About Cedar Bridges Consulting
About Jalissa Schmidt, Owner Cedar Bridges Consulting Ltd.
My name is Jalissa Schmidt, I identify myself as a multi-racial urban (and suburban) member of the Acho Dene Koe First Nation. I am Dene, El Salvadorian, and Irish. I carry my First Nation ancestry through my maternal line and was born and raised far from my First Nation ancestral home due to the systemic impacts of colonization.
My path is one of decolonizing myself and the world around me. I am grateful to have connection to my ancestry through family and community, especially knowing that it is a rare experience for urbanized Indigenous Peoples.
It’s been a journey navigating walking among worlds, a journey that came with many teachings and gifts of knowledge that I respect and uphold with the deepest care. My intention is to share my experiences and the knowledge gifted to me in a responsible way that honours myself, my family, my community, and the journey of reconciliation.
I offer a unique perspective on this work. I am connected to my roots while being urbanized. I have personal experience as a student, educator, administrator, and consultant. But most importantly, I have the lived experience of just being me – navigating multiple worlds, systemic barriers, colonization, intergenerational impacts, and the path of decolonizing and indigenizing.
With my experience, I add another layer of perspective and representation to the 1.8+ million ways of being Indigenous. Our diverse voices collaborating to honour each other, our communities, and future generations.
Education
Master of Arts: Humanities,
Simon Fraser University
Bachelor of Arts: Religion, Literature, and Art,
The University of British Columbia
Personal Accomplishments
Upcoming Presenter at the PDGIA conference, April 2025
In-Press (2024) Chapter Publications, 'Healing to Belonging: One Indigenous Lens on Truth & Reconciliation' and co-writer of 'Decolonial and Indigenous Perspectives in School Counselling'
Presenter at the Teaching and Learning Conference, 2023
Presenter at the PDGIA conference, 2023
CCIB Certified Indigenous Business
