DAY 1 | 2:45-3:45pm | BALLROOM D
| RALPH CAMMACK (Wolastoqiyik), Director of Research, Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness
Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness is a Tribal public health district serving the four federally recognized Tribes of Maine residing in five communities. Collectively known as the Wabanaki confederacy, the Tribes include the Mi’kmaq Nation, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Penobscot Nation, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township, and the Passamaquoddy at Sipayik. Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness in partnership with investigators at Washington State University is the recipient of a Native American Research Center for Health (NARCH) grant from the National Institutes of Health. The NARCH grant has provided the foundation for the establishment of the Center for Wabanaki Research, Knowledge and Innovation. The grant aims to conduct an epidemiologic study to estimate the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and mild cognitive impairment among Wabanaki Elders. The establishment of a research review board and a public health course for Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness employees and Tribal undergraduate students complement the study. This presentation will center on methods in conducting community-based research, methods in collaborating with academics partners as a community-based organization, and research capacity building efforts with a focus on data sovereignty efforts and self-determination of stories.