TD Aboriginal Nursing Fund Award – PhD

I’m from the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, located in Ontario.  A mother of two beautiful daughters, I’m supported by family, friends, and my community.  I come from very large families, and have many cousins, aunties, uncles, grandparents, and extended relations who I continue to keep connections with.  I have a strong and supportive circle of friends and community members who have helped me in many different ways throughout my journey.  Above all, my mentors have been extremely instrumental in modelling behaviours needed to achieve dreams similar to my own.

I am a registered nurse with over 14 years’ of experience in the area of Indigenous health.  Committed to health promotion and disease prevention, my practice as a registered nurse has focused on empowerment and behavioural change through education and awareness of holistic health.  Trained in community health specifically within Indigenous organizations, I bring an Interdisciplinary perspective to health programs and projects.  I have broad expertise in caring for older adults with co-morbidities such as diabetes, heart disease, and dementias.  I apply qualitative methods within community based participatory frameworks to examine the connection between Indigenous knowledge and Western biomedical perspectives.  My interests are to advocate for the health of Indigenous people, at the individual, group, population, program, and policy levels.  Through collaborative efforts with the communities I work with, I am contributing to Indigenous health by ensuring research is done in a good way, by our people, and for our people.