Indigenous Insights: An Evaluation Podcast

Indigenous Insights

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S03E09: We’ve Always Had Tools: Anishinaabe approaches to evaluation at Mewinzha Ondaadiziike Wiigaming
In this episode, Gladys is joined by Natalie Nicholson, Pearl Walker Sweeney, and Roxanne Johnson—leaders and practitioners at Mewinzha Ondaadiziike Wiigaming, an Anishinaabe-led women’s and family wellness clinic in Northern Minnesota. Together, they reflect on their journey of building a culturally grounded evaluation practice rooted in Anishinaabe values and relationships. From the origin story of Mewinzha, founded by Natalie's mother Millicent, to the development of a collaborative, community-centered evaluation approach, this conversation highlights the importance of being led and rooted within community priorities. Stories shared demonstrated the power of relational accountability, creativity, and reciprocal learning in designing programming that centers relatives' experiences. The guests share stories of how evaluation at Mewinzha isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about reflecting on their bundles, centering community wisdom, and continuously nurturing the spirit of the work. We share elements of the evaluation bundle, including the reflective and arts-based methods that have supported the team to walk in a good way, and how this Anishinaabe evaluation approach might offer lessons in leadership and transformation for the field. Bios Natalie Nicholson DNP, APRN, CNP, ILC is Arikara/Anishinaabe, Board Vice President, Clinical Director, DNP, APRN-CNP, OLY. She is enrolled in The Three Affiliated Tribes, Fort Berthhold, ND (Arikara), descendant of Red Lake Nation (Ojibwe) and Danish ancestry. Natalie has over 23 years of nursing/clinical experience in maternal infant women's health serving American Indians in northern Minnesota. She received my Doctorate in Nursing Practice from John's Hopkins School of Nursing in 2022, preparing me to lead in establishing our clinic and changing how healthcare is offered in our community. She leads the clinic administratively and provides medical/cultural care focusing on prenatal, postpartum, lactation and women's healthcare integrating spiritual, social, emotional and physical health. Fun note, she’s an Olympian! Pearl Walker-Swaney, MPH, CD, CLC, ILC, RYT, is Lakota/Dakota/Anishinaabe enrolled in Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and from White Earth Nation. Pearl is a certified doula, yoga teacher, and student of energy therapy with a passion for lactation education. She has been in birth work for almost a decade and carries a deep appreciation of our cultural practices that support overall well being. Pearl is a mother, crafter, earring maker, enjoys family walks, poetry, children’s books, and loves dogs. Roxanne Johnson, RDN, CDCES, CLC, ILC, is Anishinaabe enrolled in the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Tribe in Belcourt, ND. She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for over 20 years working for tribal communities in Minnesota and California. She is passionate about ancestral foodways and American Indian wellness teachings. She enjoys teaching about making healthful changes starting in the kitchen. Roxanne is mom of 3 children, self-taught chef, crafter, and enjoys walking and traveling. Email: [email protected] To be added to the mailing list when this is announced please send an email with the subject line: SUBSCRIBE to: [email protected] For more visit: https://gladysrowe.com/category/indigenousinsights/ If you are loving this podcast please leave a five star review on your favourite streaming service. If you would like to offer support please visit: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/InsightsPod
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S03E08: Kinship, Mentorship, and Culturally Responsive Evaluation: Carolee Dodge Francis, Joseph Jean & Linnea Hjelm
In this episode of Indigenous Insights, host Gladys Rowe welcomes Dr. Carolee Dodge Francis, Joseph Jean, and Linnea Hjelm for a conversation on kinship, mentorship, and the role of culturally responsive Indigenous evaluation. Together, they share how evaluation is more than a technical process, it is a relational practice that centers community, reciprocity, and the responsibilities evaluators carry in honoring Indigenous ways of knowing. Dr. Dodge Francis shares insights on Indigenous kinship as a framework for evaluation and mentorship, while Joseph and Linnea reflect on their experiences as emerging evaluators navigating academia and community-based research. The conversation highlights the importance of intergenerational knowledge-sharing, humility in evaluation, and the need to challenge extractive research practices. Tune in for a rich discussion on transforming evaluation through Indigenous values, fostering mentorship rooted in care, and ensuring that evaluation serves as a tool for strengthening relationships and building decolonial futures. Dr. Carolee Dodge Francis is a Native American (citizen of Oneida Nation) qualitative social behavioral researcher, Chair of the Civil Society and Community Studies Department and Endowed Lola Culver Professor within the School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin - Madison. She strives to intertwine community engagement, research scholarship and student mentorship as a reflection of her cultural understanding within a contemporary context that is focused upon the well-being of Indigenous populations. Dr. Dodge Francis has over 30+ years’ work experience in public health/community wellness, Indigenous evaluation & program development, and community-based participatory research. She intersects curriculum adaptation and culture to create culturally responsive educational materials for urban and rural Native American communities. Dr. Dodge Francis is a published author and has been a Principal Investigator with federal and foundation funding entities for the past two decades. Joseph Jean (He/Him) is a mixed Dinè (Navajo) queer Ph.D. student in Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research