A vision for global equity.

Jaimy Fischer (she/they) is a mixed settler-Michif (Red River Métis) person with interdisciplinary training in health sciences, geography, and community-engaged research. They hold a Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Toronto and are the Knowledge Mobilization Lead for the Mobilizing Justice Partnership. Recognized with awards such as the Canada Graduate Scholarships, Jaimy specializes in healthy cities, transportation equity, mobility justice, and GIScience. Her research interests centre on equity and reconciliation in health, education, and urban planning. They affiliate with the HEC Lab for its commitment to reconciliatory, equity-oriented and community-based projects. Formerly a bike mechanic, Jaimy enjoys mountain biking and rock climbing to connect with the land.

Dr Diana (Dee) Lewis, a member of the Sipekne’katik Mi’kmaq First Nation in Nova Scotia, is an Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Indigenous Environmental Health Governance appointed to the Department of Geography, Environment & Geomatics at the University of Guelph. Dee’s research interests are to foster a wider understanding of Indigenous worldviews, and to promote how these worldviews must inform environmental decisions, specifically as Indigenous communities are impacted by resource or industrial development. Dee is a strong advocate for Indigenous data sovereignty and Indigenous-led decision-making. She now works with First Nations and Métis communities across Canada to develop an Indigenous-led environmental health risk assessment approach that can inform environmental decision-making processes going forward. Dr Lewis and Dr Castleden have collaborated together for 15 years.

Dr Jeff Masuda is a human geographer trained in the sub-discipline of health geography as well as the interdisciplinary fields of health promotion and population health. Jeff is a Professor in the School of Public Health and Social Policy at the University of Victoria e Jeff is the founding Director of the Centre for Environmental Health Equity and drives community-led research on the Right to Remain in the Downtown Eastside. Dr Masuda and Dr Castleden did their PhDs together, and have continued to collaborate for over 20 years.

Onyx began working with Heather in 2008 and joined her longstanding research partnership with huuʕiiʔatḥ in 2010 as a graduate student. Since then, they have focussed on modern treaty negotiation and implementation creating digital stories with Huu-ay-aht youth and to highlight how relationships between modern treaty signatories shift during the first years of treaty implementation. Onyx is now an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus and continues to work with huuʕiiʔatḥ and Heather on co-designed research projects.

Leslie is a fifth-generation settler on Turtle Island who lives in the unceded territory of the WSÁNEĆ Nation on southern Vancouver Island with her partner Kim. They have two fledgling kids, a dog and two elderly cats. Leslie has academic training in economics, biology, law and public administration. She has worked with settler and Indigenous governments primarily in BC and the northern territories. She became an elected municipal councillor about 10 years ago. Her research focuses on unsettling neoliberal economic assumptions in policymaking and, in particular, on decolonizing government procurement policy and practices. Leslie was initially drawn to the HEC lab by the quality and substance of Heather’s scholarship, and subsequently by her inquisitive and supportive approach. She likes being outdoors as much as possible and learning new ways to see the world.

Jodi is Kanyen’kehá:ka, Bear clan from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. She has a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from McGill University and has been working as a community dietitian for over 15 years. Her research explores Kanyen’kehá:ka values and ethics of care in the context of creating safe and engaging healthcare spaces when both healthcare provider and client are Kanyen’kehá:ka community members from the same territory. Jodi chose the HEC lab because of Heather’s commitment to supporting Indigenous communities in meeting their own goals and because of the warm, welcoming and fun environment she creates!

Lucas is a PhD Student in the School of Public Administration at the University of Victoria. His expertise lies at the intersection of sustainable development and natural resources governance. Lucas focuses on the development of equitable space and harmonization of knowledge systems, striving to shape collaborative solutions through community engagement, education, negotiations, policy and team building. Lucas is also the Director of the Territorial Planning Unit at Grand Council Treaty #3 and he has degrees in Environmental Science and Water Resources Engineering. From settler descent, his passion stems from a strong relationship with Water, specifically the Lake of the Woods. This passion and relationship guides him in supporting people, nations and the environment towards sustainability and reconciliation. He chose the HEC Lab because of its focus on planetary health and transformative governance. Lucas believes we all have to look at our responsibilities and relationship to Mother Earth and find respectful ways to work together for the future. When he was introduced to the diverse range of knowledge in the HEC lab, Lucas knew it was a group that he wanted to be a part of and learn with.

Martina is a feminist scholar from Tkaronto; she engages in decolonizing research. She is a second-generation white settler whose grandparents were born in Finland and Hungary. Martina has been privileged to be invited to do her Ph.D. research in collaboration with members of the Indigenous Shuar community in what is now known as the Ecuadorian Amazon after completing her master’s in international Peace Studies. She is grateful to be part of the HEC lab because of its work to disrupt Eurocentric hierarchies of knowledge production in the academy. Her current research is focused on supporting the preservation of Indigenous Shuar science and territory.

