Jo-Ann Saddleback
Primary Affiliation
Indigenous Elder
Jo-Ann Saddleback is an Indigenous Elder from Maskwacîs, Alberta who has worked with CRISM Prairies from its inception to document regional wisdom and practices regarding addictions and has been instrumental in socializing the Prairie Node to develop respectful working relations with Indigenous communities. She has presented at Prairie Node conferences and sits as Elder for CRISM | Prairies. Elder Saddleback has been a member of 36 different committees, boards and task forces over her career, focused on issues important to Indigenous communities, including FASD, health, addictions and recovery, housing, social justice, youth development, education, media, healthy relationships and environments, cultural traditions, communications, First Nations self-governance, crime prevention, economic development and land use, building safe environments, Language and justice. Elder Saddleback sits on the working committee of the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, a National Indigenous research organization on substance use that partnered with CRISM during the first funding cycle. Elder Saddleback is also currently the Elder-in-Residence for Edmonton Public Library. She and her husband, Elder Jerry Saddleback, offer ceremonies and other cultural approaches for people healing from substance use.