aims to address social injustices and improve community health for Indigenous and Queer communities with whom he identifies with. He holds an M.P.H. from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he specialized in social and behavioral health and biological sciences. He has held various positions, including lecturer, teaching assistant, program assistant, and research assistant for numerous University-affiliated centers, institutes, and laboratories. His experiences include designing, collecting, and reporting on qualitative and quantitative research methods. His academic and professional interests include public health, evaluation, Indigenous frameworks, and health behavior theories. Email: [email protected] Linnea Hjelm, MS, is a PhD Candidate in the Civil Society and Community Research department in the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Human Ecology. Linnea is a mixed, Hispanic woman who has a rich cultural background that merges her Swedish and Mexican roots. As a graduate student, she has received a comprehensive training in community-based participatory research methods and transformative evaluation design, and has applied these approaches in projects with many unique community partners. Building from her experiences as a peer educator and crisis advocate, Linnea’s dissertation research explores the impacts of youth leadership and engagement in sexual violence prevention, specifically in the context of a county-level sexual violence resource center, with whom she has been a collaborator for 4 years. Show Notes Articles Kinship pathways: Nurturing and sustaining resilient, responsible, and respected indigenous evaluators, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ev.20537 Rooted in perpetuity: Weaving grandfather teachings as an ongoing journey for CRE, IE, and evaluators, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ev.20567 Email: [email protected] To be added to the mailing list when this is announced please send an email with the subject line: SUBSCRIBE to: [email protected] For more visit: https://gladysrowe.com/category/indigenousinsights/ If you are loving this podcast please leave a five star review on your favourite streaming service. If you would like to offer support please visit: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/InsightsPod
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S03E07: Transforming Indigenous Research and Evaluation with An Garagiola
In this heartfelt episode of Indigenous Insights, host Gladys Rowe sits down with An Garagiola, an evaluator, researcher, writer, and PhD student. An shares her remarkable journey from overcoming personal and systemic challenges to becoming a passionate advocate for Indigenous research sovereignty. She reflects on her work with CEDAR (Community Engagement for Decolonizing and Advancing Research) and the Truth Project, discussing the importance of building trust, centering community voices, and challenging colonial frameworks in evaluation and research. An offers powerful insights into the role of Indigenous evaluation in healing and empowerment, posing thought-provoking questions about shifting from deficit narratives to strength-based approaches. She also highlights the importance of relationships, cultural frameworks, and grounding research and evaluation in Indigenous ways of knowing. This episode is a call to action for evaluators, researchers, and institutions to embrace transformation and honor the wisdom of Indigenous communities. An Garagiola, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, MPP is a mother, PhD student, researcher, and writer born and raised in the Twin Cities. An’s dissertation focuses on Indigenous research sovereignty. She serves as the Research Manager at CEDAR (Community Engagement for Decolonizing and Advancing Research) a community-based research center at the Native American Community Clinic and GRA in the School of Family Medicine at the University of Minnesota. She works to Indigenize wellness research, identify sources of holistic well-being, and influence systems change through a cultural framework. As a mixed-race Anishinaabekwe of Ojibwe and European descent, An’s work blossoms from relational and place-based roots. An was UMN’s coordinator for The TRUTH Project and co-author on Misplaced Trust where her research unearthed Minnesota’s system of land speculation and wealth transfer from Native Nations that continues to this day. As an Organizational Development Consultant and founder of Echo Maker Consulting, An works primarily with Indigenous practitioners to rematriate Indigenous management, development, research, evaluation, and data sovereignty into internal and external partnerships. She is passionate about designing plans which help systems become more equitable, sustainable, and accessible for people who institutions continue to marginalize. She frames her work in the following: “How might systems maximize equitable transformation for Indigenous and communities of color, and how might relational ways of knowing and being merge with anti-colonial efforts that transform systems into ecosystems of holistic well-being? Show Notes NACC’s website: https://nacc-healthcare.org/ Towards Recognition and University-Tribal Healing (TRUTH) Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC) TRUTH Project Page: https://mn.gov/indian-affairs/truth-project/ UMN TRUTH Project Page: www.z.umn.edu/truthproject https://www.firstnations.org/gallery/misty-blue-audrianna-goodwin-and-an-garagiola/ A link to our most current research with Grist: https://grist.org/project/indigenous/land-grant-universities-indigenous-lands-fossil-fuels/ An’s Personal websites: EchoMaker Consulting:https://sites.google.com/view/echo-maker-llc/about Poetry and creative works: https://sites.google.com/umn.edu/an-gb/home Email: [email protected] To be added to the mailing list when this is announced please send an email with the subject line: SUBSCRIBE to: [email protected] For more visit: https://gladysrowe.com/ If you are loving this podcast please leave a five star review on your favourite streaming service.
