Dr. Chantelle Richmond is an Anishinabe scholar of Pic River First Nation, who studies the social and environmental determinants of Indigenous health. Chantelle is a health geographer, and holds an academic appointment in the Department of Geography, with cross appointments in the First Nations Studies Program, and Family Medicine at Western University. Much of Chantelle’s research is framed by a community-based research approach that seeks to better understand how First Nations communities can build strategies to overcome local challenges to improve quality of life, in particular those related to processes of environmental dispossession.
Dr. Robert Stewart is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at Lakehead University. Rob’s area of expertise is in water resource management, particularly as it relates to water security. Rob has worked collaboratively with various First Nation communities and organizations in the Lake Superior Basin to address water security issues, the goal being to protect and improve community well-being in remote First Nations.
Dr. Jerry White is Professor of Sociology and Associate Dean in the Faculty of Social Sciences at Western University. He is the Director of the Aboriginal Policy Consortium International and Associate Editor of the International Indigenous Policy Journal. Jerry’s research is focused on the social determinants of health in Aboriginal communities. Dr. White has published several books and articles on how to understand and measure well-being in the Aboriginal context.
Dr. Isaac Luginaah holds a Canada Research Chair in Health Geography in the Department of Geography at Western University. His research focuses on the intersection of health and environment, with particular emphasis on environmental exposure, most notably the petrochemical industry. Isaac has done research on therapeutic landscapes with collaborators from Aamjiwnaang First Nation.
Joshua Tobias is a PhD candidate working under the supervision of Dr. Chantelle Richmond and Dr. Isaac Luginaah in the Department of Geography at Western University. He completed an undergraduate degree at The University of Ottawa (Geography & History) and a Master’s degree at Western University (Geography). Josh’s doctoral research is based on a collaborative community-based environment and health project with two First Nation communities on the North Shore of Lake Superior. His research examines Anishinabe Elder’s perceptions about health, land and Indigenous knowledge. Joshua’s research interests include health geography, Indigenous health, health behaviours, community-based research and computer-assisted qualitative data analysis (N.Vivo).
Kassandra Kulmann holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Geography and History (2009), and a Bachelor of Education (2010) from Western University. In 2012, she completed her Master’s degree, under the supervision of Dr. Chantelle Richmond, in the department of Geography at Western University. Kassandra’s Master’s research “We Should Be Listening to Our Elders” examined the transfer of Indigenous knowledge between Anishinabe Elders and youth.
Amanda Lino is a Doctoral student at Lakehead University who studies the use of film as a method to inform and educate people about the socio-ecological issues facing communities on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Working under the supervision of Dr. Robert Stewart, Amanda’s Masters thesis was completed in 2012 and is entitled, “Through the Looking Glass: A qualitative study of film in First Nation communities”.
Katie Big-Canoe is a Chippewa of Georgina Island First Nation. She holds two degrees from Western University; a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Geography (2009), and a Master of Arts (2011) in Geography. Working under the supervision of Chantelle Richmond, Katie’s MA research “Indigenous Knowledge, Social relationships and Health,” used a community based research approach to examine Anishinabe youth’s perceptions of changing health over time.
Michelle Richmond-Saravia is Anishinabe of Pic River First Nation. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Native Studies from Trent University (2007), and a diploma from the En’owkin Centre (Fine Arts) in 2008. In 2012, she completed her Masters of Education in the Department of Education at Lakehead University. Working under the supervision of Dr. Paul Burgess, Michelle’s thesis used qualitative methods and a community based approach “The Significance of Land in the Education and Health of Anishinabe youth from Pic River First Nation.” Michelle is mother to three boys, and lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario.