Project team lead

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Alexandra is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary, where she brings her broad social sciences training (PhD in Human Geography) to socio-cultural studies of sport in its many forms. Her research focuses on the relationships between physical culture, place, and cultural identity in Indigenous and Black communities in Canada and the United States, examining how these communities draw on reservoirs of memory and ancestral knowledge to chart vibrant futures. She is the lead author of Beyond the Rink: Behind the Images of Residential School Hockey, a collaborative work co-written with survivors that brings to light the stories, histories, and lived experiences that sit beyond the photographic record. Alexandra worked closely with the three survivor co-authors—Kelly, Chris, and David—guiding the collaborative writing process and ensuring their voices and perspectives shaped every stage of the work. The book provides essential grounding for Crossing the Red Line, rooting the project in survivor-led narratives and critical historical context. You can read more about her work at her University of Calgary webpage: https://profiles.ucalgary.ca/alexandra-giancarlo.

Braden is Māori (Ngāti Raukawa and Rangitāne) from the Manawatū region of Aotearoa/New Zealand. He began his academic journey at the University of Otago before moving to Canada for graduate studies. His doctoral research on the history of physical culture at Pelican Lake Indian Residential School forms a cornerstone of Crossing the Red Line, connecting his expertise to the project’s central themes. He has held faculty positions at Lakehead University and the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus, where he was Assistant Professor in Indigenous Studies. His work reflects a steadfast belief that Indigenous research must be grounded in Indigenous approaches, knowledge, strengths, and aspirations, and framed by a critical understanding of colonialism’s legacies and ongoing impacts. Now based in Wellington, Braden leads a national research and data program dedicated to revitalizing the Māori language. Working with families, communities, and iwi across Aotearoa, he is committed to strengthening connections to language, culture, and land. His dissertation forms the archival backbone to all of our work.

Naim is nehiyaw (Cree) and a proud member of the Tallcree Tribal Government, located in Treaty 8 territory of Alberta. Raised in Fort Vermilion, Alberta, he now lives as a guest in the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the syilx (Okanagan) Peoples in British Columbia. He is the son of LaVerne and Virginia Cardinal, a husband, and a dedicated father of three. An educator, hockey enthusiast, and lifelong collector, he has been building his hockey card collection since 1989. After resuming the hobby in 2004, he shifted focus in 2014 to assembling a unique collection: one rookie card for every NHL player of Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) descent. His collection -- called the Indigenous Rookie Card Collection -- is dedicated to documenting and sharing the accomplishments, histories, experiences, and ancestry of each player through his website. Currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education at UBC Okanaga, he is committed to using his platform and expertise to educate others about Indigenous contributions to hockey, celebrate individual successes, and foster understanding of the broader histories and ongoing impacts of colonialism on Indigenous peoples in Canada.