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S03E06: Community Stories in Indigenous Evaluation with Veronica LaJoie
Community Stories in Indigenous Evaluation with Veronica LaJoie In this episode of Indigenous Insights, host Gladys Rowe sits down with Veronica LaJoie, a dedicated member of the Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, artist, and Indigenous evaluation specialist. Veronica shares her transformative journey into evaluation, beginning with foundational teachings from the Indigenous Evaluation Framework and scholars and leaders who have offered a pathway into how to approach this work in a good way. The conversation weaves through culturally grounded and strength-based approaches to evaluation, including the integration of art-based methods like ribbon work to honor community stories. Veronica offers listeners an invitation into the rigor, care, and reciprocity needed for Indigenous evaluation to flourish, reflecting on her work with cancer survivors and the importance of centering Indigenous values in evaluation processes. Veronica offers a spotlight on the power of community-driven storytelling, data sovereignty, and the growing influence of Indigenous frameworks in shaping a more equitable future. Bio Veronica A. LaJoie is affiliated with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. She is a dedicated member of her community and a devoted single mother to her son. With a background in biosciences and public health, she has worked with the Indigenous Evaluation Framework in non-profit work, state departments, and Tribal programs and communities. She also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Evaluation Association. Veronica is committed to culturally grounded, strength-based, and collaborative approaches that honor Indigenous values, promote individual and population wellness, and empower community voices.An artist at heart, Veronica integrates art and traditional practices into her work and life. She believes in the power of cultural expression to foster healing and insight. Show Notes The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel VanDerKolk: https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/resources/the-body-keeps-the-score Research is Ceremony by Dr. Shawn Wilson: https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/research-is-ceremony-shawn-wilson Email: [email protected] To be added to the mailing list when this is announced please send an email with the subject line: SUBSCRIBE to: [email protected] For more visit: https://gladysrowe.com/category/indigenousinsights/ If you are loving this podcast please leave a five star review on your favourite streaming service. If you would like to offer support please visit: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/InsightsPod
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S03E05: Building Capacity & Driving Change: Shelby Corley
In this episode Gladys speaks with Shelby Corley, CEO of Three Hive Consulting and founder of Eval Academy. Shelby reflects on her journey into evaluation, drawing from her background in anthropology and health services to build a responsive and impactful consulting practice. Through Three Hive, Shelby emphasizes flexibility, relationship-building, and doing good work that aligns with community values. The conversation explores how Eval Academy was born out of a desire to share practical evaluation tools and learning opportunities, making evaluation more accessible for practitioners at all levels. Shelby also discusses her personal reflections on identity and reconciliation, explaining how these themes shape her approach to leadership and evaluation. Join this engaging discussion to hear how Shelby and her team are transforming evaluation practices, supporting reconciliation, and cultivating a learning space where evaluators grow alongside the communities they serve. Shelby Corley is a Credentialed Evaluator who has been conducting research and evaluations in the health and human services sectors for over fifteen years. She is a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, CEO of Three Hive Consulting, and co-founder of Eval Academy. Shelby is committed to building evaluation capacity and growing clients’ skills in using evaluation insights to drive impact. She loves facilitating evaluation learning, and her approach has been described as “delivering content with meat in a fun and interesting way.” Show Notes Three Hive Consulting: https://www.threehive.ca/ Eval Academy: https://www.evalacademy.com/ University of Alberta free course, “Indigenous Canada”: https://www.ualberta.ca/en/admissions-programs/online-courses/indigenous-canada/index.html OCAP training: https://fnigc.ca/ocap-training/take-the-course/ Email: [email protected] To be added to the mailing list when this is announced please send an email with the subject line: SUBSCRIBE to: [email protected] For more visit: https://gladysrowe.com/category/indigenousinsights/ If you are loving this podcast please leave a five star review on your favourite streaming service. If you would like to offer support please visit: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/InsightsPod
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