Team Members & Collaborators
Staff
Dr. John R Sylliboy, PhD — Co-Principal Investigator
John R. is L’nu from Eskasoni First Nation and the Millbrook Mi’kmaw Community in Nova Scotia. He is the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Relations at Dalhousie University. John R. is also IndigenousResearch Lead at IWK Health with the Atlantic Indigenous Children’s Healing Initiative and the Chronic Pain Network. He is a co-recipient of a Focused Research Investment grant from Research Nova Scotia to explore Indigenous health and healing for L’nu children through Etuaptmumk / Two-Eyed Seeing.
John R. aligns his human rights advocacy, research, and community-led projects in education, policy-building and Indigenous relations with the TRC Calls to Action, MMIWG2S Calls to Justice, UNDRIP, with Principles of Peace and Friendship Treaties.
Dr. Margot Latimer, RN, PhD — Co-Principal Investigator
Dr. Margot Latimer is a white, settler Canadian of Scottish ancestry. She lives and works on the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq. She is a Professor in the Faculty of Health and is cross–appointed in the Department of Medicine at Dalhousie University. Margot is the CIHR Research Chair in Indigenous Health Nursing in Nova Scotia and holds a scientific appointment at IWK Health. Since 2008, she has been working closely with First Nation communities to mobilize Indigenous knowledge to improve healthcare experiences and access to culturally safe education. Margot co-leads several projects with community researchers, including the CIHR funded “Aboriginal Children’s Hurt and Healing” Initiative, the Chronic Pain Network, and the Research Nova Scotia–funded W’loti Etuapmunk: Using Mi’kmaw Knowledge to Create Health & Wellness Solutions.
Dr. Katharine Gloade, MEd, PhD — Indigenous Scientific Director
Dr. Katie Gloade is a member of Millbrook First Nation and resides in Bedford. She has been working with the AICH team since 2019 as a student collaborator, researcher and now as the Indigenous Scientific Director on the Research Nova Scotia Focused Research Investment: Etuaptmu’k W’loti. With a background in education, Katie has experience teaching and counselling at the high school level and holds a Master of Education in Educational Psychology as well as a Master of Education in Counselling. Katie is a Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC) with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Katie is an Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University in the Faculty of Health and instructs the “Introduction to Cultural Safety in Healthcare for Indigenous Peoples”.
Emily MacLeod — Research Program Manager
Emily MacLeod is the Research Program Manager for the Atlantic Indigenous Children’s Healing Initiative. Emily has worked in the coordination and management of various research studies at IWK Health for over 10 years. She has worked on studies across a variety of healthcare sectors including NICUs, Public Health Nursing, patient advocacy and Indigenous focused healthcare needs. Originally from Cape Breton, Emily completed her undergraduate Psychology degree at Cape Breton University (2002) and continued her graduate schooling at Mount Saint Vincent University, completing her Master of Arts (Child & Youth Study) degree in 2007. Emily is responsible for the coordination and administration of all AICH Initiative projects and grants.
Dr. Brent Young – Indigenous Clinician Researcher
Dr. Brent Young is Anishinaabe and a member of Sandy Bay First Nation. His mother is a Sixties Scoop Survivor, and his grandmother was a Survivor of Sandy Bay Indian Residential School. He was born and raised in Unama’ki. Dr. Young is a family physician at Sipekne’katik Health Centre, Academic Director for Indigenous Health at Dalhousie Medical School, and founding Clinical Lead of Wije’winen Health Centre.
He played a key role in establishing Wije’winen Health Centre, a multidisciplinary primary care service for the urban Indigenous community of Halifax that opened in 2022. He also serves as Vice President of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, contributing to leadership and advocacy in national Indigenous health and medical education initiatives.
Through his role with the Etuaptmu’k W’loti project, Dr. Young will contribute one day per week, bringing a critical clinical perspective and systems-level insight to support the achievement of project outcomes.
Krista Thompson, MBA, BSW — Etuaptmu’k W’loti Education Lead
Krista Thompson is a member of Paqtnkek Mikmaw Nation and graduated from CBU. She is a mother and Mikmaq craftsperson, and passionate about justice, health and knowledge sharing. Her work is guided by a commitment to improving the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples through respectful research, relationship-building, and lifelong learning. She is interested in Indigenous Cultural Safety, Two-Eyed Seeing (Etuaptmumk), and collaborating with communities and healthcare partners to support meaningful and lasting change.
Dr. Keah Hansen, PhD — Etuaptmu’k W’loti Research Communications Lead
Dr. Keah Hansen brings to our team a wealth of communication-related knowledge. She has previously led communications campaigns and public programming strategies and her recent PhD in Communication Studies from York University has further deepened her research and professional communications skills.
