Donna is of European and Métis descent, from the Manitoba Red River Settlement and is a mother, grandmother, sister, and auntie who has recently been recognized as an Elder in Training - a great honour and responsibility. With a BSN from University of Victoria, Canada, MN (Rural Heart Health) and PhD (Urban Indigenous Health), Deakin University Australia. She has over 40 years of rural acute and community practice, and local and national diabetes specialty. She joined Okanagan University College in 2000 and UBC Okanagan in 2005.
Thanks to 2015-2016 and 2018-2021 CIHR funding, and in response to urban and rural Indigenous community identified needs for Traditional and Western access we work together in for community led health promotion, diabetes and obesity education, prevention and management across the generations. We use Indigenous Methodologies, Two-Eyed Seeing approach for holistic health equity, health policy and practice for chronic disease prevention that benefits Indigenous people and communities.
Some of her activities at UBC include:
• Faculty of Health and Social Development Aboriginal Faculty Liaison.
• Cultural safety curriculum development, teaching and evaluation across campus and in communities.
• Respectful engagement and research with Elders, Healers, Knowledge Keepers, youth, Indigenous and other health providers, Band Councilors, Friendship and Métis communities, local Nations, health authority and multidisciplinary researchers.