Recognizing Resilience and Understanding Need
Team
About
Team
The RRUN partnership is governed by a Research Partnership Agreement between The University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, QBOW Child and Family Services, Chief of Beardy’s & Okemasis Cree Nation, Chief of Piapot Cree Nation, Chief of Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation, Chief of Wahpeton Dakota Nation, and Chief of Wood Mountain Lakota Nation.
The activities of the RRUN project are directed by representatives from QBOW, each First Nation, and each University. These activities are supported by community research assistants and university student research assistants.
Elders Advisory Council
Chiefs and councillors representing each participating First Nation
Elder Eunice Bear (Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation)
Carmen Fourstar (QBOW CFS Executive Director; Wahpeton Dakota First Nation)
Elaine Thomas (QBOW CFS Associate Executive Director; Beardy’s & Okemasis’ First Nation)
Isidore Poorman (QBOW Child and Family Services, Cultural Liaison Supervisor)
Elise Matthews, PhD, RN
Elise is a Registered Nurse and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Regina. Her program of research focuses on the social and cultural context of childhood disability, mental health, and family experiences; impacts of childhood trauma; and critical approaches to conceptualizing “culture” in nursing education.
Jan Gelech, PhD
Jan is a lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Saskatchewan. She has worked on projects exploring personal and social aspects of disability experience amongst individuals with acquired brain injuries, physical impairments, inflammatory bowel disease, and cognitive deficits. She is trained and experienced in person-centered ethnographic methods, participatory action research, and critical analyses of health and social service systems.
Kate Neufeld, MD, FRCPC
Dr. Neufeld is a pediatric rheumatologist at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon, SK and is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Neufeld graduated from the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine, and completed pediatric residency at U of S. She completed a fellowship in pediatric rheumatology at the University of Toronto (Hospital For Sick Children). Dr Neufeld’s research background is in mental health in childhood lupus, and psychosocial factors in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. She is a member of the Canadian Rheumatology Association, Canadian Alliance of Pediatric Rheumatology Investigators (CAPRI), and University of Saskatchewan Pediatric Rheumatology Research IDEA Lab.
Katie Collins
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Health Studies at the University of Saskatchewan and a citizen of the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan. In my research, I take a social psychological approach to the study of sociocultural issues, including bias and inequity, with a particular interest on the roles of, and intersections between, language, culture, and identity.
Whitney Ogle. BSW
Whitney Ogle, also known by her Lakota name Wíŋyaŋ Wašté (Good Woman), is from Wood Mountain Lakota First Nation and is a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. Whitney comes from the Lecaine, Ferguson, Lethbridge, and Ogle families, and is a descendant of Chief Black Moon and Big Woman of the Húŋkpapȟa Lakota (Head of the Circle). She was raised within the farming community of southern Saskatchewan with her brothers and relatives.
She is a proud Lakota/Ukrainian woman who carries a deep respect for her family, community, and culture. Whitney is a Lecturer in the Indigenous Health Studies Department at First Nations University of Canada. She has served community for over 17 years within Indigenous social work and education. Her heart work is focused on Lakota language and way of life. She believes in doing everything with the next generation at the center of her mind. Whitney is committed to ceremony and the regeneration of the Lakota language in her community and enjoys gathering with relatives, cooking for family, and walking the hills with her sunka (dog).
Osla Godwin
Osla Godwin, M.P.H., is a dedicated Public Health professional specializing in health policy and management, with over 8 years of experience in research and research methodologies. A former caregiver to individuals with diverse disabilities, she is deeply committed to advocacy, ensuring that the voices of marginalized communities are amplified within health and social services. Osla is studying pre-nursing courses at the University of Regina. Osla is currently a research assistant with the RRUN project.