Keah is non-Indigenous, but has worked with Indigenous communities and post-secondary organizations in previous roles, completing training in Indigenous sovereignty and history as well as anti-Indigenous racism training, and gaining meaningful knowledge regarding Indigenous community engagement. She is keen to learn more about the Mi’kmaw communities of Mi’kmaki as she moves forward in her role.
Daisy Peter-Paul — Junior L’nu Researcher
Daisy Peter-Paul is a proud member of Metepenagiag Mi’kmaq Nation. She is an M.Ed candidate in Counselling Psychology at the University of New Brunswick, holds a B.A. in Psychology and Native studies, as well as a diploma in Cybersecurity. Daisy will be pursuing her Masters in Information, focusing on data management and innovation from Dalhousie University this Fall.
Daisy began her professional career as a software engineer and cybersecurity analyst in 2020. After a few years of experience and engaging in many cultural projects, she was inspired to work with community. Since 2023 Daisy has held positions with Mi’kmaw non-profit organizations like Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn and Ulnooweg Education Centre, contributing to Mi’kmaq governance and education initiatives.
The Junior L’nu Researcher position was established to provide L’nu individuals with first-hand experience with a range of research related skills while sharing their L’nu knowledge and experience with our team.
Dylan Joudrie — Research Coordinator
Dylan Joudrie is a Mi’kmaq Registered Nurse and a Research Coordinator with the Atlantic Indigenous Children’s Healing Initiative, with both Mi’kmaq and settler ancestry. His work focuses on Indigenous health research, cultural safety education, and improving healthcare experiences through community-informed approaches. Dylan contributes to the development, implementation, and evaluation of educational initiatives while supporting research that advances culturally safe, equitable, and responsive healthcare for Indigenous Peoples and communities.
Daully Patterson — Research Assistant
Daully Patterson completed her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Health & Society, with a specialization in Mental Health & Addictions and a minor in Indigenous Studies, at McMaster University. She is currently enrolled in her Master of Arts in Health Promotion at Dalhousie University.
Daully is supporting AICH by working on a scoping review looking at cultural safety within the healthcare system, with a focus on the experiences of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. The goal is to better understand how cultural safety is experienced and measured across different levels of care, and to use these findings to help inform the development of Cultural Safety Indicators.
Tara Hatfield — Research Nurse/Project Coordinator
Tara is a Research Nurse Coordinator at IWK Health with a career spanning more than three decades and encompassing both clinical and research roles. Her professional journey has been dedicated to children’s health issues and an unwavering commitment to discovering optimal care practices through evidence-based research.
Tara’s has worked with the Atlantic Indigenous Children’s Healing Initiative (AICH) team since its inception working on a range of projects with varying, invaluable, behind-the scenes roles and administrative support. Tara considers it an honor to work alongside AICH’s collective group of Indigenous health researchers who continuously advocate for enhanced healthcare services for Indigenous children.
Collaborators
Sharon Rudderham — Director of Health Transformation, Tajikeimɨk & Original Co-Principal Investigator
Sharon Rudderham is the Director of Health Transformation at Tajikeimɨk Mi’kmaw Health and Wellness and the former Health Director of the Eskasoni Community Health Centre on Cape Breton Island. Sharon was a member of the Nova Scotia Tribal Council and the Union of Nova Scotia Indians, and has been involved with the Assembly of First Nations. She served as a member of the Nova Scotia Provincial Health Council, and has been instrumental in the development of the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Client Linkage Registry (a collaborative health care database for the Mi’kmaq communities of Nova Scotia). She provides leadership from an Indigenous knowledge perspective.
Julie Francis — L’nu Nursing Director, Tajikeimɨk
Julie Francis is a Registered Nurse from Eskasoni First Nation and currently serves as the L’nu Nursing Director at Tajikeimɨk. She graduated from the St. FX School of Nursing in 2010, and in 2023 from Dalhousie University with a Master of Science in Nursing. Julie provides the project with expertise regarding the health care needs of First Nations children and youth as well as the training needs of health care professionals working with First Nations families.
Courtney Pennell, BScN/RN, MScN — Collaborator
Courtney Pennell is a proud Mi’kmaw Registered Nurse (RN, BScN) of Wasoqopa’q First Nation. Courtney is the Indigenous Health Consultant for IWK Health and also began conducting research in February of 2020 after her passion for improving Indigenous health care was recognized while attending a research summit.
