Dr. Jacquie Green, who last spring defended her doctoral dissertation in her home community of Kitamaat Village, has been appointed as the first Indigenous director of the University of Victoria’s School of Social Work, and is the first Indigenous director of any mainstream post-secondary social work program in Canada.
“I know it means a lot for our people, to see ourselves reflected in leadership roles such as director,” said Green in a news release which came out on Monday. “I also feel very privileged for the international work I’ve done in the past, and I want to continue to focus on these relationships in my new role.”
UVic’s media release said that Green is committed to decolonization, cultural renewal and growing the Indigenous space at UVic and beyond, and her research interests include decentralizing social work programs with Indigenous peoples. In a recent Faces of UVic Research video, she discusses her graduate work as project manager for the Indigenous Child Well-Being Research Network and her vision for the future of Indigenous youth. She belongs to the Haisla, Kemano and Tsmishian peoples.
