About Us | Advisory Group
Erin Corston (Wolski)
Erin was born and raised in a small northern community located in Treaty 9 Territory. She is an active member of the Chapleau Cree First Nation (CCFN) and has plans to return to her community and contribute her expertise at the local level.
Erin has dedicated the last decade of her career to Aboriginal health advocacy and as such has worked in various capacities at three of the five National Aboriginal Organizations (NAOs) in Ottawa. She is currently Health Director and A/Director of the Environment at the Native Women’s Association of Canada and manages a broad based portfolio focusing on the impacts of social determinants on the health status of Aboriginal people and communities in Canada.
Erin is a Ryerson University graduate and worked as an Environmental Health Officer early in her career serving the needs of First Nations communities throughout Ontario.
An advocate for Aboriginal women’s equality rights, she focuses much of her attention on Aboriginal health research and policy analysis. She has contributed to the advancement of culturally relevant gender based analysis (CRGBA) through her work with various Aboriginal women’s organizations in Canada and is honoured to have had the opportunity to work with some of the most innovative leaders in Aboriginal women’s health in Canada. Her goal is to continue learning and contributing.
Kim McKay-McNabb
Kim McKay-McNabb is a First Nations woman from Sakimay First Nation. She is the mother of four sons and one daughter and she is a wife. Kim has been the coordinator of the National First Nations Environmental Contaminants Program(NFNECP/DWQP) for the past five years. The NFNECP assists First Nations communities in response to the levels of exposure and human health impacts of environmental contaminants in their territories south of the 60th parallel. Kim is also completing the final requirements for her PhD in Clinical Psychology and plans to graduate in the Fall of 2011 Her research interests are Environmental Health and Aboriginal Health,. She is a community-based researcher who believes in action-based research. Her involvement with community based research projects are of the most importance and she strives to assist and empower Aboriginal communities to heal and continue to have health and wellness.
Sue Chiblow
Sue was born and raised in Garden River First Nation with a family of 4 brothers and 4 sisters. Her father was the only parent in the family and frequently took the entire family into to the bush for hunting, trapping and fishing excursions. He instilled at a very young age the laws of the land and always promoted respect for everything. As a teenager, Sue lived with her Nokomis (grandmother) where she was taught traditional women skills.
Sue has worked extensively with First Nation communities for the last twenty years in environmental related fields and has made numerous First Nation contacts. Sue has her Bachelors of Science degree with her major focusing on biology and a minor in chemistry and her Masters degree in Environment and Management. Sue has worked with the Chiefs of Ontario as the Environmental Coordinator planning, coordinating, implementing and facilitating the activities of the Environment Unit including environmental health. She has more recently taken on a postion with a First Nation community to assist with environmental planning.
Melissa Hotain
Environment Policy Analyst, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.
Melissa has a wide range of experience in dealing with various levels of local, provincial and federal governments through her work in environment and more extensively in self-government negotiations for her First Nation.
Upon completion of her Environment Practicum on the Tsuu Tina First Nation in Alberta she worked for Indian Oil and Gas Canada before returning to serve her community in various capacities including self government negotiations and as elected Councilor for her First Nation.
Her current position is Environment Policy Analyst for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, a position she has held for the last six years. Melissa participates in various international, national and regional committees related to land, water and environmental issues. She is responsible for research, planning, policy analysis and strategic policy development on a comprehensive range of matters related to the environment.
She is honoured to work with and for First Nations people for a united purpose of protecting Mother Earth. Melissa’s goal for First Nations is to revitalize and apply our traditional origins and knowledge when developing sustainable environmental plans for the future. She utilizes and encourages planning and decisions based on the Dakota Seven Generations concept which demonstrates the philosophy of assessing actions and decisions based on the health and well being of our future generations.
Simon Brascoupé
Simon Brascoupé, Director, First Nations Centre, National Aboriginal Health Organization is a member of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, Maniwaki, Quebec. Simon Brascoupé is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Indigenous Studies at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario and an Adjunct Research Professor at Carleton University. He has a B.A. and M.A. from State University of New York at Buffalo, where he is also completing his Ph.D. He has a strong interest in tradition medicine and traditional knowledge. He conducts research and writes on cultural competency and safety. He published an article Cultural Safety – Exploring the Applicability of the Concept of Cultural Safety to Aboriginal Health and Community Wellness in the Journal of Aboriginal Health. Oxford University Press released Visions of the Heart, Canadian Aboriginal Issues, in April 2011 that has a chapter by Simon on ‘Rekindling the Fire: Indigenous Knowledge and New Technologies.’
Simon Brascoupé teaches Aboriginal health and healing at Carleton University and University of Manitoba. Previously Simon Brascoupé was Acting Director, Primary Health Care Division, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada and Director, Aboriginal Affairs Branch, Environment Canada. He has written and worked in the field of traditional knowledge and intellectual Property Rights and is on Trent University’s Ph.D. Indigenous Knowledge Council. He has been involved internationally on Indigenous environmental issues, particularly the protection of Indigenous knowledge.
Ron Plain
Ronald Plain is Aanishinabe from Aamjiwnaang. A Social Activist, Ron has been involved in campaigns across Turtle Island on issues impacting First Nation people and rights. Ron is the Founder and former Chair of the Aamjiwnaang Environment Committee.
Appointments and Memberships
-National Pollution Release Inventory – Stakeholder Working Group Member
-Commission for Environmental Cooperation – Aboriginal Research Appointment
-Ontario Ministry of Environment – Aboriginal Stakeholder Appointment
-Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers – Local Advisory Committee
-Chiefs of Ontario – First Nation Environmental Assessment Working Group – Advisor
-First Nation Environment and Health Innovation Network – Advisory Group Member
Currently Ron is an Instructor at Trent University in the Indigenous Environmental Studies program.
Paulette Fox
Naatowawaohkaaki (Holy walking woman), is a member of the Blood Tribe and worked for the tribe as Manager of the Environmental Protection Division for over ten years. During that time she developed and deployed projects ranging from Traditional Land use & Occupancy Studies to habitat suitability modeling assessments.
Paulette holds her Master of Science degree. Currently working as an Independent Environmental Services Professional, she is also a member of the core team for the Oldman Watershed Council (OWC) and the advisory group for the Assembly of First Nations’ First Nations Biomonitoring Initiative. She has recently participated in roundtables with the Alberta Environment Minister regarding water and wetland policy. Paulette has participated on national roundtables regarding water security and climate change adaptation with the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER), Simon Fraser University’s Adaptation to Climate Change Team (ACT), and Robert Sandford, Chair of the Canadian Partnership Initiative of the United Nations International “Water for Life” Decade.