Elisabeth was born in Toronto, Ontario, of Scottish, Irish and German descent. At the age of 9, her family moved to Omemee, Ontario. In high school, she explored her love of the arts, attending the integrated arts program at Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School. She also spent a year in Germany as part of the Rotary International Exchange program. Following high school, she completed a degree in Indigenous Studies at Trent University and a Bachelor of Education degree at Lakehead University.
In 2011, Elisabeth moved with her husband to Manitoba. She took a teaching position at the Mikaaming Mino Pimatiziwin Healing Lodge in Sagkeeng First Nation. There, while offering educational support to school-aged children and adolescents, Elisabeth was part of the Lodge’s traditional, culture-based holistic residential program for First Nation families struggling with drug and alcohol addictions. During this period at the Lodge, Elisabeth worked with Diane Morrisseau, who was a counsellor and the Cultural Advisor at the time. Diane had survived an extremely traumatic childhood (which included time at residential day school) and a very abusive marriage, and had a strong desire to tell her story. Elisabeth offered to work with her and, following countless hours of collaboration, the book “One Second at a Time: My Story of Pain and Reclamation” was born. Finally complete, it is scheduled for release by UBC Press in May 2024 and can be pre-ordered now.
Elisabeth describes Diane’s story as painful, yet full of hope; a very difficult emotional read, but an extremely important one. Diane is determined to share her truth for a number of reasons: she wants those with experiences similar to hers to not feel alone; she wants to share how she overcame her past and is using her experience to help others; she wants them to know that no matter how bad things might be for them, there is always the possibility of getting out, there is always hope. This book is for survivors, but also for anyone who works with women and children who have suffered abuse, and for anyone with an interest in reconciliation.
Aside from working on this project, Elisabeth continued to teach in a variety of interesting positions. She spent several years working in Sagkeeng First Nation and Brokenhead First Nation as an elementary school teacher, and two years at The Claremont School for Dyslexia in Toronto. She is devoted to creating safe and inclusive environments, where students are empowered, and learning is joyful. She has lead projects in curriculum and program development that promote the inclusion of rich and meaningful cultural experiences in the classroom. Her child-centred approach to teaching recognizes the impact of stress, and she incorporates mindful self-regulation practices to enhance learning and the well-being of her students. She has been asked to model her teaching practices for other educators, and was recently awarded the Certificate of Merit for outstanding achievement in the field of literacy from the Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg. She is passionate about delivering a responsive learning program that balances teacher-led experiential inquiry and rich child-initiated play.
Elisabeth is also a dedicated mother with two beautiful children. She and her family currently live in Toronto, Ontario.