Verna St. Denis

Dr. Verna St Denis is Distinguished Professor Emerita in Educational Foundations. A member of Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation and grew up as a non-status Indian and Metis in the parkland region Saskatchewan. Her scholarship has advanced anti-racist education. In addition to teaching anti-oppressive education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, she supervises graduate students research in anti-racist education, and provides professional in-service for schools and other educational organizations.

Member, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee to the Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development, 2024-26

Member, Saskatchewan Federal Judiciary Advisory Committee, 2022-2027

National Indigenous University Senior Leaders Association, honorary member, 2025

• B.Ed., (Distinction), University of Saskatchewan, 1982, College of Education, Elementary Education Saskatchewan Professional ‘A’ Teaching Certificate No. 5803090, 1982

• M.A., University of Alaska/Fairbanks, 1989, College of Rural Alaska, Community Development: Community-based Participatory Research

• Ph.D., Stanford University, 2002, Department of Social Sciences and Educational Policy, Anthropology of Education: Exploring the Socio-Cultural Production of Aboriginal Identities

• Distinguished Professor Emerita, University of Saskatchewan, 2025
• King Charles III Coronation Medal, Universities Canada, March 2025
• Gold Award for a Reconciliation-Focused Event, Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education for the public screening of the film I co-produced, titled Understanding and Finding Our Way: Decolonizing Canadian Education, Fall 2024
• Ohpahotan/oohpaahotaan “Let’s fly up together” Award for Meaningful and Significant Contributions Towards Achieving Commitments of Our Indigenous Strategy, University of Saskatchewan Retirees Association, May 2024
• Professor Emerita, University of Saskatchewan, Designated January 2023
• Arbos Award, Distinguished Service to Education and the Teaching Profession Saskatchewan Teachers Federation, 2012
• R.W.B. Jackson Award – Most Outstanding English Language Journal Article, Canadian Educational Researchers’ Association, May 2008
• Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Saskatchewan Student Union, 2004
• Doctoral Fellowship Award, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 1996-1998
• Fulbright Scholarship, Canada-US Fulbright Exchange Foundation, Ottawa ON, 1994
• Native Economic Development Scholarship, Canadian Northern Studies Trust, Ottawa ON, 1985

• EFDT 301.3 Educator Identity in Contexts: Anti-Oppressive & Ethical Beginnings
• EFDT 335.3 First Nations and Cross-Cultural Education
• EFDT 422.3 Pedagogy of Intersecting Anti-Racist Education
• EFDT 528.3 Anti-Oppressive Education for the Helping Professions
• EFDT 844.3 Theory and Practice of Anti-Racist Education
• EFDT 842.3 History of Indigenous Education in Canada
• EFDT 818.3 Workplace Learning
• EFDT 860.3 Seminar in Anthropology and Education
• EDIND 852.3 Theory and Practice of Anti-Racist Education
• EDIND 855.3 Cross-Cultural Research Methodology
• EDIND 898.3 Poststructural Theory in Education
• EFDT 898.3 Race, Nation and Education
• EFDT 898.3 White Identity and the Education of Development Workers
• EDIND 898.3 Poststructuralism, Difference and Education
• EDIND 898.3 White Racialization and Italian Immigration
• EDIND 898.3 Feminist of Colour: Theorizing Education for Social Change
• EDIND 898.3 White teachers and the Denial of Racism in Their Pedagogical Practice

Books:

• Gebhard, A., McLean, S. & St. Denis, V. (eds.). (2022). White benevolence: Racism and Colonial violence in the helping professions. Fernwood.

Chapters in Books:

• St. Denis, V. (2022). Living my family through colonialism. In A. Gebhard, S. McLean & V. St. Denis, (eds.), White benevolence: Racism and Colonial violence in the helping professions, pp. 23-36. Fernwood.
• St. Denis, V. (2007a). Feminism is for everybody: Aboriginal women, feminism and diversity. In J. Green (Ed.). Making space for indigenous feminism, pp. 33-52. Halifax: Fernwood Press.
• St. Denis, V. (2009). Rethinking cultural theory in Aboriginal education. In:  Levine-Rasky, C. (ed.), Canadian perspectives on the sociology of education, pp. 163-182. Don Mills: Oxford University Press.
• Schick, C. & St. Denis, V. (2005). Critical autobiography in integrative anti-racist pedagogy. In: L. Biggs & P. Downe (Eds.). Gendered intersections: An introduction to women’s and gender studies, pp. 387-392.  Halifax: Fernwood Publishing.
• St. Denis, V. (2004). Real Indians: Cultural revitalization and fundamentalism in Aboriginal education. In C. Schick, J. Jaffe & A. M, Watkinson (Eds.), Contesting fundamentalisms, pp. 35-47. Halifax: Fernwood.

• Bergen, J. Hantke, S, & St. Denis, V. (2023). Contemporary approaches and challenges in anti-racist teacher education. International Encyclopedia of Education (4th Ed.). Elsevier.
• Hantke, S., St. Denis, V. & Graham, H. (2022). Racism and antiracism in nursing education: confronting the problem of whiteness. BMC Nurs 21, 146 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-00929-8
• St. Denis, V. (2011c). Silencing Aboriginal curricular content and perspectives: “There are other children here.” Review of education, pedagogy, and cultural studies, 33(4), pp. 306-317.
• St. Denis, V. (2007b). Aboriginal education and anti-racist education: Building alliance across cultural and racial identity. Canadian Journal of Education, 30(4), 1068-1092.
• Schick, C. & St. Denis, V. (2005). Troubling national discourse in anti-racist curricular planning. Canadian Journal of Education, 28(3), 295-317.
• St. Denis, V. & Schick, C. (2003). What makes anti-racist pedagogy in teacher education difficult?  Three popular ideological assumptions. The Alberta Journal of Educational Research, XLIX (1), 55-69.
• St. Denis, V. (2000). Indigenous Peoples, Globalizations, and Education: Making Connections.  The Alberta Journal of Educational Research, XLVI (1), 36-048.
• St. Denis, V. (1992). Community-Based Participatory Research: Aspects of the Concept Relevance for Practice.  Native Studies Review, 8(2), 51-74.

