Darlene Sanderson

Dr. Darlene Sanderson is an Associate Professor in Health Sciences at the Faculty of Human and Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, working on the unceded territory of the Lheidli T'enneh. With Cree, Saulteaux, Métis, and Doukhobor ancestry, her research focuses on Indigenous self-determination in health and education. She holds a BScN (University of Alberta), MA in Child and Youth Care (University of Victoria), and PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies (Simon Fraser University).

Her research bridges health, education, and law through community-led projects on water protection, cultural reclamation, and climate change adaptation with Tl’etinqox and Secwépemc communities. Current initiatives include developing Indigenous research centers, COVID-19 responses, and Water Guardians programs.

Publications emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to Indigenous health sovereignty and environmental justice, with recurring themes of traditional knowledge integration and decolonizing methodologies across nursing, education, and environmental science.

Dr. Sanderson supervises MA students and serves on PhD committees, supporting Indigenous-led research capacity building through community workshops and curriculum development.