New Faculty Members to Join First Nations University of Canada in July 2023

On July 4, 2023, the First Nations University of Canada welcomed new faculty members in Indigenous Health, Joint appointment between Indigenous Communication & Fine Arts and Indigenous Business & Public Administration, and Indigenous Education. New faculty members will be located at our Northern and Regina campuses.

Amanda Gannon – Lecturer, Indigenous Health
Amanda received all her education through the University of Saskatchewan, her background is in sociology, psychology, crime, law, and justice studies. Most recently, she received her Master of Science in Community and Population Health Sciences.

Amanda has worked in a Teaching Assistant role for Indigenous Health at FNUniv since 2016 for various Indigenous Health courses and will be taking up the role as a lecturer for Indigenous Health Studies this Fall.

Amanda is passionate about youth advocacy involving mental health and addictions, with research interests including child and youth health, harm reduction, and wholistic wellness. Due to her work experience as a crisis worker in Saskatoon, she is familiar with community collaboration and the ins and outs of non-governmental organizations.

Merelda Fiddler-Potter, Joint appointed Assistant Professor – Indigenous Communication & Fine Arts, Indigenous Business & Public Administration

Merelda Fiddler-Potter is a journalist and documentary filmmaker, who spent almost 2 decades working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).  Merelda has a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy, a Master of Arts in Canadian Plains Studies, and a Bachelor of Journalism and Communications.  In 2019, she was awarded a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship to explore the media’s role in helping Canadians learn the truth of our colonial policies, the impact it has on Indigenous peoples, and how the media can keep Indigenous issues high on the public agenda. The year after, she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship.  

Most recently, Merelda was an Executive-in-Residence and Faculty Lecturer at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Saskatchewan.  She also spent more than 15 years as a sessional lecturer at the First Nations University of Canada teaching in Indigenous Communication Arts, Indigenous Studies, and Indigenous Business and Public Administration.  She was the Dallas W. Smythe Chair at the University of Regina’s School of Journalism from 2017-2018.  Merelda is passionate about Métis history and research and spent years researching her own family’s history from contact in Canada to present.  She is also committed to creating space in all institutions for Indigenous peoples, consulting with a wide variety of organizations looking to learn about, create, and implement strategies to achieve meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. 

Reanna Daniels, Lecturer – Indigenous Education

Reanna Daniels is from the Little Pine First Nation. She has been teaching for 20 years primarily in Special Education.

As a Math Catalyst, she has taught Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8.  Last fall, Reanna Daniels taught an Introduction to Disabilities course at the University of Saskatchewan.