MA Student Indigenous Studies
BA St. Mary's University (2020) 
Email:  klg806@mail.usask.ca

Kate Gillis is Métis from Calgary, Alberta with family roots in the historic Red River Settlement. In the Spring of 2020, Kate completed her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in History, and a minor in Psychology from St. Mary’s University Calgary. Kate is now a masters student in the Indigenous Studies department at the University of Saskatchewan, with her research focussing on early Métis history. As an Indigenous feminist scholar, Kate’s MA work focusses on positioning the role of Métis women within the larger narrative of the Métis ethnogenesis. During the most recent Indigenous Achievement Week she was recognized with an award for academic excellence. Kate is the recipient of the Gabriel Dumont Graduate Scholarship in Métis Studies, and recently accepted a SSHRC CGS-M award.

 

MA Student Archaeology 
BSci University of Saskatchewan (2022)
Email: sap833@mail.usask.ca 

Sarah Pocha-Tait is Métis from MacDowall, Saskatchewan where she continues to be involved with Métis local #83. In the spring of 2022, she received her Bachelor of Science in Archaeology from the University of Saskatchewan. Sarah is now a master’s student in archaeology at the University of Saskatchewan. Her research takes place at Fort Carlton, a fur trade post along the North Saskatchewan River. Her thesis will examine all household artifacts excavated at the site with a focus on Métis occupation, particularly women and children, at Fort Carlton. Sarah holds an Indigenous Achievement Award for Leadership as well as she is the recipient of the 2022/23 Gabriel Dumont Graduate Scholarship in Métis Studies.

MA Student Political Science
BA University of Saskatchewan (2019)
Email: susan.shacter@usask.ca 

Susan is originally from a beautiful little Métis community on the edge of Hinton, Alberta, but she grew up mostly in Battleford. Her family communities are Bresaylor, Langmeade and Bjelde Creek, but her ancestors travelled far and wide after leaving Red River in the 1880s, so she has family ties in many communities, including Northern Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.

Susan recently earned a graduate certificate in Economic Analysis for Public Policy from the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS). Prior to this, Susan earned a B.A. (Hons) in Sociology from USask and received the Most Outstanding Graduate award for Sociology in 2019. She also completed certificates in Indigenous Justice and Criminology (IJC) and Indigenous Governance and Politics. In a previous career path, Susan completed a diploma with SIAST in Computer Information Systems, after which she worked as a computer programmer for more than 13 years.

Susan is the recipient of a Gabriel Dumont Graduate Scholarship in Métis Studies and is now pursuing an MA in Political Studies at USask. Her research will focus on post-secondary policies and their impacts on Métis students.