Kathryn is a white settler researcher from Kjipuktuk, Mi’kma’ki, with Scottish ancestry. Her previous research in the field of health promotion focused on climate change, mental health, and young women. For her PhD work, Kathryn is interested in supporting and conducting work that takes a critical look at health, the environment, and industrial development impacts on community, all from a decolonial feminist lens. Kathryn chose the HEC lab as the perfect place to build on these ideas and grow, both personally and professionally. In her spare time, Kathryn loves to dance Argentine tango.

Eden is a settler of German descent from Treaty 1 territory, the traditional lands of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Anisininew, Dakota, Dene and Métis peoples. She holds a B.Env.Sc, where her honours thesis explored community-led impact assessment models. As a project director / environmental planner at Narratives Inc., Eden works with communities to amplify their voices and enhance their agency. Currently studying Community Development, her research interests include Indigenous sovereignty, environmental stewardship, and conflict transformation. Eden chose the HEC Lab out of a shared passion for decolonizing research and environmental justice. Eden also enjoys painting and being in nature with her dogs.

Sam is a settler scholar pursuing her Master of Arts degree in Geography at Queen’s University, where she previously completed a Bachelor of Science. Their research interests include health equity, environmental justice, and public policy, especially related to the impacts of resource development on the health and well-being of Indigenous and other marginalized communities. Sam is a musician and you can hear their band, Funeral Lakes, on Spotify or wherever you get your music. Funeral Lakes has just released a new album: North American Martyrs!

Brenda Lisset Jiménez González is a graduate student at the University of Victoria, pursuing an MA in Community Development. She is a cisgender woman and an international relations graduate from Mexico with experience on communication and engagement in non-profits. She is passionate about community development, international affairs, and indigenous people’s sovereignty. When she’s not studying, Brenda enjoys getting lost in captivating films or forests, dancing, listening to music, and meeting interesting people in unexpected ways. She chose the HEC Lab for its unwavering mission to support indigenous people’s governance and knowledge, and for its dedication to protecting the health of our planet and all living beings.

Jeremy Perkins (he/him) is an uninvited guest on the unceded traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən people. His ancestors are Scottish and English, he is a third generation so-called Canadian, and he identifies as a cisgendered, heterosexual man. Jeremy holds a BA (Global Studies | Political Studies) and he is completing a MPA at UVic. He has experience working on issues relating to climate change for non-profit and government organizations. For his thesis, Jeremy is researching policies enabling and blocking LandBack for Indigenous nations in BC. He says he chose the HEC Lab because of its research and values, and the experience and expertise of its members has helped him tremendously in his research. Something fun about Jeremy: he is an avid collector of stickers!

A 20-year public servant, Sarah is in her second year of the Master of Arts in Community Development program in the University of Victoria’s School of Public Administration. Sarah is also currently the Senior Director of Consultation and Engagement with the B.C. Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. She is passionate about improving the lives of people in B.C., which has shaped a career path in public sector communications in the fields of health care, followed by Indigenous relations and natural resource management. Her current research centres on community engagement practices. The HEC Lab with its intersecting focus on health, environment and communities very directly mirrors Sarah’s experience and research interests. Sarah also holds a Bachelor of Journalism with Political Science from Carleton University.

Nick Shaffer is a settler-scholar from Philadelphia, PA with Portuguese, Italian, and German heritage. He has a BA in linguistics and anthropology and an MA in linguistics. I’ve privately tutored different languages and have worked on language revitalization with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. His MPA research is supporting Indigenous educational resurgence and developing pathways that connect Indigenous eco-cultural stewardship and economic development. He joined the HEC Lab because he is passionately driven to learn how to strengthen the connections between sociocultural, environmental, and community health in the context of Indigenous self-determination and cultural resurgence. Nick loves making people laugh, wonder, and think.

Ivana Medina (she/her) is an International Relations Graduate from Universidad Anáhuac, Mexico. She identifies herself as a cisgender woman from Mexico. During her internship at the HEC Lab she supported international gatherings, elaborated reports, and helped knowledge mobilization. She chose the HEC Lab for it’s community-based approach and focus on Indigenous rights and planetary health. Her time at the HEC Lab strengthened her passion for environmental action, human rights and community-based solutions. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, discovering new places and singing loudly, though not necessarily always on pitch.

Brenda Lisset Jiménez González is an international relations graduate from the Tecnológico de Monterrey. She identifies herself as a cisgender woman from Mexico with Indigenous roots in Nahua and Mixteco cultures. During her internship at the HEC Lab, she supported international gatherings, drafted grant proposals, contributed to course syllabi, created promotional materials, and conducted in-depth interviews on Indigenous sovereignty and modern treaty implementation. She chose the HEC Lab for its dedication to Indigenous governance, environmental health, and planetary well-being. This experience sparked her interest in community-based participatory research and alternative methodologies, inspiring her to pursue an MA in Community Development at the University of Victoria. During her free time, she enjoys getting lost in forests, taking long walks, and meeting interesting people in unexpected ways!

