Pewaseskwan Team
The People at Pewaseskwan

Alex Smith
Research Associate
Alex, a proud member of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation in Treaty 5, is a mother, scholar and community advocate. She is a highly motivated and accomplished individual with a strong academic background. Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Indigenous Studies from the University of Saskatchewan, where she graduated with distinction. Her studies have equipped her with a deep understanding of theory and methodological approaches. Alex has overcome severe trauma, intergenerational violence and abuse. She is now able to ground herself in healing, while breaking cycles for her three children. With a passion for community engagement, Alex has volunteered extensively with youth and vulnerable populations. She is committed to lifelong learning and personal growth.

Amaeze Amaeze
Research Assistant
Amaeze Amaeze Izundu is a Research Assistant with the DRUM&SASH project. He is the eldest of four siblings and was born and raised in Nigeria, where he practiced as a pharmacist. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public health at the University of Saskatchewan and is passionate about community-based research and projects. He is dedicated to giving back to the community. His current pursuit of a master’s degree in public health has equipped him with advanced knowledge in epidemiology, health policy and community-based research methods. When he is not working, he enjoys watching movies, playing games, talking with friends and family and expanding his knowledge through reading in his leisure time.

Anum Nooruddin
Research Assistant
Anum Nooruddin is a research assistant with Pewaseskwan. She was born and raised in Pakistan, where her parents and younger brother still live today (she has a sister in Toronto as well). In Pakistan, she earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Dow University of Health Sciences and served as an in-patient pharmacist at Tabba Heart Institute. She has completed her first year of studies in the University of Saskatchewan’s Master of Public Health program and is working with Pewaseskwan for the program’s practicum. She’s been a volunteer for various organizations since she was a child and has been involved with the Girl Guides Association at all levels, from being a member, to a guide and leading a unit. Outside of her work and studies, Anum loves to cook and learn new recipes, binge-watch Netflix, go for walks and sit in quiet places near the river listening to her favourite music.

Arianna Berthold
Research Assistant
Arianna, who works on the Hope Through Strength project, is a fourth-generation settler of German, Austrian and Latvian descent, whose ancestors farmed in Treaty 4 and Treaty 6 lands. She graduated from USask in 2020 with a Bachelor of Commerce and a BA in Psychology, and has worked in the non-profit sector, including in a position overseeing and monitoring federally funded housing projects in the city. She has a passion for research and a strong interest in promoting Indigenous self-determination and learning more about Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.

Ashley Secundiak
Project Coordinator
Ashley works on several Pewaseskwan projects, including Mitewekan, CheckUp! and Kennedy’s Disease. She joined the team in July 2020 as a clerical assistant, but her talent for research was quickly apparent and she was soon promoted to a research associate. In August 2023, she was promoted to her current role. Ashley has a strong interest in patient-focused research and obtained her Bachelor of Science in Physiology and Pharmacology from USask. She is from the town of Sturgis, in Treaty 4 territory, but now calls Saskatoon and Treaty 6 territory home. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time in the sunshine, visiting with friends and family, and testing out new recipes in the kitchen.

Brennan (Bren) Thompson
Executive Director

Carlli Chohaniuk
Research Nurse
Carlli is a Métis woman who grew up in Treaty 4 territory. She moved to Saskatoon in 2005 to start her nursing degree and continues to call the city home with her husband and three daughters. Carlli graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. For the last 15 years, she has worked with pediatric patients in the pediatric intensive care unit, first at Royal University Hospital and then at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital. She is also a part of Saskatchewan’s pediatric transport team, which transports critically ill children throughout the province. When Carlli is not working, she and her family actively participate in different sports. She enjoys spending time with her daughters, husband, nieces and nephews.