• Duke, A. (Director & Producer) & St. Denis, V. (Producer and Researcher). (2021). Understanding and Finding our Way: Decolonizing Canadian Education. Film OYA Media Group https://www.stf.sk.ca/education-today/understanding-and-finding-our-way-decolonizing-canadian-education/

• St. Denis, V. (2024). Decolonizing Our Minds and Our Teaching Practices. Keynote for Maskawcis Annual Education Conference. Maskawcis Schools Commission, Alberta, May 2024. 
• St. Denis, V. (2024). Understanding some of the impact of colonialism on indigenous people. Keynote for Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and Metis Nation of Saskatchewan Family Gathering for MMIWG2S. March 2024
• St. Denis, V. (2023). If Racism is the Problem: Anti-Racism is an Antidote. Indigenous Dialogue Series, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey BC. November 2023
• St Denis, V. (2023). Reflections on Four Decades of Anti-Racist Education. Keynote for Canadian Association for the Prevention of Discrimination and Harassment in Higher Education Annual Conference, University of Calgary, October 2023.
• St. Denis, V, (2023). Looking Back, Moving Forward with Critical Anti-Racist Education, Invited for Ann Sherman Lecture Series, Canadian Association of Deans of Education, Canadian Society for Studies in Education, York University, May 2023.
• St. Denis, V. (2023). Indigenous Survivance within the Academy. Keynote for Accessing the Academy: A Four Directions Approach Carleton University, March 2023.
• St. Denis, V. (2022). Decolonizing Education with Early Career Teachers. British Columbia Teachers Federation Virtual New Teachers’ Conference, May 14, 2022.
• St. Denis, V. (2017). Commemorating Indian Residential School History in the Context of On-Going Colonialism. Keynote Conference Address, Canada 150 more or less: Teaching history, shaping nationhood. History of Education Research Group, College of Education, University of Saskatchewan, October 14, 2017

• St. Denis, V. (2024). The Myth and Failure of Assimilation and Meritocracy, Good Spirit School Division, Yorkton, Sk. August 2024
• St. Denis, V. (2024). Identity Construction Through Culturally Responsive and Anti-Racist Pedagogy, Surrey Schools: Leadership in Learning, Surrey School District, August 2024
• St. Denis, V. (2024). Culturalism, Anti-Racism and Indigenous Education. Indigenous Learning Services, Edmonton Catholic Schools, Edmonton Alberta, May 2024
• St. Denis, V. (2024). Anti-Indigenous Racism in Education: Key Issues. Indigenous Education, Urban Indigenous Education Centre, Toronto District Schools Board, April 2024
• St. Denis, V. (2023-2024). Anti-Racist and Anti-Colonial Education Professional Development for Senior School Leaders of the Maskwacis School Commission, Alberta. 5 (3 hour sessions from October to April)
• St. Denis, V. (2022). Transforming Colonial Violence in the Helping Professions: Building Ethical Space through the Integration of Knowledges, Maymont Living Sky School Division, November 2022

• St. Denis, V. & Hantke, S. (2025). Researching ourselves to life: Improving Canadian Institutes Health Research grant funding for Indigenous health researchers. Saskatoon, SK. https://research-groups.usask.ca/neihrcoordcentre/documents/stdenishantke2025feb5digital.pdf
• St. Denis, V. (2010). A study of Aboriginal teachers’ professional knowledge and experience in Canadian public schools. Prepared for the Canadian Teachers’ Federation and Canadian Council on Learning. 80 pp.
• St. Denis, V. & Hanson, C. (2004). Increasing Women’s Participation in Municipal Consultations: A Federation of Canadian municipalities/City of Saskatoon Research Project. Saskatoon, SK. 41 pp.
• St. Denis, V. & Hampton, E. (2002). Literature review on racism and the effects on Aboriginal education. Prepared for Minister’s National Working Group on Education, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. 49 pp.

• St. Denis, V. (2020).  Mobilizing Indigenous Perspectives on Anti-Racist Education, Oracy Fund, Vice-Provost of Indigenous Engagement, University of Saskatchewan, $5,600.00
• St. Denis, V St Denis, V. & Green, B. (2019). How do School Leaders Narrate their Stories of Practicing Anti-Racist Education? McDowell Foundation, Saskatchewan Teachers Federation, $4,585
• St. Denis, V. (Co-Investigator). (2012-2018). Anti-Colonial Project: Building and Mobilizing Knowledge about Race and Colonialism in Canada. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Partnership Development Grant, $198, 000.00
• St. Denis, V. & O’Haire, N. (2007-2008). Aboriginal Teachers’ Professional Knowledge. Canadian Council on Learning: Aboriginal Learning 2006 RFP, $65,000.00
• St. Denis, V. & Hanson, C. (2003-2004). Increasing Women’s Participation in Municipal Consultation Processes National Study, Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Ottawa, ON, $10,000.00
• Battiste, M., Bouvier, R., & St. Denis, V. (Co-Investigators). (1996-1998). Okiskinahamakewak Aboriginal Teachers in Saskatchewan Public Schools: Responding to the Flux, Saskatchewan Education, December 1996-September, $23,000