Responsibility to All Relations

Indigenous 
Evaluation of an AI/AN Public Health Workforce Development Program

Authors

  • Cheyenne N. Seneca Seneca & Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, Washington
  • Banita M. McCarn Koyukon Athabascan & Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, Washington
  • Lannesse Baker Anishinaabe & Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle, Washington

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3138/cjpe-2025-0008

Keywords:

community, decolonization of data, Indigenous evaluation, urban Indian organization, urban Native

Abstract

Aligning with the Western Door – Do Good Work, this article presents an evaluation of Urban Indian Health Institute’s Public Health Training Program (PHTP) by applying their Indigenous Evaluation Framework. The framework was created by and for urban Indigenous communities to conduct evaluation in a culturally rigorous way by reclaiming data for the well-being of the community, staying grounded in cultural knowledge systems, and utilizing Western science when needed. This article focuses on how the framework was applied to evaluate the PHTP’s effectiveness in strengthening the urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) public health workforce. Findings contribute to the evidence base for culturally attuned approaches for improving the 
AI/AN workforce development in public health. The article makes the following recommendations for AI/AN workforce development programs: co-create training spaces with AI/AN communities, intentionally recruit and support AI/AN mentors, and use flexible workforce development frameworks that honour diverse pathways and definitions of success.

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Cover of The Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation / La Revue canadienne d’évaluation de programme. Pale blue background with bilingual English–French title at the top. Central box lists Volume 39, Number 3, June 2025 and article titles and authors under section headings. Website and ISSN appear at the top; University of Toronto Press logo at bottom right.

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Published

2025-08-05

How to Cite

Seneca, C. N., McCarn, B. M., & Baker, L. (2025). Responsibility to All Relations: Indigenous 
Evaluation of an AI/AN Public Health Workforce Development Program. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation, 39(3), 526–546. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjpe-2025-0008

Issue

Vol. 39 No. 3 (2025): June

Section

Roots and Relations (R&R)

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Cheyenne N. Seneca, Banita M. McCarn, Lannesse Baker

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