Faith Julien is a Mi’kmaq woman from Millbrook First Nation who was raised on reserve and is a dynamic Indigenous health leader dedicated to advancing culturally grounded health systems and improving wellbeing for Indigenous Peoples across Canada. She is the daughter of Lisa McDonald and Lorne Julien and is grateful to be back home working in Mi’kma’ki. 

Faith holds a Bachelor of Health from Mount Royal University and a Master of Health Administration from Toronto Metropolitan University. Originally from the East Coast, she intentionally left her home community to gain diverse experience across Alberta and Ontario, bringing over a decade of experience in Indigenous health, program development, research, and community engagement. Her work is rooted in the belief that community-driven and relational approaches are essential to strengthening Indigenous health outcomes.

Faith currently serves as the Program Manager of Indigenous Health in Medicine at Dalhousie University, known in Mi’kmaq as Keknu’tmasiek Ta’n Tel Welo’ltimk — We are learning to be well. In this role, she leads strategic initiatives that enhance Indigenous student support, strengthen community partnerships, and advance decolonization within medical education. Her leadership emphasizes culturally responsive policy development, relational accountability, and long-term capacity building. She also co-chairs the National Indigenous Health Sciences Circle. Recognized through multiple academic and community awards, Faith remains deeply committed to Indigenous health, well-being, and advocacy, with a particular focus on Indigenous medical education, cultural safety, and Indigenous representation across health systems.

Dr. Brent Young is Anishinaabe and a member of Sandy Bay First Nation. His mother is a Sixties Scoop Survivor, and his grandmother was a survivor of Sandy Bay Indian Residential School. He was born and raised in Unama’ki. He is a family physician at Sipekne’katik Health Centre, academic director for Indigenous health at Dalhousie Medical School, and founding clinical lead of Wije’winen Health Centre. He played a key role in supporting the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre in establishing this service for the urban Indigenous community of Halifax in 2022. Through his leadership, Dalhousie Medical School has seen a substantial increase in the number of Indigenous medical students being admitted through a new Indigenous Admissions Pathway. This pathway is poised to become a key driver of the Indigenous physician workforce in the region and across Canada. His primary area of interest is dismantling anti-Indigenous racism in healthcare systems using rights-based frameworks. 

Shante Blackmore is a Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian Family Physician. She is the daughter of Noreen Sylliboy and Gerald Blackmore. She comes from a close knit family and was raised in Millbrook First Nation with her three other siblings. Most of all, she is a proud mother to her 2 year old son.

Shante finished medical school at Western University in 2021 and came to Dalhousie to do her family medicine residency which she finished this past June. She then went on to complete enhanced skills training inn women’s health and gender-affirming care. Shante currently works at the Wije’winen Health Centre in Jipuktuk.

Her primary role in the program will be student support and has office hours on Tuesdays. She can be reached at shante.blackmore@dal.ca.

Originally from Cape Breton’s Potlotek First Nation, Dr. Marshall graduated from Cape Breton University before continuing his studies at McMaster University Medical School in Ontario. He continued on to Newfoundland and Labrador, where he completed his family medicine residency through Memorial University. Dr. Marshall then set his sights on returning to Cape Breton to support his community.

“I have always felt a deep connection to our communities here in Cape Breton,” says Dr. Marshall. “Working to help support the health and wellbeing of my people has been very fulfilling. I am honored to have this opportunity to work at the Cape Breton Medical Campus and extend my support to indigenous learners.”

Dr. Marshall currently serves a thriving family practice at the Eskasoni Health Centre. Eskasoni is a rural community on Cape Breton Island, recognized as the largest Mi’kmaq community in the world. Dr. Marshall says its important to consider perspectives of Indigenous students, patients and communities in medical education.

“It has been a blessing to work in Eskasoni in the role of a family doctor. The community members here have been incredibly kind and supportive to me,” says Dr. Marshall.  “I am excited to support the learning of our future community doctors.”

Ann is here to support Indigenous students at Dalhousie through 1-1 meetings, smudging, offering opening prayers, and more. Ann is from Ugpi’ganjig (Eel River Bar) in New Brunswick, she grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, has 3 children and 3 grandchildren.  Ann worked as an addiction counselor for 12 years, at the Eel River Bar Health Center and has 25 years of sobriety.  Ann also has a certification in MBSR (Mindful Based Stress Reduction) through the University of Massachusetts.  Embracing her life journey, she has gained an understanding of the continuing ripple effects of colonialism.  Ann’s experience with the impact of residential schools was lived through her father, Issac LaBillois, who had lived in the school for 7 years.  Ann understands that feeling of losing one’s connection to self, the earth, our culture and with Creator.  Today Ann has a passion to share the gifts that have helped her to heal.

Mattea Bernard is a Mi’kmaq community member of Millbrook First Nation in Nova Scotia. Her mother continues to dedicate her time working for the Government of Canada while her father is a band council member as well as a Grand Council Member.

She graduated from Cobequid Educational Centre in 2023 and is currently studying in the Medical Science Program here at Dalhousie University.