Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health

We are proud to be partners with the Seattle area American Indian and Alaska Native community on the UW Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (UW ADRC). This week, PBS NewsHour featured the center’s efforts to improve the lives of Native American people living with 's disease and related dementias.

Indigenous faculty and staff at IREACH from the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and WSU College of Veterinary Medicine Paul G. Allen School for Global Health lead a component of the UW ADRC that focuses on building trust among American Indian and Alaska Native people in research and researchers. As Linda Holt, a former health director of the Suquamish Tribe who is enrolled in the study, shared in the PBS story, “Native Americans are very hesitant about volunteering for these types of things, and that comes historically from studies that were involuntarily done on Native American people.” Cultural beliefs, higher rates of risk factors for Alzheimer’s and dementia, and a population over 65 that is expected to double by 2060 require researchers to make thoughtful considerations to include American Indian and Alaska Native people in ways that are congruent with their unique worldviews.

Under the guidance of a community advisory board, the IREACH team is conducting outreach and engagement to increase knowledge and awareness of Alzheimer’s and dementia among American Indian and Alaska Native people. Information shared by study participants will help shape communication materials and recruitment strategies, as well as best practices for the return of biomarker and genetic results, for participants and their communities.

As a result of the IREACH team’s efforts, research on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias is more likely to benefit all populations, and particularly American Indian and Alaska Native Peoples. Learn more about our efforts in the story below.

WSU Spokane
UW Memory and Brain Wellness Center
UW Medicine

Why Native Americans are facing high rates of mental decline It’s estimated that around 7 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, a number that’s expected to double by 2060. But researchers have found that some of the highest rates of cognitive impairment and dementia exist in a population that’s long been one of the most difficult to study: Nativ...

Jessica Saniġaq Ullrich, MSW, PhD (Nome Eskimo Community and Native Village of Wales), joined Native America Calling (National Native News) to speak on connectedness and how it is related to su***de prevention and mental health. Dr. Ullrich shared, “The Peoples’ Awakening Team of Southwest Alaska, an Indigenous group, defined this term ‘connectedness’ as the interrelated welfare of an individual, a family, a community, and the Earth.” Through her research, Dr. Ullrich has expanded the concept to include additional components focused on intergenerational connectedness. “Knowing our ancestors, that we have future generations counting on us is important for our wellness,” she said. Listen to the radio show at the link below.
WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
WSU Spokane

Wednesday, December 10, 2025 – Mental health experts point to personal connections to maintain winter mental health » Native America Calling December is a traditional time for feasts, family, and giving, but the financial and time burdens of the holiday-heavy month, combined with the change of seasons and other factors, also make it a time ripe for breaks in a person’s mental health. We’ll find out how connections — with other peop...

We’re thrilled to announce that two WSU leaders—Dr. Naomi Chaytor and Dr. Denise Dillard—have been elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences! 🎉

Dr. Chaytor, a leader in neuropsychological research and diabetes care innovation, and Dr. Dillard, a champion for Indigenous health and research sovereignty, are among 36 new members joining the state’s independent science advisory body.

Please join us in celebrating this well-deserved recognition of their outstanding contributions! 👏

Congratulations to WSU IREACH faculty Jessica Williams-Nguyen and Cole Allick on being awarded a grant from the RWJFoundation Evidence for Action program!

The three-year project, titled, "Supporting an Indigenous-Centered Quantitative Analysis Toolkit for Equity (ICQuATE)," will develop tools for health researchers that align quantitative health research methods with Indigenous ways of knowing and being. “This work is about more than just methods—it’s about creating space for Indigenous leadership in health research,” said Williams-Nguyen.

The team is led by Williams-Nguyen and Allick, who is a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, and includes Clemma Muller and MichaeLynn Kanichy of WSU IREACH, and Ralph Cammack of Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness, an Indigenous-led organization that serves four federally recognized Tribes in Maine.