Carmen Ernst-Fiddler
Research Officer
Carmen is a Métis woman registered with Western Region II in Prince Albert. She is the proud mother of Kayel, Harrison, Bostyn and Memphis. She works primarily with the Apihkatatan project. She is a graduate of the First Nations University of Canada (FNUC), where she earned a certificate, bachlor’s degree and master’s degree, all majoring in Indigenous Social Work. She also has certificates in youth care and expressive art therapy. She is now a PhD student in Indigenous Studies at USask. Carmen worked with youth for 15 years, first as a youth care leader and then as a case worker. She also worked as a corrections officer at Pine Grove Correctional Centre, the provincial prison for women in Prince Albert. In addition to being a student, she currently works as a mental health therapist and sessional instructor at FNUC. In her free time, Carmen enjoys painting, reading, going to the gym, travelling and attending her children’s activities.

Carrielynn Lund
Project Coordinator

Chelsie Collins
Research Associate
Chelsie Collins is a woman from Sweetgrass First Nation on Treaty 6 territory. She is a graduate of Sanctum 1.5, a program that helps pregnant women who have or are at risk of HIV keep their babies from being apprehended, and she comes from lived experience. She believes that graduating from Sanctum 1.5 changed her life forever, and since then, she has become a part of the research space where she learns and makes valuable contributions. c. Over time, she has gained skills in research design, data collection and has earned TCPS2 Core on Research Ethics Certification. She leads interviews for data collection, and in August 2023, she presented at the Indigenous Development Origins of Health and Diseases Conference. She is also involved in community research with the Waniska Indigenous Centre for HIV/HCV/STBBI research. She is a mother and grandmother and in her free time, she enjoys playing bingo and going out with her family and spending time with them.

Dakota (Koda) Sinclair
Waniska Community Coordinator (SK)
Koda, also known as Pipikwân-Iskwew (Eagle Whistle Woman), is Nehiyawak (Plains Cree) from Poundmaker Cree Nation in Treaty 6 territory. She grew up on her reserve and has a strong connection to its people, culture and land. She moved to Saskatoon in 2013 to attend university and graduated with a BA in Sociology in 2018. She has worked extensively with non-profit organizations in Saskatoon, including as a youth care worker, an outreach worker and as a family literacy facilitator. Koda’s long-term goal is to study law. Outside of work she enjoys reading, going for walks and hanging out with friends. She is also involved in ceremony, participating in sweats, round dances, powwows, Horse Dances and Sundances.

Elgun Mehdiyev
Clerical Assistant
Elgun Mehdiyev was born and raised in Azerbaijan, a county in western Asia. He and his wife and daughter recently moved to Saskatoon from Vancouver. Elgun studied International Relations at the University of Baku, in the Azerbaijani capital, earning both a BA and an MA. He has worked as an executive assistant for a company in Vancouver and at the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angelos, where he lived from 2017 to 2021. He has a strong communication skills, technical skills, teamwork, organizational skills and problem-solving skills. When Elgun is not working, he has a strong love of reading, particularly classic literature, history, politics and international affairs. He also takes great pleasure in spending quality time with his family.

Jenn Sharp
Communications Coordinator
Jenn Sharp is a communications coordinator with Pewaseskwan. Jenn studied English literature at the University of Saskatchewan and took several study-abroad courses in Thailand and China, along with traditional yoga and meditation studies in Rishikesh, India. She was a sole proprietor for nearly ten years and brings a wide range of experience from being a reporter, editor, food columnist and an award-winning author, to research and interpersonal skills along with media relations and public speaking. Since 2020, she has had the opportunity to host, co-produce and write Flat Out Food, a documentary series that traces Saskatchewan’s homegrown ingredients from the farmer’s field to the chef’s plate. She feels she is best outdoors, whether it’s camping, cycling, picnics in the park, exploring a new country or walking barefoot along the riverbank. She is a yoga enthusiast and a horseback rider, enjoys cooking, homemade food and spending time with her partner Amin, friends and family.

Jordan Derkson
Project Coordinator
Jordan Derkson is a project coordinator with the Kiskemisowin project and recently earned a Master of Psychology. Born in Saskatchewan, he grew up in Alberta, in Treaty 7 and the traditional territory of the Blackfoot people. He now lives in Saskatoon with his wife and two dogs (Benji and Millie). Jordan’s career began as a frontline worker in group homes and mental health treatment centres where he saw firsthand a broken system full of well-meaning people. As a project coordinator, one of Jordan’s responsibilities is connecting communities and institutions, and with that comes a responsibility to advocate for the communities’ agenda. He aims to approach this work with humility, an open and teachable posture and an understanding that he plays a supportive, rather than directive, role. When he’s not working, he tries to get back to the mountains to backpack as often as possible. Otherwise, you’ll find him walking his dogs, doing yoga or playing video games.

