Jeff is a Senior Advisor that specializes in data governance and data management, participatory mapping, capacity development, digital equity, and community engagement. Jeff is a seventh generation Irish settler living in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal on the unceded Indigenous lands of the Kanien’kehá:ka/Mohawk Nation. Jeff has over a decade of experience working with Indigenous Nations and organizations across Turtle Island.
Jeff is particularly passionate about promoting Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination. Specifically, he focuses on Indigenized methodologies and technologies that provide Indigenous Peoples the capacity to govern the collection, ownership, application, and preservation of their data. He has expertise in designing, developing, and leading capacity development programs, research, and workshops on Indigenous mapping, data governance, data standards, and open data.
Jeff has led and supported research for stakeholders on addressing the intersections of open data, Indigenous Knowledge, and OCAP®. Through this work, Jeff has worked with Indigenous Nations and organizations, private sector, municipal governments, and academia on accreditation programs across Canada. He has developed multi-jurisdictional partnerships to research, assess, and design a variety of accreditation programs to support geospatial capacity building and literacy.
Between 2014 and 2021, Jeff managed critical relationships among Indigenous Nations, government bodies, and the private sector, facilitating the development and implementation of Indigenous geospatial data management policies and programs. Through this research, Jeff frequently presented to government agencies and stakeholders, advocating for the respectful inclusion of Indigenous data protocols. He is also spearheading the creation of a Data Sovereignty Community of Practice, aimed at uniting Indigenous Nations and organizations to exchange knowledge and develop practical approaches to advancing Indigenous data sovereignty.
