate Faculty member of the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University where she teaches for the Center for American Indian Health. Nadine is Anishnawbe from Sagamok First Nation. Her work involves a variety of audiences and knowledge users including governments, provincial health authorities, national medical organizations, health research funding bodies, and several universities to achieve identified and overlapping objectives. In 2014, Dr Caron was appointed Co-Director of the UBC Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health located at UBC’s School of Population and Public Health.
Drew St. Laurent, University of British Columbia
Drew St. Laurent, BA, B.Ed, M.Ed is of Métis (Cree) and German ancestry, born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Drew grew up in the community of Powell River, British Columbia on (Tla’amin) Coast Salish territory.
Drew holds a Bachelor of Arts (Human Geography) from Thompson Rivers University, as well as a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) and Master of Education (Higher Education) from the University of British Columbia. During his graduate studies, he focused on Aboriginal access to post-secondary education within Canada. Drew has been a primary leader in the area of Aboriginal post-secondary access to education and presented his work to a variety of audiences including post-secondary institutions, provincial and federal governments and health authorities. He has worked as an administrator within Health Sciences at UBC since 2012.
Drew is an active member of the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS) and sits on both the Aboriginal Recruitment and Retention Committee, and the Aboriginal Mental Health and Wellness Committee at the University of British Columbia. He is passionate about advancing Indigenous people’s access to healthcare through education and promoting Indigenous leadership of all aspects related to healthcare.
Meet Drew St. Laurent: click here
Dr. Margo Greenwood, University of Northern British Columbia
Margo Greenwood is an Indigenous scholar of Cree ancestry with more than 20 years of experience in the field of early childhood education. Professionally and personally, children have been the focus of her life. She has worked as a front line caregiver of early childhood services, designed early childhood curriculum, programs, and evaluations, and taught early childhood education courses at both the college and university levels. As a mother of three, she is personally committed to the continued well-being of children and youth in Canada.
While Margo’s focus has been on all children, she is recognized provincially, nationally and internationally for her work on Aboriginal children. She has served with over 20 national and provincial federations, committees and assemblies, and has undertaken work with Unicef, the United Nations, and the Canadian Reference Group to the World Health Organization Commission on Health Determinants. In recognition of her years work in early childhood, Margo Greenwood was the recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee medal in 2002.
Currently, Margo is a Professor in both the First Nations Studies and Education programs at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC).
Dr. Tina Fraser, University of Northern British Columbia
Dr. Tina Fraser is a Maori scholar teaching at the University of Northern British Columbia. She is an Assistant Professor and the Aboriginal Education Coordinator with the School of Education, and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Nursing and First Nations Studies. Dr. Fraser is a Fellow of Te Mata O Te Tau (The Academy for Research and Scholarship at Massey University, New Zealand). In her previous role, she was the ActNow BC Initiatives Research Manager and the Cultural Advisor to the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, Centre of Excellence for Adolescence and Children with Special Needs, and the Network Environments for Aboriginal Research BC. She has a Nursing background, Early Childhood Education, Bachelor of Science; Master of Education, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of British Columbia. She, along with colleagues, has published articles and chapters in Early Childhood Education, First Nations and Indigenous Knowledge(s).
Dr. Henry Harder, University of Northern British Columbia
Dr. Henry Harder is an Indigenous Scholar, Professor and past Chair of the School of Health Sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia. He is currently the Dr. Donald B. Rix BC Leadership Chair in Aboriginal Environmental Health and a registered psychologist. He has been in the fields of mental health, rehabilitation and disability management for over 30 years. His research interests are in Indigenous health, disability issues, workplace mental health, and suicide prevention. He is a Canadian Institutes of Health Research funded scholar and a published author. Dr. Harder has made presentations and conducted workshops throughout Canada, the United States, Europe and Australia. Further, he is a member of the College of Psychologists of British Columbia, Network Environments for Aboriginal Research in BC, Canadian Psychological Association, American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.
Meet Professor Henry Harder: click here
Key Members:
Anita Shaw, University of Northern British Columbia
Anita Shaw was born in the UK and grew up on reserve in Tahltan territory. A PhD (Psychology) student at the University of Northern BC, Anita studies sexual violence, sexual consent, and dehumanization. She also works in the areas of epistemic violence and decolonizing Psychology, and has conducted research on hitchhiking in Northern BC. Anita lives in Prince George with her partner and family.
Coordinators:
Network Coordinator: Jess Barton, University of Victoria
Jess is of mixed Metis, Australian, and European ancestry and grew up in both Sydney, Australia and Vancouver, BC. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology at the University of Victoria. For the past 7 years Jess has been involved in the execution of various anthropological and archaeological research-based projects that favour long term and respectful relationship building with First Nation communities.
Currently, Jess is the Network Coordinator of the Indigenous Mentorship Network Program residing as a guest on Lekwungen and Songhees territory at the University of Victoria.
A special thank-you to our local council members!
- Dr. Robert Hancock
- Dr. Allison Reeves
- Dr. Devi Mucina
- Dr. Mandeep Kaur Mancina
- Renee Monchalin
- Christina Chakanyuka