PhD Student at Athabasca University
Cassandra (Cassie) Hill is a Haudenosaunee scholar, educator, and doctoral researcher whose work focuses on Indigenous education, digital safety, trauma-informed learning, and the ethical implications of emerging technologies in online spaces. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Distance Education at Athabasca University, where her research explores how technological systems, including AI and online learning environments, impact Indigenous women’s safety and wellbeing in higher education. Cassie’s work is grounded in Haudenosaunee knowledge systems, relational accountability, and Indigenous research methodologies. Alongside her doctoral studies, she teaches Indigenous Studies courses and contributes to curriculum development, policy work, and community-based initiatives focused on equity, inclusion, and Indigenous resurgence. She is also the co-developer of Echoes of Us, a trauma-informed digital platform designed to support Indigenous learners and survivors through culturally grounded and ethically guided technology. Through her teaching, research, and community engagement, Cassie advocates for digital futures that prioritize sovereignty, care, accessibility, and meaningful relationship-building.
Ottawa’s new AI strategy treats sovereignty as a question of compute, cloud and control. First Nations have been asking who holds authority over information for decades, and their answer suggests the governance conversation starts too late.