José Diego Marques Santos
Research Associate
José Diego Marques Santos (Diego) is a research associate with the Sanctum 1.5 Hope Through Strength project. Diego is from the State of Piauí, Brazil and is of mixed ancestry, including Indigenous, Black and Portuguese. He lives in Leoville, SK, in Treaty 6 territory with his partner Cole. He has a Bachelor of Nursing from the Federal University of Piauí and an MSc in Community and Population Health from USask. Diego has worked as a researcher with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and at USask in the College of Medicine, the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology. He has experience with administrative databases, data analysis, patient oriented research and manuscript writing. When he isn’t working, Diego enjoys dog walking, even though he doesn’t have a dog of his own, binging Netflix and playing video games. He and Cole have also recently developed an interest in plants and have started to fill their home with plant “daughters.”

Kehinde Ametepee
Research Manager

Kristyn McDougall
Project Coordinator
Kristyn is a Michif woman from Prince Albert who now resides in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She has a strong Métis heritage, with ancestral ties to Red River, Batoche, St. Louis and Duck Lake. She is a law school graduate and will be convocating with a Juris Doctor Degree and a two-year post-secondary certificate in Indigenous Governance and Politics, with an undergraduate background in Sociology and Indigenous Studies. She initially enrolled in law school to become a criminal defense attorney, wanting to help combat the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples within Canadian carceral institutions. While her career objectives changed throughout her academic journey, this injustice continues to profoundly impact her. Her goal has always been to advance Indigenous self-determination, sovereignty and the revitalization of Indigenous knowledges, cultural practices, epistemologies, legal orders and protocols. When Kristyn is not working, she enjoys spending quality time with her friends and family, going on walks with her dog and spending time at home with her pets, as well as beading jewelry.

Lorraine Seymour
Research Coordinator
Lorraine Seymouris the Waniska Centre’s Research Coordinator for Manitoba. She is located with our partner organization, Ka Ni Kanichihk, in Winnipeg, in Treaty 1 territory. Lorraine is a member of Anishinaabeg of Naongaashiing (Big Island) First Nation in Treaty 3 territory, south of Kenora, Ontario. Her spirit name is Waasamook (Lighnting) and she is from the Bear Clan. An Indian Residential School survivor, Lorraine used culture and language to heal and now thrives as a strong First Nations woman. She has a BA in Native Studies (as it was formerly called) from Trent University and she recently completed her Master of Social Work in Indigenous Knowledges from the University of Manitoba. Her graduate work focused on Ancestral Knowledges systems, specifically how “beading is healing.” When she isn’t working or studying, Lorraine is a passionate beadworker, language learner and a teacher of talking decolonization while leading beading is healing workshops. She is also a mother of five, grandmother of 11 and great-grandmother of two.

Makayla Musaskapoe
Cultural Facilitator
Makayla Musaskapoe is a Cree Iskwew (woman) from Ahthakakoop Cree Nation on Treaty 6 territory. She is a mother, a partner, an auntie and a sister. She has a Bachelor’s of Indigenous Social Work and a certificate in Reconciliation Studies. She also holds her own life experience and cultural understanding that she honours and carries forward within her personal and professional journey. She believes it is her duty as a young woman to learn her people’s ways of knowing and doing, and to carry those teachings forward in an effective way for the future generations. Her customs, traditions and turning back to the land guide her when supporting others on their wellness journeys and in creating a space that is culturally sensitive and open to all ways of life. When she’s not working, Makayla loves to travel, as travelling and seeing the world in a different light helped her on her own healing journey. She also enjoys walking, powwow dancing and being around the people she loves.

