Dr. Margaret Brigham

Margaret Brigham (Ojibway) is from Bkejwanong Territory aka. Walpole Island First Nation in southern Ontario. She is the oldest of six children and has a teenage son of her own. Margaret's work includes experience as a classroom teacher, First Nation school principal, private sector consultant on diversity and equity issues, sociology professor and college administrator. Margaret recently taught graduate and undergraduate courses at the University of Toronto including a course on Indigenous Knowledge and Decolonization. Currently she serves as Dean of Equity for Centennial College.

Education
Margaret earned her Ph.D. at the University of Arizona in Higher Education Administration and American Indian Policy Studies. She also has a Master of Education and a Bachelor of Philosophy with an elementary teaching certificate.

Research Interests
Global and Indigenous studies related to marginalized peoples and survivalist strategies, culture and communications, critical pedagogy and public policy, comparative politics, organizational culture, and Aboriginal women's issues. Some examples of her research follow:

• Developed curriculum for a course on Aboriginal Politics, Communication, and Leadership. The focus of the course is on leadership styles associated with assimilation, resistance, resurgence, and nation building. A threshold question is: How do traditions, contemporary realities, and personal commitments combine to create Aboriginal and Indigenous leaders? The course utilized leadership profiles and case materials from North and South American, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa.
• Conducted a critical analysis of Aboriginal education for the Assembly of First Nations and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada as part of a national policy framework review of the University and College Entrance Program (UCEP). Project involved province-by-province data collection, analysis, and recommendations.
• Serves as a Peer Reviewer for the American Indian Education Journal, Arizona State University (1998-2009). As a member of the review panel, she provides editorial recommendations and a scholarly review of research manuscripts submitted for publication. Margaret also consults as a Copy Editor for Ningwakwe Learning Press, Owen Sound, Ontario (2005-2009).