The intersection
of science, wisdom & community

The Indigenous Wellness Research Institute is committed to advancing science into the future with indigenous knowledges, research, scholarship excellence and the aspirations of communities.

Our research projects, programs and partnerships are what drives our research institute.

IHART

Indigenous HIV/AIDS Research Training (IHART) is a prevention training program for Indigenous researchers conducting work with American Indian/Alaska Native communities including areas such as substance use prevention; HIV/AIDS prevention etiology, and treatment; healthy relationships and STI prevention and treatment.

Wakaya

Wakaya: Rising Up for Native Health is a program established in partnership between the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, the University of Washington School of Social Work, and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. It is a study project developed to assess the impact of culturally-grounded, outdoor-based preventative health programming for Native youth.

Journey of Transformation

Journey of Transformation is a research study in partnership with Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. The purpose of this study is to know how well the curriculum explains leadership skills, Native American cultural arts, the natural environment, and promotes healthy decision-making around health and relationships.

INSPIRE

INSPIRE (Indigenous Substance Use and Addictions Prevention Interdisciplinary Research Education) is a 24-month long research program for American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and other Indigenous pre- and post-doctoral students and early career scholars, focused on connecting fellows with scientific mentors across interdisciplinary fields and providing funding for pilot studies.

BIG HART

The BIG HART program seeks to introduce Indigenous undergraduate and graduate students to key topics in HIV research and the way the epidemic impacts Indigenous communities across North America, connect them with Indigenous mentors working in the field of HIV/AIDS, and link students to research opportunities to foster careers in HIV research.

INIHKD

The International Network for Indigenous Health Knowledge and Development (INIHKD) is a global alliance of Indigenous researchers, practitioners, scholars, and advocates from Aotearoa/New Zealand, Hawai‘i, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Established in 2003, INIHKD fosters transnational partnerships that center Indigenous-led research, ancestral knowledge systems, and community-led health solutions.

Chahta Chatter Podcast

Our ancestors have used stories for generations upon generations for instructions on how to live a good way on the earth; they also have encoded ways in which we can heal. Chahta Chatter is a podcast where we re-story these traditional stories and reclaim narratives that empower us to reclaim our health.

NCREW

The Native Collective Research Effort to Enhance Wellness (NCREW) is a bold, community-initiated project to end suicide and drug overdose among the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation (YN). This two-year initiative supports the co-design and adaptation of culturally centered interventions to address behavioral health crises, with an emphasis on youth and families.

Sacred Journey

Sacred Journey is a culturally adapted mental health intervention designed specifically for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women. The project aimed to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance misuse, and HIV sexual risk behaviors using Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)—a gold-standard, trauma-focused treatment—modified through extensive community input and Indigenous cultural frameworks.

rETHICS

The rETHICS project developed a culturally tailored research ethics training curriculum designed specifically for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Recognizing historical mistrust and ethical breaches in research involving Indigenous populations, rETHICS aims to enhance understanding of ethical research practices, emphasizing community protection and sovereignty.

Meet Our Executive Director

Dr. Tessa Evans-Campbell

Dr. Evans-Campbell is an Associate Professor and Executive Director of the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute (IWRI) at the University of Washington School of Social Work. She is a Snohomish tribal member and a former Tribal Council Member with strong ties to tribal communities and Native organizations that serve Native children and families.

The intersection of science, wisdom & community