The project is further supported by WSU's Office of Tribal Relations, Office of Research, and Health Sciences Library. Learn more about this exciting work here:

https://medicine.wsu.edu/news/2025/06/20/grant-to-advance-indigenous-research/

https://www.evidenceforaction.org/grant/indigenous-centered-quantitative-analysis-toolkit-equity-icquate

WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
WSU College of Veterinary Medicine
WSU Spokane

Indigenous-Centered Quantitative Analysis Toolkit for Equity (ICQuATE) | Evidence for Action The purpose of this project is to reorient the quantitative research process toward Indigenous knowledges and promote cultural safety for Indigenous Peoples in health research. To achieve this goal, the grantees are developing the Indigenous-Centered Quantitative Analysis Toolkit for Equity (ICQuATE...

🌟 Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Rachel Wilbur

On , we are proud to announce that Dr. Rachel Wilbur, assistant professor at the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and co-director of Partnerships for Native Health at IREACH (Institute for Research Education and Community Health), has been awarded the National Science Foundation CAREER Award — one of the NSF’s most prestigious honors for early-career faculty.

Her five-year project, “Survivance for Indigenous Well-Being: Research and Education,” will explore how cultural continuity, identity, and community strength contribute to the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples. The project will also develop educational pathways for Indigenous students in STEM and public health, creating opportunities for future leaders in these fields.

Dr. Wilbur, a medical anthropologist and member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, brings a deeply community-engaged and culturally grounded approach to her work. This award not only recognizes her academic excellence but also affirms the importance of Indigenous-led research in shaping equitable health outcomes.

💬 “This is a passion project,” says Dr. Wilbur. “It’s incredibly meaningful to see this work recognized and supported by the NSF.”

🔗 Learn more about her work and the impact of this award: https://medicine.wsu.edu/news/2025/06/02/rachel-wilbur-nsf-career-award/

Meet 2025 McNulty Catalyst Fund recipient: Dr. Jessica Saniguq Ullrich (Ascend at The Aspen Institute Fellow). Jessica is advancing multi-generational healing and wellbeing for Indigenous children and families by centering culture, community, and ancestral knowledge.

As a Tribal member of Nome Eskimo Community , Jessica understands the power of Indigenous connectedness to address the impact of colonization. Through her leadership at Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health, Jessica is reshaping systems to promote health care equity in Native communities.

Find out how Jessica and her team are creating space for relational healing and changing the trajectory of Indigenous wellbeing: https://mcnultyfound.org/ideas/catalyst-fund-2025

As a Nome Eskimo Community Tribal member, Dr. Jessica Saniguq Ullrich (Ascend at the Aspen Institute Fellow and WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine faculty member) deeply understands the power of Indigenous connectedness to overcome colonial trauma. In collaboration with Nome Eskimo Community, a federally recognized Tribe in Alaska, she is working to address the impact of colonization on Native families by centering family, community, cultural identity, and intergenerational connectedness in promoting child and family wellbeing. Their work is reshaping systems to promote healing and health care equity for Indigenous populations. We are honored to be a 2025 recipient of the alongside Dr. Ullrich and the other awardees. The fund recognizes promising ventures led by Fellows of the The Aspen Institute, The Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN), and Aspen Global Innovators Group with significant early momentum and at critical junctures on their path to creating meaningful change. Thank you to the The McNulty Foundation, The Aspen Institute, and Ascend at the Aspen Institute for supporting this important work with the Nome Eskimo Community.

📣 BIG NEWS: Recipients announced!

We’re thrilled to announce the 2025 recipients of the Catalyst Fund! The fund, given by the McNulty Foundation in partnership with The Aspen Institute recognizes early-stage organizations with outsized impact.

This year we’re honored to spotlight…

➡️Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health & Jessica Saniguq Ullrich
➡️Planetary Health Philippines & Renzo Guinto
➡️Mosaic Changemakers & Renata Soto
➡️Salud Verde & Monica Berger Gonzalez
➡️Vessel Collective & George McGraw
➡️HEAL SA & Mpadi Makgalo

Read more about this year’s recipients: https://mcnultyfound.org/ideas/catalyst-fund-2025

Alaska Indigenous Research Program 2025 AKIRP Registration now open! Register Now on Whova “That’s what learning is – you suddenly know something you’ve known all your life, but in a whole new way…” Tha…

Inchelium Red garlic “was discovered here on the Colville Reservation, and it was named after one of the districts on the reservation,” says Linda McLean, who leads the Colville Reservation office. Great Washington State Magazine story on the tasty garlic.
https://magazine.wsu.edu/web-extra/inchelium-red-garlic/