For her research, Courtney consults with Indigenous children and youth to find out why their health concerns are statistically under-addressed in the healthcare system, specifically about their experience with treating pain and hurt. Courtney coordinates this project with the AICH Initiative and translates the knowledge found into meaningful ways that IWK Health can better serve these populations. As of May 2020, she started studying to obtain her Masters of Science in Nursing, a move that she believes will help maximize her potential in creating meaningful is what keeps her devoted and driven.
Shauna Hachey — Associate Professor
Shauna Hachey is a licensed dental hygienist and Associate Professor in the School of Dental Hygiene at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Dentistry, with a cross-appointment in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Nationally, she serves as Member-at-Large and Treasurer of the Canadian Society for Disability and Oral Health and chairs the Disability and Oral Health Working Group within the Network for Canadian Oral Health Research. Her research focuses on expanding oral health access for care-dependent populations through community-led initiatives, integrated care models, and knowledge translation projects, including Weskewikwa’sit mijua’ji’j – Baby Smiles.
Destiny Mercredi — Collaborator
Destiny Mercredi is a Two-Spirit Métis lesbian from Thebacha (Fort Smith), Northwest Territories, in Treaty 8 territory. She completed her Masters in Social Work at Dalhousie University in 2023, focusing on Decolonizing and Indigenizing health education and practice. Destiny specializes in Indigenous Relationality, Two-Eyed Seeing, Decolonizing and Indigenizing Social Work education, and 2SLGBTQ+ youth work. She collaborates and conducts research for the Atlantic Indigenous Children’s Healing Initiative (AICH). Destiny plays a key role in their interprofessional course “Introduction to Cultural Safety in Healthcare for Indigenous Peoples,” which is mandatory for all first-year students in Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Dental Hygiene, and Nursing at Dalhousie University. She is also involved in the Mi’kmaq MSW development committee and teaches courses for the School of Social Work.
Athanasius Sylliboy, “Tanas” — Nurse Practitioner/MD Candidate
Athanasius Sylliboy “Tanas” is a Mi’kmaq Registered Nurse from Eskasoni First Nation. Tanas received his nursing education at Cape Breton University becoming one of the first two Mi’kmaq male graduates to complete their program. Tanas’ primary nursing background is both adult and pediatric emergency / critical care in various departments across Nova Scotia.
Tanas is currently working as a Clinical Researcher for the AICH Initiative. His area of interest includes bridging gaps in healthcare for marginalized populations through health advocacy and collaboration. He provides the team with knowledge of working with pediatric patients and First Nation populations in both acute care and primary care settings. Tanas is currently enrolled in the Master of Nursing: Nurse Practitioner program at Dalhousie University.
Alan Syliboy — Collaborator
Alan Syliboy is an internationally recognized Mi’kmaq artist from the Millbrook First Nation in Nova Scotia. He attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) and studied under Maliseet artist, Shirley Bear. Mr. Syliboy has illustrated books, developed a coin for the Canadian Mint and developed a 30-metre long mural for the Vancouver Olympic Committee. Alan is also a musician and the owner of “Red Crane Studios” in Truro, NS.
Alan is a collaborator on this project and facilitated the pain and hurt art sessions in each of the participating communities. Click here to see Alan’s website, including an online gallery of his work.
Past Contributors
Dr. G. Allen Finley (Co-Investigator), Daphne Hutt-MacLeod (Co-Investigator), Kara Paul (Co-Investigator), Dale Sheppard (Collaborator), Leah Carrier (Doctoral Student), Dr. Carolyn P. Gaspar (Collaborator), Clare Heggie (Research Assistant), Lorraine Bear (Collaborator), Elizabeth Paul (Collaborator), Dr. Brett Taylor (Collaborator), Dr. Donald Julien (Collaborator), Roseanne Sark (Collaborator), Dr. Sam Wong (Collaborator), Jim Hepworth (Collaborator), Anita MacKinnon (Co-Investigator), Katherine Harman (Co-Investigator), Lisa Perley-Dutcher (Co-Investigator), June Lewis (Elder Council), Imelda Perley (Elder Council), Gilander Ungar (Research Manager), Elias B. Habib (Research Coordinator), Dawn Googoo (Collaborator), Carolyn P. Gaspar (Collaborator)
Trainees
Lainee Johnson (2024-Current), Athanasius Sylliboy (2019-Current), Julie Francis (2011-Current), Courtney Pennell (2018-Current), Leah Carrier (2019-2024), Rachel VanEvery (2017-2024), Allie Turner (2017), Shanté Blackmore (2016-2017), Brent Young (2016-2017), Angie Acquin (2016), Karlee Johnson (2015-2017), Judie Acquin-Miksovsky (2015), Serge Francis (2015), Clarissa Sylliboy (2015), Vanessa Nickerson (2014), Kayla Rudderham (2013-2015)