Collaborators
Ariane Benoit
Affiliation: Research Centre AREES ( Arctic Environement and Societies)
Ariane Benoit is an anthropologist whoses researches focus on Inuit children health and education since 2008. She obtained a 4 year certificate on Inuit language at Inalco university (Paris) in 2013. In 2019, she moved to Canada to work on "Qanuikkat Siqinirmiut ?" health research project as a post-doctoral fellow directed by the professor Christopher Fletcher from Laval university. Her research project focused on the place of Inuit culture in the health and well-being of Inuit children living in foster families in southern Quebec. Her research interests and roles include anthropology, Inuit language, education, health, the Inuit system of values, and interpersonal relationships.
Judy Clark
Affilitation: Manitoba Inuit Association (MIA)
I am originally from Churchill, Manitoba and an Inuk beneficiary of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, Whale Cove, Nunavut. My mother is Inuk and father is northern European. I currently work as Inuit Health Researcher with the Manitoba Inuit Association (MIA). I have been employed with MIA since 2019. Previous to my work at MIA, my background was in the medical field, as a nurse for 32 years and retired in 2019. I have experience in mental health, community health, and psychogeriatrics. It has been a fulfilling career in nursing. My work in Inuit health already has been quite enlightening and engaging with the Inuit community of Manitoba and Nunavut. My work is centered around the social determinants of Inuit health and Inuit Qujiminajatuqangit (or IQ Principles) and incorporating those principles and values into our programs at MIA. Current projects that I am involved in are developing various housing initiatives- women & children’s shelter, transitional housing, and student housing (including a daycare). Other projects that MIA has been collaborating on include Inuit children in care, virtual care, researching a justice program, perinatal care, revitalizing midwifery (with Pauktuutit and WHC), access to quality medical care and off-loading medical travel from the north to the south by research and planning an Inuit Health Clinic. Inuit perspectives are essential to gathering research data to ensure Inuit specific research and programming. MIA is working on several research projects simultaneously on key health topics. There are many factors that influence the social determinants of Inuit health, which we need to address. We look forward to our future, working with Inuit Elders, knowledge keepers, Inuit community members, governments, partnerships, key stakeholders, and other organizations to help make the changes that will enable Inuit families to be safe, healthy, and well. It is a privilege to work with such knowledgeable, inspiring people!
MIA is striving to work with other organizations who are dedicated to honor Truth & Reconciliation and making those changes to reflect equity with the services they provide. tell your story online can make all the difference.
Maata Evaluardjuk-Palmer
Affiliation: University of Manitoba
I was born near Igloolik, and lived near Pond Inlet on a traditional camp as a child and grew up in Iqaluit. As a child, I attended the Apex Federal Day School from 1960-1967, then attended Churchill Vocational School and Keewatin Community College. I first moved to Manitoba in 1980, living in Churchill, Thompson, Winnipeg and now in Brandon, Manitoba. I have been a member of the Inuit Elders Executive Council on the Qanuinngitsiarutiksait Project with Ongomiizwin Research-Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing at University of Manitoba, Faculty of Health Sciences since 2018, which focuses on how Inuit concepts of wellness can be used to create healing programs in Winnipeg that reflect Inuit values, and am one of three Inuit members of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s Survivor’s Circle.
I am a proud grandmother and great-grandmother, and I enjoy being involved in community events and educational programming. Since moving to Manitoba, I have volunteered in different capacities for the past 30+ years, including addictions recovery and self-help groups in Thompson. I have been a board member on the YWCA in Thompson, the Midwifery Council of Manitoba, the Grandparent Council in Brandon, the Manitoba Inuit Association and an Inuit Knowledge keeper at Brandon University Indigenous Education Senate Sub-Committee. I still volunteer with self-help groups in Brandon area, when I can, and do various cultural presentations in Brandon
Marlyn Bennett
Affiliation: Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Work and Werklund School of Education, SSHRC Canada Research Chair, Tier II, Indigenous Children’s Wellbeing and Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Social Work, University of Manitoba
Marlyn Bennett (WaaWaaTe Ikwe|Northern Lights Woman) is a member of the Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation in Manitoba and comes from a family brimming with many artistic talents. She holds expertise in Indigenous Child Welfare, with a special interest in qualitative-based research including photo-voice and narrative inquiry through digital storytelling among First Nations youth transitioning toward adulthood from child welfare care. For 13 years she had been involved with the boards of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (previously Child Find Manitoba) and Beyond Borders in their concerted efforts to ensure safety for children who’ve gone missing or who have been sexually exploited.
Marlyn is the past President/Chair of Animikii Ozoson Child & Family Services where she continues to serve as a director at large. She was associated with the Board of Directors for the Sandy Bay Child and Family Services agency in her home community. She served on the Board of the Manitoba College of Social Workers as a public representative. In addition, Ms. Bennett was an advisory member of the First Nations Canadian Incidence Study (CIS) Advisory Committee for 20 years. She was previously the President of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Manitoba for 3 years from 2010-2013. She was previously the Acting Director and an Assistant professor in the Master of Social Work based in the Indigenous Knowledge Program with the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba. She previously worked with the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada for 13 years as the Director of Research. As of July 1st, 2022, she became an Associate Professor with tenure in a joint position between the Faculty of Social Work and the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. She also holds an SSHRC Tier II Canada Research Chair in Children’s Wellbeing and is a member of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute.
