- EVENT POSTPONED - IPEC Anchor Event: Indigenous Communities in America – Understanding Cultures in Clinical Settings

A panel of healthcare workers and Tribal members/advisors/citizens from Indigenous communities in North America, including Wabanaki, will discuss Indigenous cultures in clinical settings and implications for our next generation of health care professionals. Join us to learn about culturally-informed tools and practices to improve care for Native patients, families and communities.

We invite you to view the Maine Historical Society's feature exhibit: Holding Up the Sky: Wabanaki People, Culture, History & Art between now and Feb. 1, 2020 in Portland. (Tickets will be given away at this IPEC event!)

Collaborative Partner: Maine Historical Society

PANELISTS

Robin Dale Risling, MHS, EdD., PA-C is a member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe in northern California.  She comes from a long line of family members engaged in traditional beliefs and practices. Her father served as Tribal Chairman and has served on council for many years. He is an experienced lobbyist for sovereignty rights. Her great uncle championed Indian Education. His efforts resulted in being a consultant in the creation of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian and being appointed to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education. Robin is grateful for the influences of her indigenous upbringing and welcomes the opportunity to share her experiences and perspectives. Robin is the Program Director of the UNE PA program. Her scope of clinical practice includes Internal Medicine, Urgent Care and Primary Care.

Eryn Neptune, M.S., a member of the Penobscot Nation, is the Interim Fitness Center Manager and the Health & Wellness Educator at the University of New England. Eryn holds a Master's Degree in Nutrition from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon, and a Bachelor's Degree in Health Science: Exercise and Nutrition, from the University of Southern Maine, in Portland, Maine. In addition to her roles at UNE, Eryn is a vinyasa and aerial yoga teacher. Eryn has worked in residential life and in elementary education, and also has had experience as a lifeguard and CNA. Hailing from Central Maine, she has hopped coast to coast with an insatiable hunger for knowledge to make proactive whole-self wellness and positive behavior change accessible to everyone, with a foundation starting with food.