Dr. Rosalin M. Miles, MHK’98

Volunteer Leadership Award

The name of Dr. Rosalin Miles, a Research Associate in the Indigenous Health and Physical Activity program within the UBC School of Kinesiology and a member of the Lytton First Nation, has become synonymous with the promotion of physical activity within Indigenous communities. She practices reciprocity by volunteering in her community and at UBC, where she gives back as an Indigenous Scholar, Advisor, and Mentor.

Dr. Miles completed her Education, Doctoral Degree, in Curriculum and Instruction, and Exercise Science in 2005, with International Honours, and in 2003, her Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management both at the University of Central Florida. She obtained her Master’s degree in Human Kinetics, specializing in Coaching Science, and was the 1st First Nation kinesiologist who graduated from the UBC School of Kinesiology.

She has a combined 38 years of experience working in sports, fitness, education, and health as a coach, registered kinesiologist, Active Release Therapist, college and university instructor, researcher, Reiki practitioner, nationally awarded Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and as a national-level athlete.

Dr. Miles is the Founder and volunteer Executive Director of the Indigenous Physical Activity and Cultural Circle (IPACC), with which she has led eight National Indigenous Physical Activity and Wellness Conferences across Canada, and nine Active Spirit Walk and Runs with the Musqueam and the international virtual community. In 2019, she was nominated by Elder and past-Chief Gail Sparrow and was recognized by the House of Commons, Vancouver Quadra’s Hidden Hero Award for her dedication and leadership with the national non-profit IPACC.

In addition, she established four National Strength and Conditioning (NSCA) conferences at UBC and was the volunteer Provincial Director of the NSCA of B.C. and volunteered as a UBC Strength Coach for the Women’s soccer team for four years. She went on to work in two USA NCAA Athletics programs as Strength and Conditioning Coach. When she returned to Canada, she worked at the UBC First Nations House of Learning, and a School of Kinesiology sessional instructor.

She continued her career as an external evaluator of Indigenous organizations for Health Canada before she worked with Lytton First Nation as a Band Administrator. She continues to volunteer as a member of the College of Peer Reviewer of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Recently, she served on the 8th International Society for Physical Activity and Health Congress (ISPAH) and was the Chair for the ISPAH Pre-Congress Special Event dedicated to Indigenous Health and Wellness.

As a practitioner of bridging academia and Indigenous ways of knowing, Dr. Miles believes that education remains ongoing and giving back to community is the best way to share what is possible.

NOTE:

Dr Rosalin Miles has been active in the initial and continuing organization of the Rainforest Trail Run. Dr Rob Boushell, Head of the School of Kinesiology has supported the concept of the RFTR by providing entry opportunity to UBC students.

This has been facilitated by further support from Kinesiology's Professors, Dr Darren Warburton and Dr Jack Taunton who have participated themselves in the past at Burnaby's Central Park Urban Forest