In addition to her scholarly pursuits, she is a rock painter and a digital designer. She co-owns a graphic design company (EB2 Image Design Research) and together with her partner, they have been instrumental in developing various company logos, photos, videos and print materials for many Indigenous organizations in Manitoba and Ontario. She is the mother of one daughter (Raven Marie) who was born in her second year of law school back in 1993.
Mary Ann Forbes
Mary Ann Forbes is a proud Inuk, born and raised in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. Mary Ann moved to Calgary, on Treaty 7 territory, to obtain a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology. She then started a family and her 2 children are now young adults, pursuing post secondary studies in Calgary. Mary Ann has advocated for children, youth, and vulnerable adults in non-profit, education, government, post-secondary, and public sector settings, while also encouraging organizations to decolonize or consider and incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing. She is passionate about community building, healing from shame and intergenerational trauma, and celebrating Indigenous Peoples.
Mary Ann looks forward to supporting Dr. Patti Johnston on the Inuit Perinatal Health Hub project, and to build resources and capacity in community with other Inuit.
Patti Johnston
Affiliation: Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary
Patricia (Patti) Johnston is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. She holds a PhD in Social Work and completed a Bating-Postdoctoral-Fellowship at the University of Washington’s Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, Canadian Studies Centre. She is a Qallunaat (non-Inuit) settler from southern Canada and she works from the Faculty’s Central and Northern Alberta Region office (on Indigenous lands, Treaty 6) in Edmonton, Alberta.
Dr. Johnston’s research focuses on community-based socio-health participatory research in relation to social, cultural, and economic impacts of policy on Inuit children and families in Nunavut, Inuit self-determination and governance, anti-Inuit racism, gendered labor and exclusion, Indigenous Knowledge (ways of knowing and being), Inuit-approaches to child and family wellness (child welfare), and the perpetuation of colonial relations, systems, and structures over time. Her work in Arctic Canada is dedicated to supporting Inuit women's wellness and racial health equity, capacity building and community development, and keeping Inuit families together. Her work involves the examination of the determinants of health and wellness in northern remote and rural communities.
Dr. Johnston's research involves collaboration with northern Arctic community members, leaders, and organizations, and interdisciplinary academic partners to address issues relevant to and determined by Arctic Indigenous peoples and communities in Canada and the United States. To this work, Dr. Johnston brings experience from working for four provincial and territorial governments and almost two decades of work with/ in Arctic Canada.
Dr. Johnston is passionate about supporting rural and remote northern peoples, and advocating for northern-determined and directed education, training, employment, and research.
Robyn Long
Affiliation:
Robyn (she/her) is based in Seattle and has lived and worked globally, including the Middle East, Botswana, Europe and India. She holds a BA/MA in International Development & Social Change from Clark University and a MSW from the University of Washington (UW), where she was also a Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellow through the UW Canadian Studies Center. She has also completed graduate studies at the University of Calgary and an extensive yoga and meditation program at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai.
Robyn’s career has centered on collaborating with communities and academic institutions to co-create and implement culturally grounded programs that enhance individual and collective well-being. She is the former Director of Community Programs and Training at the UW Center for Child & Family Well-Being and, most recently, worked with the Inuit Circumpolar Council and Seven Directions: An Indigenous Center for Public Health.
Robyn is excited to be part of the Arctic Wellness collaborative in conducting research and supporting logistics for projects and community partners.
Affiliation: University of Calgary, Faculty of Social Work
Tara graduated with her PhD from the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary in 2022. Prior to returning to complete her PhD, Tara came to the project with over 20 years of practice experience in the areas of child welfare, families, addictions, trauma, clinical practice, and mental health services. Tara is also a sessional instructor at the University of Calgary where she teaches Interprofessional Practice with Mental Health and Interprofessional Practice with Addictions. She is currently on two different boards including Outlink, which supports 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and Blue Reins Ranch, an equine assisted therapy program. Prior to this project, Tara was a Post Doctoral Scholar on a project focusing on the top 10 threats that children and youth face across Canada.
Rosanna Aleark
Affiliation: Arviat, Nunavut
I'm a mother of 4 beautiful children, 2 girls and 2 boys, and a wife. I have live in my community (Arviat) in my life. Graduate from Grade 12 Diploma, also 1st year of Office administration. As well as work readiness program, certified from Haul truck operator. Most of all I'm happy about the Job i have right now, even though I'm a mother and doesn't have a full time job, is Researcher. I'm happy to be part of this program/project cause it help me to build positive relation with in the team.
My responsibilities to this project is recruit research participants. Travelling, and meeting new friendly people. What I like about my job as an researcher is when we start to interview people from the community. The best part is, most of mother's find it comfortable to talk to someone like us. and I get to learn more about what I did not know. Sometimes the stories are sad/fun/and funny to hear, which is helping the person to feel more loved, and get more space where she cannot let go, or talk about.
Tara Collins
Zoua M. Vang
Affiliation: School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
I am the Meta Schroeder Beckner Outreach Professor and a Professor of Civil Society and Community Studies in the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. My interdisciplinary scholarship lies at the intersection of sociology, epidemiology, and medicine. My research portfolio includes (i) maternal and child health, (ii) international migration (including the healthy immigrant effect), (iii) Indigenous health, (iv) racism and discrimination as social determinants of wellness, (v) community-based approaches to health equity, and (vi) cultural safety. I examine these issues in collaboration with underserved and marginalized populations such as immigrants/refugees, Indigenous peoples, and racial/ethnic minorities in Canada and the United States. Trained as a mixed-method researcher, I employ both qualitative and quantitative methodologies and community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches in my projects.