Harmonizing Pathways: Integrating Indigenous Wisdom in Evaluation

H-PEA Online Post-Conference Workshop
Sept. 20, 2024 12:30- 2:00 pm HST

Presenters

Dr. Jeremy Braithwaite, EvaluACT Tribal Research Specialist for the Tribal Law and Policy Institute

Dr. Linda Sue Warner, Special Assistant on Tribal Affairs to the President of Northeastern A&M College

Workshop Description

This workshop introduces seven key components to effective evaluation in Indigenous contexts that integrate traditional Indigenous knowledge with contemporary evaluation practices. Participants will engage in interactive activities designed to deepen understanding of each key component—Relationships, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Community Participation, Holistic Perspectives, Place and Land, Generational Impact, and Reflexivity. Through hands-on exercises, attendees will learn how to apply these principles to the evaluation of community-based and culturally-rooted projects, ensuring that evaluations are culturally responsive, community-inclusive, and sustainable. This approach fosters more effective and respectful partnerships and outcomes in Indigenous contexts.

Dr. Jeremy Braithwaite is the co-founder of EvaluACT and serves as a Tribal Research Specialist for the Tribal Law and Policy Institute. With nearly 20 years of experience working with American Indian/Alaska Native communities, Dr. Braithwaite has focused on issues such as violence against women, land claims, environmental dispossession, Indian child welfare, and Tribal justice systems. His work emphasizes the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems into evaluation practices. As Principal Investigator on multiple National Institute of Justice (NIJ) grants, he has built the capacity of Tribal nations and organizations to design and implement high-impact research and evaluation studies. These studies address Tribal justice, healing, wellness, and community engagement. Dr. Braithwaite’s expertise aligns with the goals of fostering culturally responsive and community-centered evaluation methodologies. He currently resides in Lake Arrowhead, California.

Dr. Linda Sue Warner, a member of the Comanche Tribe of Oklahoma, brings extensive expertise in Indigenous pedagogy and native ways of knowing. She currently serves as Special Assistant on Tribal Affairs to the President of Northeastern A&M College and has over fifty years of experience working with American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian peoples. Dr. Warner’s extensive publication record includes over 250 articles, presentations, and books exploring cultural knowledge and pedagogy, making her a leading voice in integrating Indigenous methodologies into evaluation practices.