People

Dave Skene

Dave is an urban Métis farmer and the co-Executive Director for White Owl Native Ancestry Association, where he focuses on Land-based education. In 2015 Dave, along with several other Indigenous community members, started exploring how they could be involved in Indigenous food sovereignty in the Waterloo Wellington region. This led to the formation of the Wisahkotewinowak garden collective.

Hannah Tait Neufeld

Hannah is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo and holds a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Health, Wellbeing and Food Environments. Her work utilizes multidisciplinary and collaborative research approaches, working with Indigenous families on the revitalization of Indigenous food systems and supporting Land-based practices in southern and urban settings within Canada.

Mikal Kuzmich

Mikal is Métis living in Waterloo Region with roots from northern Ontario. As a Land-based Educator he manages outdoor education programs and land-based operations, including the events, gardening, and food sharing activities that Wisahkotewinowak conducts. Since he's always on the run, Mikal enjoys spending his time off relaxing at home.

Liz Miltenburg

Liz is a settler of Dutch/British/Irish descent who grew up on a farm near the shores of Lake Huron (Traditional Territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation). Growing up on a farm inspired her interests in food security and food justice. She became connected to Wisahkotewinowak when she started her Masters in Applied Human Nutrition at the University of Guelph. She supports the project through her work as a Research Project Manager at the University of Waterloo.

Sarina Perchak

Sarina is a Land-based Education Coordinator for White Owl Native Ancestry Association and one of the lead food and medicine growers on the Collective of mixed descent (Métis, Irish, and Ukrainian). As part of her own journey to better discover what it means to be Indigenous in an urban setting, she helps to create Land-based educational materials for the community, harvests and distributes food to our fellow relations, and takes any opportunity to learn from those around her. Sarina is also a master’s student at the University of Guelph studying Family Relations and Human Nutrition.

Laura Peach

Laura is a PhD student in the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo. With a background in nutrition and Indigenous health research, her interests include urban Indigenous food systems, food literacy, gardening, and community-based program evaluation. She is a settler of Western and Eastern European ancestry originating from the Huron Tract Treaty area, and is honoured to support the growing work of the Wisahkotewinowak Collective.

Sydney Keedwell

Sydney is currently the Food and Nutrition Coordinator at White Owl Native Ancestry Association. With her culinary training and work experience as a chef, she has used food to further discover her Indigenous heritage. Her capabilities have allowed her to work closely with Wishakotewinowak, supporting them in food based events, creating recipes, and utilizing food to its fullest potential.