Chenoa (she/her) is an anishininewag mixed settler and member of Sachigo Lake First Nation through the Barkman family, with mixed Scottish and French settler ancestry. She was born and raised on the unceded territories of the Anishinabek, Haudenosaunee, and Huron-Wendat Peoples. Chenoa is an active Board member for Indigenous Women Outdoors, where she previously participated in the IWO Backcountry Mentorship program. She is an avid skier, mountain biker, long distance runner, and enjoys all time spent in the backcountry. When she lived in Ontario, she was an active whitewater kayaker and canoe tripper.
Chenoa is a Population Health Epidemiologist at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. She earned her PhD in Population and Public Health from the University of British Columbia in 2024, with a dissertation titled “The Cedar Project: An Exploration of Indigenous Survivance, Connection, and Vaccine Uptake Amid Concurrent Public Health Emergencies Experienced by Urban Indigenous People Who Use Drugs in British Columbia.” She holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences from the University of Ottawa. Her research expertise encompasses epidemiology, Indigenous knowledges, and both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Her research is highly focused on Indigenous health, addressing topics related to public health, climate resilience, and emergency preparedness. Chenoa is committed to advancing Indigenous health equity and upholding the right to self-determination through her research and community engagement.
