Biography

Welcome to the Department of First Nations Studies! My name is Dr. Rheanna Robinson. Land acknowledgments are important and I would like to begin by acknowledging the territory of the Lheidli T’enneh Nation where the Prince George campus of UNBC is located and I have had the privilege to live, work, and learn for more than two decades. I am Métis and a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation. I am a proud mom to two sons, Sean (Yagabax) and James (Jagabax), who are also of Nisga’a ancestry and Citizens of the Nisga'a Nation.

Raised in Smithers, BC, I have a long history in Northern British Columbia and have been involved with UNBC as a student, staff, faculty member, and volunteer since 1995. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in History and First Nations Studies at UNBC in 2001, a Master's degree in First Nations Studies at UNBC in 2007, and completed my PhD in Educational Studies at UBC in 2016.

I am an Indigenous scholar who is deeply committed to the discipline of First Nations Studies. I value the role of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) within institutions of higher learning and what IK offers to the world. My research interests include: Indigenous Disability Studies, Indigenous Education and Theory, and Indigenous-led Community-based research. I am grateful to have UNBC here to foster these ideals.