Maryam Golestani
Clerical Assistant
Maryam was born and raised in beautiful Iran and moved to Saskatchewan in September 2023 with her husband. She studied Industrial Engineering back in Iran and has earned both a BSc and an MSc. She hopes to build her knowledge on Indigenous health and wellness and support diverse communities. She is dedicated to enhancing her skills in community engagement, collaboration and program development to contribute meaningfully to the organization’s mission. Through active listening and understanding, she aims to honour the traditions and culture of Indigenous peoples. With three years of administrative experience, Maryam brings a strong spirit of teamwork and possesses strong organizational and communication skills. Outside of work, Maryam enjoys spending time with friends, swimming, playing ping-pong and reading.

Melissa Morris
Waniska Community Coordinator (Manitoba)
Melissa, a Two Spirit/Indigiqueer individual, proudly holds citizenship with the Manitoba Métis Federation, tracing her ancestral roots to the Red River Settlement in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. She also embraces the identity of a person with lived experiences, having lived for more than a decade in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, where she faced challenges related to addiction and homelessness. Melissa has emerged as a prominent national activist within the HIV and sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) community, leveraging her strength-based narrative to address the disparities that Indigenous individuals living with STBBI encounter. In addition to her position with Waniska, Melissa serves as the manager of the Village Lab, a community-based research lab at the University of Manitoba. Melissa’s remarkable contributions earned her a Community Fellowship from the Feast Centre for Indigenous STBBI Research at McMaster University, a recognition closely tied to her work with Ka Ni Kanichihk. Simultaneously, she is actively working towards her Bachelor of Social Work degree in the Inner City Social Work Program at the University of Manitoba. In her spare time, Melissa generously volunteers her efforts with the Nine Circles Community Health Centre, where she serves on the Board of Directors and the Lived Experiences Advisory Committee.

Michelle Paquette
Research Associate

Nicole Smith
Project Lead

Nidhi Singh
Communications Coordinator
Nidhi Singh was born and raised in northern India and immigrated to Canada in 2018 with her husband and two children. She has diverse education and experience, include master’s degrees in Commerce, Economics, and Mass Communications, and bachelor’s degrees in Education and Commerce. She has worked in communications, fund raising and education. Nidhi serves on the board of Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), Hope Restored Canada, and volunteers with Reconciliation Saskatoon, where she helps bring together Indigenous and newcomer communities to better understand each other. When Nidhi is not working or volunteering, she enjoys taking long walks with her dog, writing poetry, creating abstract paintings and spending quality time with her family.

Pebbles Bird
Research Assistant
Pebbles Bird has lived in Saskatoon most of her life. In the past, she worked at the Saskatoon Tribal Council Health Centre. For the last five years, she has been a peer mentor at the Sanctum Care Group. Her lived experience guides her to help others and she hopes that sharing her story will inspire people. Pebbles values doing things with her hands to help her focus and think about learning scenarios. She finds being active with her hands allows for better comprehension in her mind.

Phoebe Fosseneuve
Indigenous Community Navigator, RareKids-CAN
Phoebe Fosseneuve is from Treaty 5 territory and grew up in the community of Cumberland House, which is Western Canada’s oldest settlement and Homeland of the Mètis. Phoebe was raised by her paternal grandparents, who instilled the pride of her Swampy Cree Mètis roots and taught her the basics of the Swampy Cree language. Her goal is to be fluent in the “N” dialect. Phoebe has a background in Indigenous studies and Indigenous communication arts. She has worked in health care for 14 years and advocates for equitable care for Indigenous peoples. She enjoys collaborating with Indigenous communities and believes we can make differences in health outcomes, while supporting communities regarding health sovereignty.

