Staff

Danielle was the Ethical Guidelines and Knowledge Transfer Projects Coordinator for the McMaster/University of Toronto Indigenous Health Research Development Program, NEAHR (then ACADRE) Centre prior to her departure to Ottawa where she was the Senior Policy Analyst/Research Officer of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) and Managing Editor of the Journal of Aboriginal Health. She returned to McMaster in 2010 as the Director and Program Coordinator for the ISHS office. In 2012, Danielle received the President’s Award for Outstanding Service.

Working to decrease barriers for Indigenous learners and to work with students to serve as mentor in their professional development, as a course supervisor, an instructor or strengthening their leadership skills are all components of her role as Director that she is most passionate and committed. Danielle continues to publish, conduct peer reviews and speak within the fields of equity, competency, power and privilege within health professions education, the broader social determinants of health, and the promotion and integration of Indigenous scholarship within health professions curriculum.  Danielle is a founding member of the National Indigenous Health Sciences Circle (NIHScC). She is a member of the Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education Network (LIME), Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC) and the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA) all of which assist in the ongoing learning, engagement, and knowledge sharing with leading Indigenous scholars and health professionals.

Danielle’s most recent conference presentations include “Where are you from? Reframing Facilitated Admissions Policies in the Faculty of Health Sciences.” Daniels: In and Beyond the Law. Rupertsland Centre for Métis Research, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. 2017. “Responding to The Challenge: Innovation in Increasing Diversity of Canadian Medical Education through the Fusions of Indigenous and Western Knowledge at McMaster University's School of Medicine.”  Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) Barcelona, Spain. 2016 and “Yes, this Elective is Biased! Student Knowledge Translation in Education and Career Post Aboriginal Health Elective.” Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education Network (LIME). LIME Connection VI. Townsville, AU. 2015

Cornelia (Nel) Wieman, MD, FRCPC is Canada’s first female Aboriginal psychiatrist (Anishnawbe – Little Grand Rapids First Nation, Manitoba). She holds an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology (1988) and a Master of Science degree in Biomechanics (1991) from the University of Waterloo. She completed her medical degree (1993) and psychiatry specialty training (1998) at McMaster University in Hamilton. She was also the first Director of the Indigenous Students Health Sciences (ISHS) office at McMaster University. (Formerly known as ASHS)

From 1997-2005, she provided psychiatric services at Six Nations Mental Health Services, a community mental health clinic based on the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. She was a member of the Advisory Group on Suicide Prevention (2002-2003) that developed a national framework document for the Assembly of First Nations and First Nations & Inuit Health Branch to address the issue of First Nations youth suicide. She served as Deputy Chair of Health Canada’s Research Ethics Board (2002-2005) and was Chair of the Drug Utilization Evaluation Advisory Committee, First Nations & Inuit Health Branch (2004-2012). From 2004-2011, she was the Co-Director of the Indigenous Health Research Development Program and an Assistant Professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She has been a co-investigator on several initiatives funded through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) – Institute of Aboriginal Peoples Health including the National Network of Aboriginal Mental Health Research (NNAMHR) which she co-directed until 2011. In 2006, she was appointed as a Member of the Indspire (formerly the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation) Board of Directors. In 2007, she was appointed to the First Nations, Inuit and Metis Advisory Committee, part of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Also in 2007, she was appointed to CIHR’s Governing Council.

In 2012, she joined the Clinical Support Team at YWCA Toronto’s Elm Centre providing psychiatric services to over 100 women living with serious mental illness & addictions and became a member of Inner City Health Associates, delivering front-line psychiatric services to Toronto’s homeless population as part of the HOPE Program. She was also appointed as a special consultant to the Chief Public Health Officer of the Public Health Agency of Canada. In February 2013, she joined the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) as a staff psychiatrist, working in various programs including the Aboriginal Services Unit, Telepsychiatry Service (Northern Psychiatric Outreach Program), Crisis Clinic and General Assessment Clinic.

She was a 1998 recipient of a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, recognizing career achievement in the category of medicine. In 2002, she was the inaugural recipient of the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Alumni Achievement Award. In February 2013, she received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Jordan is a Nehiyaw (Cree) woman who was born and raised in Regina, SK. She relocated to Hamilton in 2002 to be closer to her mother and sister. She is a mother to twin 9 year old boys Mahingan and Nikik who inspire and teach her new things each and everyday.

In 2005, Jordan graduated with honours from the Native Community Care: Counseling and Development Program at Mohawk College and obtained her Bachelor of Education in Aboriginal Adult Education from Brock University in 2014. She has work experience in local Indigenous organizations, such as, De dwa da dehs nye>s Aboriginal Health Centre as a Health Promotion Officer and Project Coordinator for Aboriginal Children’s Healthy Community Project & Niwasa Aboriginal Education Programs as an Aboriginal Youth Advisor in an inner city high school.

Brittany is Cayuga Nation, Turtle Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory.  She is currently in fourth year Honours Gerontology with a minor in Indigenous Studies at McMaster University.  Her interests include Indigenous health, aging, and dementia. In 2013, she received her Social Service Worker Gerontology diploma from Sheridan College. 

During the summer of 2016, Brittany was a part of McMaster’s Indigenous Undergraduate Summer Research Scholars program, where she worked with Dr. Chelsea Gabel on her community-based research project looking at Elder-Youth relationships in a Southern Inuit community.  She travelled to St. Lewis, Labrador with the research team to host a community event and engage with research participants, community members, and local politicians. Brittany has been actively involved with the research project since, designing and developing a photo book that can be distributed to St. Lewis and surrounding communities, in the hopes of continuing the discussion on the health needs of the community.

Brittany is the Resource Centre Assistant within the ISHS office.  Upon completing her B.A., she plans to pursue an MSc. in Occupational Therapy within the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster. 

"Trust that Creator will guide you to where you are meant to be. It took many years, struggles and setbacks, but I feel that I am finally on the path that I am meant to be on. Don't give up on yourself when things get tough because it's that strength and resilience that will set you apart from others."

George Doxtater is a Mohawk, turtle clan from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory.

He is currently completing his B.A. in Honours Linguistics with a minor in Japanese at McMaster University. His interests include Indigenous language preservation, second language acquisition, and endangered language revitalization. He is also studying the Italian language for his major.

In 2013, George completed Onkwawenna Kentyohkwa, a two year Mohawk language adult immersion program located on the Six Nations reserve. He achieved a ‘Advanced-mid’ level of proficiency in the Mohawk language according to the ACTFL (American Council of Teaching Foreign Language) Proficiency Guidelines of 2012.

During the summer of 2017, George was a program assistant at McMaster University’s Summer English Program where he was involved in creating, implementing, and facilitating ESL-based (English as a Second Language) curriculum to international students.

George is an Indigenous Student Recruiter within the ISHS office. After graduation, George plans on applying for graduate studies in the field of Indigenous language preservation/revitalization.