Plenary 5: Enhancing Health Equity in Indigenous Populations

Stephanie Russo Carroll (Ahtna-Native Village of Kluti Kaah) is Assistant Research Professor, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy (UC); Associate Director and Manager – Tribal Health Program, the Native Nations Institute (NNI) in the UC; Assistant Professor in the Public Health Policy and Management Program at the Community, Environment and Policy Department, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health (MEZCOPH); Assistant Professor, American Indian Studies Graduate Interdisciplinary Program; and Affiliate Faculty, College of Law at the University of Arizona (UA).Stephanie's research explores the links between Indigenous governance, data, the environment, and community wellness. Her interdisciplinary research group, the Collaboratory for Indigenous Data Governance, develops research, policy, and practice innovations for Indigenous data sovereignty. Indigenous data sovereignty draws on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that reaffirms the rights of Indigenous nations to control data about their peoples, lands, and resources. The Collaboratory’s research, teaching, and engagement seek to transform institutional governance and ethics for Indigenous control of Indigenous data, particularly within open science, open data, and big data contexts. The Collaboratory primarily collaborates with Indigenous Peoples and nations in the US Southwest and the Arctic, as well an international network of Indigenous data sovereignty and governance experts. Collaboratory members also often partner with communities to which they belong, including Indigenous communities. Stephanie offers Indigenous women-led mentoring of undergraduate through junior faculty and research staff with the goal of producing policy-relevant research through skill and knowledge acquisition. The Collaboratory’s disciplinary breadth includes public health, law, business, geography, sociology, social work, public policy, and environmental and climate sciences.Stephanie co-founded the US Indigenous Data Sovereignty Network and the International Indigenous Data Sovereignty Group at the Research Data Alliance, and is a founding member and current chair of the Global Indigenous Data Alliance (GIDA). Stephanie was also a founding member of the UAs American Indian and Indigenous Health Alliance Club at MEZCOPH and is a founding member and current president for the UA Native Faculty, working to support the recruitment and retention of Indigenous students and faculty at the UA. Stephanie is a founding board member for the Copper River Tribal College in Chitina, Alaska. Stephanie received her AB from Cornell University and MPH and DrPH from MEZCOPH.

Bonnie Duran Dr.PH (mixed race Opelousas/Coushatta descendent) is a professor in the schools of social work and public health at the University of Washington. She is also on the leadership team at the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute. She received her Dr.PH from UC Berkeley School of Public Health in 1997. Bonnie teaches graduate courses in Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and mindfulness. She has worked in public health research, evaluation and education among Tribes, Native Organizations and other communities of color for more than 35 years.

Dr. Duran is currently the Principal Investigator of 2 NIH funded research projects in “Indian Country”. Working with the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, 22 Tribal Colleges, and UW collaborators, she is conducting 2 studies; (a) a psychiatric epidemiology prevalence and correlates study (N=3,202, and (b) a TCU-cultural adaptation of Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS). Dr. Duran is also Co-PI of an NIMH funded R25 HIV and Mental Health research training program, and a Co-Investigator on an NINR CBPR methods and measures study: Engage for Equity. 

Bonnie’s past work includes partnering with the Navajo Nation, Indian Health Service, the National Congress of American Indians Policy Research Center, and other Tribes and Indigenous Community Based Organizations on projects aimed at health equity, improving health services, and developing culture-centered health promotion.