Meet the Steering Committee

Hello. My name is David Johnson. I am a registered nurse and a father of two young girls. I know first-hand the needs of fathers like me in my community of Six Nations and I’m fiercely passionate about understanding their experiences and meeting their needs. I speak with fathers from my community to learn more about their needs and how best to address them.

My name is Rachel VanEvery. I am Grand River Mohawk and reside with my husband and three children on the Six Nations Reserve. I earned degrees in both nursing and public health, and I’m a PhD candidate in the Department of Health, Aging and Society at McMaster University. My research focuses on child and youth health promotion, poverty, and policy development with Indigenous communities.

I am Cayuga Wolf Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. I am a mother of three children. I am working in the Six Nations community as the Child and Family Well-being Project Coordinator. I have an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree in Youth and Children’s Studies with an Indigenous minor and I am currently completing my Master of Social Work degree. Both my personal and professional experience has brought me to a place in life where I understand the systemic harm of government systems and want to work towards changing those systems to improve the quality of life for people that are utilizing them.

I reside on the Six Nations Reservation and belong to the Cayuga Nation, Turtle Clan. At the age of 18 I became a mother while living with my parents who were in an unhealthy relationship, all while enduring a child custody battle and struggling on Welfare, today known as Ontario Works. I soon come to realize that I no longer wanted to struggle to provide for my son. I wanted to continue my education, so I enrolled in a social service worker program, to help individuals who are having the same struggles as me. I had the best support system within my family and they are still there for me today.

For 20 years I have been employed at the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre (HRIC) supporting Indigenous families living in Hamilton and surrounding areas. I started as a placement student which led to part-time employment. Over the years I followed the lead of many mentors who have shown me to take pride and passion in the work I do for others. Encouraging and guiding my clients towards a greater sense of hope and pride in being who they are and to establish a healthy lifestyle. As an Indigenous Health Babies worker, I have entered many homes and witnessed a number of families struggling with poverty, a lack of family support, child welfare situations and addiction. Some families just need a friendly face to sit and have a cup of tea. This is what I enjoy most –giving them my utmost attention when they need it most.

As I move into a new role, I hope to continue to create a positive working relationship with our local agencies for our Indigenous community. I see our partnerships growing stronger, and as our relationships build, we will be better able to work together as a team. HRIC has grown into a well-established organization with a number of supports and services for the whole family. I am grateful to be part of a team who shares the same values as I do.

My name is Selby Harris. I’m the Kizhaay Anishinaabe Niin Worker at the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre. I’ve been the Kizhaay Anishinaabe Niin worker since 2016. Prior to that, I worked at the Niagara Regional Native Centre from 2006 to 2015 as the Akwego worker with Indigenous children ages 7-12.

My name is Jessy Dame and I’m a very proud Two-Spirit, Métis, Certified Registered Nurse. My family is from is from Treaty 1 and 2 territory, which is known today as Winnipeg and St Rose-du-lac.

I’ve worked in Neonatal/Postnatal health. I currently work casually within a queer sexual health clinic in downtown Vancouver. I’m the Indigenous Sex and Gender Leader within the Indigenous Wellness team and the Two-Spirit Program Manager with the Community Based Research Centre. Through these roles, I’ve been able to work with and for the Two-Spirit community to create resources and advocate for services.

One of the initiatives that I’m developing is an at-home HIV and STI testing program for Two-Spirit and queer and Trans Indigenous folks who live in rural and remote areas of the province.

Hello, my name is Wihsé. I’m a confident and knowledgeable Indigenous 2 Spirit parent. I spend my time working to support my family and community

After going through many programs and workshops to reclaim as much of my culture as possible, I’ve begun to step up and step out to make some real progress for his community. I’ve done my best to understand The Good Mind and The Great Peace, and forever brush up on crafting my skills for cultural purposes.

I work with Indigenous youth aged 15-30, focusing on reclaiming culture and employability for those youth seeking it, with NPAAMB. I bring knowledge of the obstacles that Indigenous parents face, primarily the lack of resources for Indigenous fathers or 2S parents, primarily through lived experiences.

My Name is Jesse Miller however I go by the name of Deya. I work within the media as well as have a background in social work with youth and I am also a father of a 3-year old. I am very passionate about the role father’s play as a parent as well as just being a partner in general. I grew up with a father who was there but like most of us was distant and did things a certain way and I believe in order to break the cycle you have to understand the cycle.

My name is Jessica. I’m the Knowledge Program Manager at the Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle. I hold a PhD in Anthropology of Health. I have experience in academic, non-profit, and Indigenous community settings, and a strong knowledge of issues pertaining to Indigenous health, research, training, program development and implementation. I’ve completed several community-based research projects related to Indigenous health focusing on experiences of healthy aging and dementia on Manitoulin Island and in Southern Labrador.

My name is Bonnie Freeman and I am Algonquin/Mohawk from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in Ontario, Canada. I bring many years of practice experience, with work rooted in connections with Six Nations, the Hamilton Aboriginal Community, as well as many other Indigenous communities throughout Canada and the United States. I am also certified in Equine Assisted Growth and Learning and has developed and implemented in collaboration with the Hamilton Métis Women’s Circle, Equine Assisted Growth and Learning programs to Aboriginal High School students and Native women.

I am an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work at McMaster University. My research focuses on the importance of Indigenous cultural knowledge and epistemologies to the well-being of the Haudenosaunee and other Indigenous peoples. I am leading research that addresses themes regarding Indigenous children and youth; culture-based activism; and Two-Row Partnerships (alliance building between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples).

My name is Amy Wright, and I am a Nurse Practitioner and Nursing Professor at the University of Toronto. My research focuses on equitable access to health care and positive health care interactions with a focus on cultural safety. My recent work involves working with the Indigenous community in the Hamilton area to meet their research goals relating to parenting and early childhood. I also work clinically as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at McMaster Children’s hospital. I am a mother of two children and I live in Dundas with my children, husband, and husky.

My name is Michelle Butt. I am a nurse and an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and an Associate Member in the Department of Pediatrics at McMaster University. My research focus is on the effectiveness and measurement of the quality of health care services for patients and their families. I am originally from Newfoundland. I have two girls whom I adopted internationally. In my personal time, my most treasured activities are baking and craft-making with my children and spending time in a boat on the ocean.

Bio to come.

Bio to come.