Gloria Oshkabewisens-McGregor

Elder

Gloria served her community of Whitefish River First Nation for 19 years as a primary school educator at Shawanosowe School, and also provided cultural languages-based curriculum. Gloria graduated from Lakehead University’s Native Language Instructor Program and went on to serve as an Elder in Residence for Lakehead University and Waabnode Cambrian College in providing cultural teachings and one on one traditional counseling to staff and post-secondary students for seven years. From 2012 to 2013, Gloria played an integral role in supporting student lifelong learning through Kenjgewin Teg Educational Institute’s (KTEI) Anishinabek Identity, Mind and Spirit Essential Skills Pilot Program. She continues to serve as one of KTEI’s esteemed Traditional Knowledge Faculty Members today.

Currently, Gloria is an active member of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University Indigenous Elders Advisory Circle and a member of the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation of Mnidoo Mnising Elders Council. Most recently, Gloria has become a member of the Traditional Healing Advisory Circle for the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council, an Indigenous governed, culturally based organization that supports the advancement and evolution of Indigenous primary health care to address the physical, spiritual, emotional and mental wellbeing of 21 First Nations and Métis, Indigenous primary health care organizations across Ontario.

For the past 14 years, she has worked as a Traditional Practitioner with Shkakamik-Kwe Health Centre, Aboriginal Health Access Centre in Sudbury, Ontario, providing traditional healing and wellness services to First Nations and Métis residents and the surrounding First Nations in Northern Ontario.

Gloria continues to serve people in her territory and considers herself a helper to her community by utilizing the strengths of Indigenous knowledge and gifts and ways of knowing, while working with the strengths of western knowledge and ways of knowing.

Dr. Erin Peltier

Physician

Dr. Erin Peltier was born and raised in Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island. Prior to attending medical school, she was a registered nurse and nurse practitioner serving the remote/isolated and urban Indigenous communities in Northern and North Eastern Ontario, as well as in Ottawa. She attended the Ottawa School of Medicine and completed her family medicine residency at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University (NOSM U) in 2017.

Dr. Peltier has worked as a staff physician then locum physician at the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority serving the communities of the James Bay Coast. She has also practiced addictions medicine in North Bay. Currently, she is serving the rural Indigenous communities on Manitoulin Island through Noojmowin-Teg Health Centre, as well as the urban Indigenous population at the Shkagamik-kwe Health Centre in Sudbury. In addition, she provides palliative care medicine on Manitoulin and in Sudbury, via hospital, community and the hospice.

Dr. Peltier has also held the position of the Regional Indigenous Cancer Lead for the North East Regional Cancer Program through Ontario Health – Cancer Care Ontario since 2019. The focus of her work in this role is advocacy to better meet the cancer needs of Indigenous peoples across Northeastern Ontario.

Dr. Lacey Pitre

Physician

Dr. Lacey Pitre is originally from Sudbury, Ontario, and graduated from the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University (NOSM U) in 2010. She completed her Internal Medicine residency and Medical Oncology fellowship at McMaster University. She is currently in her tenth year of practice at the Northeast Cancer Centre in Sudbury and specializes in breast and lung cancers. She is an assistant professor at NOSM U and is the local principal investigator on several clinical trials in the breast and lung fields.

Sylvia Recollet

Registered Psychotherapist

Sylvia Recollet is an Anishinaabe Kwe from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on beautiful Manitoulin Island. Sylvia’s Anishinaabe noozwin (spirit name) is Zhaash-Kwaa Niimkii-Kwe (Blue Thunder Woman) and she is of the Makwa Dodem (Bear Clan). Sylvia is a wife of 31 years, a mother of two and a grandmother of one.

Sylvia is a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. She is a Mental Health First Aid Instructor and a Silver Trainer for Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training. Sylvia has been working in the field of mental health for over 20 years, utilizing the Traditional Teachings, Ceremonies and Western ways of therapy in her practice.

Sylvia Recollet recently opened her private practice called Zhaash-Kwaa Nimkii-Kwe Counselling and Contracting.

Gordon (Chop) Waindubence

Cultural Advisor

Gordon (Chop) Waindubence is an Anishinaabe cultural practitioner from Sheguiandah First Nation with a lifelong dedication to traditional knowledge, language and cultural preservation. With a strong background in mental health, trauma crisis and community wellness, he has served as an Oshkabewis and advisor to numerous organizations. Currently based at Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre, Chop continues to support Indigenous healing through ceremony and land-based practices. Passionate about knowledge sharing, he is currently focused on personal projects and developing traditional training components to strengthen community capacity and cultural identity for future generations. His work embodies respect, healing and Anishinaabe ways of knowing.

Joseph (Joe) Pitawanakwat

Indigenous Plant Medicine Educator

Joseph is Ojibwe from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, married with one daughter. The Founder and Director of Creators Garden, an Indigenous outdoor, and now online, education based business, focused on plant identification, beyond-sustainable harvesting, and teaching every one of their linguistic, historical, cultural, edible, ecological and medicinal significance through experiences. His lectures and intensive programming is easily adaptable to make appropriate and successfully delivered to a variety of organizations. Including over 150 First Nations communities and Hundreds of institutions throughout Anishinaabe territory and beyond. He has learned from hundreds of traditional knowledge holders and uniquely blends this knowledge with and reinforces it with and array of western sciences.