Rick Fehr has been involved with Indigenous Education for more than twenty-years. As a non-Indigenous ally, Rick dedicates his life to enhancing the academic journey of Indigenous learners.

Originally from Wallaceburg, Ontario, Rick recognizes the land he was raised on as Treaty no. 7 land, also known as the Chenail Ecarté Tract. These lands were to be settled by the Anishinaabeg and other Indigenous allies.

He has been an Educational Development Officer for the Anishinabek Educational Institute, he developed a summer transitional program for Indigenous students at Nipissing University, and he was a former Acting Director of Indigenous Studies at Western.

Rick is married to Dr. Renee Bedard, an Anishinaabe-kwe scholar at Western, and he has two daughters, Willow and Juniper. He earned his undergraduate degree in Native Studies from Trent University and has a PhD in Environmental Studies from York University.

As the Acting Director, Rick’s goal is to create academic programming that serves Indigenous communities and responds in a meaningful way to the recommendations in the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions 94 calls to action.