Mariko Davies, a British National of Chinese heritage, is pursuing an undergraduate degree in Criminology with Environmental Justice at the University of Portsmouth. As an intern at the HEC Lab, she conducted several literature scans, supported writing final reports and grant proposals, attended meetings and conferences, and engaged with fellow HEC Lab members. Mariko chose the HEC Lab because of its focus on Planetary Health and Indigenous governance, which perfectly aligns with the topic of her undergraduate thesis. In her words, “this internship has been incredibly valuable to me, reigniting my passion for research, enhancing my academic and professional skills, and helping me build a network of scholars and experts.” In her free time, Mariko loves diving into social commentary books and cheering on the Portsmouth Football Club!

Anna West is an undergraduate studying Social Sciences at Durham University, UK. She joined the HEC Lab as a 2024 Summer intern through a MITACS Globalink Internship. During this time, she worked on the ‘Catalyzing Intersectoral Conversations on Climate Displacement and Health in BC’ project, sorting conversation data from the final gathering and creating a summary illustration for publication in the final report. She also completed literature scans and data organization for other projects. Anna wanted to work for the HEC Lab to get an insight into postgraduate research, and really enjoyed learning about the participatory community-based research methods employed by researchers. In her free time, she loved exploring the BC landscape through climbing and hiking.

Marc has been with the HEC Lab since 2015. He started out as a Master’s student working with Heather and Huu-ay-aht First Nations on the tašiiʔakqin ʔuyaqḥmisukqin research project. His Master’s research engaged in community-based participatory and archival research methods to develop a comprehensive understanding of Huu-ay-aht’s journey through the negotiation of the Maa-nulth Treaty. Upon defending his thesis on Huu-ay-aht’s hahuułi in 2017, Marc became the Research Program Manager of the HEC Lab until 2022. Marc is now a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto but is continuing to work with the HEC Lab in financial affairs and research support. His current research interests lie at the intersection of international political economy, climate change, and climate finance.

Kimberley Cook is of settler ancestry and has had the privilege of living across Turtle Island. After retiring from professional dance, bringing three amazing beings into this world, and then working as a physician’s assistant to a geneticist, Kim and her family relocated to Tsartlip territories on Vancouver Island. Kim is grateful to be working at UVic and with the HEC Lab in an environment that challenges her to learn about the true history of the lands she has occupied and work towards being in better relationships with the Land and all its beings.

Nicole (she/her) is a white settler, born and raised on the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw people on Vancouver Island. After spending 10+ years studying and working abroad, an irrepressible tug at her soul brought her back to the Island where she tries to spend as much time as possible in the forests and waters. Nicole recently completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship with Heather in the HEC Lab where she led a CIHR-funded project on the intersections and impacts of climate change displacement on equity-deserving populations in British Columbia. Nicole is now the Associate Director of CIFAL Victoria.

Astrid Vanessa Pérez Piñán was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but  she spent significant years in the town of Mayagüez (known as “the town of mango” and “the town of pure waters”). She arrived in Turtle Island/Canada in 2012. Through her research, she critically explores the tensions inherent to high-level global development agendas (e.g. SDGs) and locally generated, self-determined social and diverse economic alternatives to the mainstream economic development paradigm. In her work,  Astrid Vanessa combines interdisciplinary and community-engaged research with an intersectional feminist scholarship to explore the emergence and resurgence of diverse economic models that centre on well-being, and self-determination and push back on neoliberalism. This includes work on development cooperation policies, food sovereignty, reproductive justice, gender equality and decolonization.

Niiyokamigaabaw Deondre Smiles (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, pronouns: he/they/wiin) is an assistant professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Victoria. Their work focuses on Indigenous responses to climate change from cultural and political perspectives. Niiyokamigaabaw works with nations across North America, from the west coast of Vancouver Island to the Great Lakes. They serve in a number of leadership positions in both the American Association of Geographers (AAG) and the Canadian Association of Geographers (CAG). They are a HEC Lab member because of their appreciation of being part of a research group that focuses on community-led work that incorporates health and the environment!

Madeleine (she/they) is a white, queer settler-scholar of mixed European and second-generation Northern Irish descent. She is a Master of Public Administration graduate student at the University of Victoria and holds a Bachelor of Management with concentrations in Sustainability and Security Studies from Dalhousie University (Kjipuktuk, Mi’kma’ki). Their master’s research, Unsettling Public Administration, focuses on understanding how Public Administration programs and departments across Canada have understood and responded to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.  Outside of school and work, you can find them searching for the island’s best hammock-camping spots.