Research Team

Alex Carter is a settler of English, Italian and German ancestry, born and raised in Tkaronto on many Nations’ traditional territories, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. Alex completed a M.A. in Cultural Analysis and Social Theory in 2021, focusing her research on cultural appropriation, systemic racism, and material manifestations of neocolonialism that permeate Canada’s national mythology. Since then, she has traveled west and is now a grateful visitor on W̱SÁNEĆ and lək̓ʷəŋən territories in Victoria. Alex is passionate about decolonization work and is delighted to fulfill the role as the NEȾOLṈEW̱ and President’s Chair Projects Manager.

Nicki Benson was born and raised on Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, səl̓ilwətaɁɬ, and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm territories in Vancouver and currently lives on W̱SÁNEĆ and Lekwungen territories in Victoria. She has an M.A. in Language Education, and worked for over a decade as a language teacher before turning her focus to research and consulting to support Indigenous language revitalization. Nicki is a PhD candidate in Education at UVic where her research explores strategies for taking Indigenous languages to advanced levels of proficiency. Nicki is an advanced second language speaker of Spanish and is working on passing Spanish on to her two young daughters as their first language. Nicki has worked with NEȾOLṈEW̱ since 2018, and is currently the Research Coordinator for NILLA, the NEȾOLṈEW̱ Indigenous Language Learning Atlas.

Jackie Dormer is of Michif, German, Irish, and Polish ancestry and grew up in Treaty 1 Territory and the homeland of the Metis Nation (Winnipeg, MB). She received a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics from the University of Manitoba and is now working towards a degree in Native Studies. She is currently supporting a collaborative research effort led by Dr. Kari Chew and 7000 Languages, along with community partners, Hase’ Language Revitalization Society and Prairies to Woodlands Indigenous Language Revitalization Circle. Their research focuses on how Indigenous communities utilize computer assisted language learning technology.

Robyn Giffen is of German and English ancestry and grew up on and recently returned to Treaty 7 territory in Calgary, AB. However, she spent most of her adult life in Kelowna, BC, living, studying, and working on the unceded and ancestral territory of the Sylix and Secwepemc people. She now lives as grateful settler on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen peoples. Robyn has an M.A. from the University of British Columbia specializing in Linguistic Anthropology and has worked on Indigenous language revitalization projects in Ghana, Alaska, and British Columbia. Robyn is currently a PhD student in Education at UVIC, focusing on Indigenous language learning assessment. As a NEȾOLṈEW̱ Research Coordinator, Robyn currently oversees the social media portfolio and will be taking up coordination of the Assessment Theme.

Jacob Manatowa-Bailey (Sauk) was the founding Director of the Sauk Language Department (SLD) for the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma (2005-2016).  He is currently the coordinator of MICA’s Next Steps Project providing planning assistance to language revitalization programs.  Concurrently, he is a doctoral student at the University of Victoria with a research interest in reflective practice within the field of Indigenous Language Revitalization.   

Adam Stone is English Settler and Jewish, and was born and currently lives on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin People where Ottawa currently stands. He earned his Doctorate in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies at Carleton University in 2020, and is a part-time Research Assistant with the NILLA project where he plays a supportive role in behind-the-scenes work and the NILLA interface. He is also a Contract Instructor of linguistics at Carleton University, and a

Oki, my name is Nicole Goodstriker Clayton and I am a member of the Kainai Blood Reserve. I was raised in Calgary, Alberta on Treaty 7 land. My educational path has been in Business and Psychology, leading to exceptional skills in organization, planning, graphic design and administration.

I am the Administrative Assistant for the NEȾOLṈEW̱ ‘one mind, one people’ SSHRC Partnership Grant and the President’s Research Chair in Indigenous Education at the University of Victoria. I look forward to continuing my learning journey here in Lekwungen and SENĆOŦEN speaking territories. 

Many wonderful people have contributed to the work of NEȾOLṈEW̱ over the years. They are (in alphabetical order of last name):
Adar Anisman, Carolyn Belleau, Emily Comeau, Nicole Davies, Pierre Iachetti, Samaya Jardey, Barbara Jenni, Zola Kell, Anureet Lotay, Layla chuutsqa Rorick, Robby Smoker-Peters, Satuts Stsuhwum (Angela Marston), Danielle Sullivan, Marleen Willems.