Indigenous Initiatives

Carissa joined CTLT’s Indigenous Initiatives team in January 2022 as an Educational Programs Coordinator. She began studying on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people in 2014 and graduated from UBC with a BA in International Relations and Political Science. Prior to joining the Indigenous Initiatives team at CTLT Carissa worked as an Event Coordinator in the unit. In her role as Educational Programs Coordinator, she will be supporting the planning, delivery, and evaluation of professional development programs. Specifically, she will be providing administrative support for the Indigenous Initiatives team’s work with the Indigenous Strategic plan.

 

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On the traditional and unceded land of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people, Heather is the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam)-UBC Resource Curator Manager, Indigenous Initiatives at the Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology (CTLT) at the University of British Columbia. In addition to community membership to the Soowahlie First Nation and the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Indian Band, Heather is also of Stó꞉lō and Lax-Kw’alaams (Port Simpson) Tsimshian Nation ancestry. She was born and spent the majority of her early years in Upper Lynn Valley, North Vancouver, British Columbia, as well as some time in Richmond and Chilliwack, British Columbia. She has worked in education on BC First Nation lands and territories for more than 25 years, with a focus on Indigenous studies and educational leadership. She graduated from the UBC Vancouver Campus (B.Ed. 1998, MEd 2003, PhD 2018). As an Indigenous educator and member of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) community, she understands the importance of feeling a connection to community and land. Her commitment to her family, culture, justice, and education influences her desire to make an effort to be a proactive force in maintaining these links. She also believes that it is crucial to provide Indigenous voices, Elders, and culture a place in the academy.

 

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Janelle Kasperski (pronouns: She/Her) is a Nisga’a woman from Laxgalts’ap, BC. She is an educator, beader, artist, facilitator, writer, and Auntie advocate for Indigenous voices and success. She has been with UBC for a year and a half, working as the Specialist in Strategic Indigenous Enrolment Initiatives. She has also worked for McGill University in the Office of the Provost as the Indigenous Education Advisor. Her experience in educational institutions is grounded in the knowledges witnessed through working with Indigenous communities, as well as her own cultural and family teachings.

 

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Nathalie Lozano Neira is from Muysca territory in Colombia. She came to live in the occupied and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Səl̓ílwətaɬ, and Skwxwú7mesh Nations 23 years ago as a settler refugee. For over 20 years Nathalie has been involved in migrant justice and decolonial justice organizing efforts. She has experience in facilitation, curriculum development and community-based feminist research. She is a doctoral student in the Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice Institute at UBC focusing on relationship building and relationality within Indigenous women grassroot collectives in Turtle Island (North America) and Abya Yala (Latin America). As the Anti-Racism Consultant, Nathalie provides professional development programming, design, facilitation, and consulting to the UBC teaching and learning community grounding the work in values and experiences of IBPOC communities through intersectional, anti-oppressive and decolonial approaches to pedagogy and design.
 

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Samantha joined CTLT Indigenous Initiatives in December 2021 as the Educational Resources Developer. Sam is nehiyaw-apihtaw’kos’an (Cree-Metis) and grew up in Treaty 8 territory in Northeast British Columbia, on the traditional territories of the Dane-zaa, Cree, and Saulteaux peoples and the traditional homelands of the Métis. Her family is originally from Ile-a-la-Crosse (Sakitawak) in Northwest Saskatchewan, Treaty 10 territory, the traditional territory of the Cree and Dene peoples and the traditional homeland of the Métis. Sam has lived on the unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and Sel̓íl̓witulh Nations for the last 12 years, and is grateful to be here. Sam is an alumna of the First Nations and Indigenous students at UBC, graduating with her BA in FNIS and Political Science in 2014. Post UBC, she completed a web development diploma at Lighthouse Labs. This is where Sam became interested in conversations about Indigenous online sovereignty, data sovereignty, and the intersections of traditional knowledge and the online realm. Sam has worked as an arts educator, an information management officer, a communications consultant, and ensures that in each position she holds her communities are always held at the centre. As the Indigenous Initiatives Educational Resources Developer, Samantha supports the II team and the UBC Learning Community in creating engaging online resources, such as What I Learned in Class Today. She also supports in sharing these resources via Indigenous Initiatives communications platforms, like II’s monthly newsletter.

 

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Shannon Robinson was born and raised in Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 territories, growing up on either side of the Red Deer River. Since 2012, Shannon has lived as an uninvited guest on the traditional, unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ peoples. Shannon approaches her work with the aims of disrupting colonial systems and centering reciprocity and relationality at the heart of her practice. In the role of Education Consultant: Anti-racist Teaching and Learning at the CTLT, Shannon aims to help build towards a more caring, safe, and supportive environment at UBC.

 

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