Renée Masching
Consultant
Renée Masching lives in Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia, near Halifax) and grew up in Southern Ontario. Her bloodlines are from Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation, and she is also of Irish descent. Her family includes her husband of 24 years, two sons (aged 19 and 16), two dogs and two cats. She is passionate about contributing to the response to sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBI) with Indigenous community members. She brings several decades of experience working in the non-profit sector. She looks forward to deepening her cultural understanding of prairie First Nations and the Métis Nations. Part of her work will focus on supporting the CanHepC Network’s partnership with Pewaseskwan through the Indigenous Platform by developing a Community Guiding Circle and contributing to equity, diversity and inclusion activities, expanded to include accessibility and justice. Renée loves cheering and supporting her sons’ soccer teams. She is also an active volunteer with Scouts Canada, a Beaver Scouts leader (ages five to seven) and helps with the older groups when needed. If she is not scouting or at a sports event, she likes to hang out at her home by the ocean. She also loves to explore the world and is seeking some balance between home and travel.

Sadeem Fayed
Project Lead

Sarah Crawford
Scientific Research Manager
Sarah grew up in Regina, located in Treaty 4 territory and moved to Saskatoon in 2009 to pursue her education. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and pursued graduate studies at the University of Saskatchewan. She has worked with communities in Uganda, northern Canada, and northern Saskatchewan during her undergraduate and graduate studies. Her research focused on flourishing (wellness) in adolescents in rural and remote communities. As a former counselling dietitian within the mental health sphere, she prefers to be a listener/observer and provide space for people as needed. She hopes to be an advocate for and an ally of Indigenous people, and their ways of knowing and being within the research space. She believes that at Pewaseskwan the sky is the limit thanks to an interesting research lab, dynamic research team and portfolio. Her child-free-by-choice family finds warmth in the presence of three loving creatures: Mustard (cat), Taco (cat), Vasco (dog) and a jungle of houseplants. When she is not working, she enjoys tending to her garden, spending time with her pets, reading, crafting and listening to music and podcasts.

Sherri Pooyak
Indigenous Platform Coordinator
Sherri Pooyak is of Nehiywak (Cree) ancestry from Sweetgrass First Nation, SK. She currently resides in her home territory of Treaty 6 in Saskatoon, SK after living in Victoria, BC for 10 years. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Victoria (UVic) in Victoria, BC. From 2011 to December 2023, Sherri has worked with the Canadian Alliances & Networks (formerly the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network) as a community-based research manager with the Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Community Based Research Collaborative Centre. In addition, she has been a sessional instructor at both the First Nations University of Canada, School of Social Work (Saskatoon Campus) and the UVic School of Public Health, where she found her passion for working with Indigenous students and teaching. She has over 17 years of experience working in Indigenous health, with the past 12 years specifically focused on community-based research in Indigenous sexual health. In addition to being a manager with a national Indigenous organization, she has had the opportunity to mentor and support current and past doctoral students at UBC focusing on hep C, HIV and substance use. Sherri has led and engaged in several research projects that involve developing, defining and creating frameworks on Indigenous ways of knowing and doing. When she is not working, she likes beading, sewing, crafting and spending time with her family and dog.

Taiwo Ametepee
Research Associate
Taiwo is is a Nigerian-born Ghanaian who moved to Canada to pursue a Master of Public Health degree at USask, which he completed in 2023. He is involved in the development and evaluation of Waniska’s programs, as well as the grant writing and application process. He has an educational background in medicine and surgery, which includes a degree obtained in 2010 at the University of Ilorin while in Nigeria. He worked as a team lead with an organization collaborating with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to develop health programs for and enroll Cameroonian refugees in southeastern Nigeria in the country’s national health insurance scheme. Taiwo is interested in learning more about Indigenous cultures and practices in Canada and the way colonization has affected the Indigenous population over the centuries. He is married and he and his wife had a baby girl in early 2023.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Most of our team lives and works on Treaty 6 territory and the Homeland of the Métis. The original peoples of these lands are the Cree, Saulteaux, Dene, Dakota, Lakota, Nakota, and Métis. Others are based in Vancouver, on the unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. We encourage everyone, wherever they are, to learn about the Indigenous people of the lands on which they live and work. We seek to become engaged allies together. In the spirit of truth and reconciliation, we respect the self-determination of First Nations, Métis and Inuit – in their cultures, languages and their pursuit of wellness.
© 2023 Pewaseskwan (the Indigenous Wellness Research Group) | Office of the Cameco Chair in Indigenous Health and Wellness, University of Saskatchewan.