Allison Bishop
Manager, Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership
PhD Candidate, Social Practice and Transformational Change
University of Guelph | abisho07@uoguelph.ca
Education
University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
PhD in Social Practice and Transformational Change
September 2022 - Present
University of Victoria, Victoria, BC
Master’s in Dispute Resolution
September 2012 - August 2014
Queen’s University, Kingston, ON
Bachelor of Education
September 2011 - April 2012
Trent University, Peterborough, ON
Bachelor of Arts
September 2008 - April 2011
Committees and Service
Community of Practice Facilitator, Social Practice and Transformational Change , College of Social and Applied Human Sciences, University of Guelph, ON
2024-present
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, University of Guelph, ON
Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics
2021-2022
Gender Equity Committee, University of Guelph, ON
Staff representative
2020-2024
Professional Experience
University of Guelph, Guelph ON
Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership Manager, 2019-present
York University, Toronto ON
Education and Communications Advisor, Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion, 2018-2019
Ontario Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Toronto ON
Senior Advisor, 2016-2018
Ontario Women’s Directorate, Toronto ON
Policy Advisor, 2014-2016
As manager of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership, I have overseen the coordination, creation and/or dissemination of the following knowledge mobilization outputs: 11 peer-reviewed journal articles; 6 articles in popular media; 19 gray literature reports/briefs; 3 conference presentations/panels; 84 dialogues (including webinars); 7 workshops; 41 videos; 10 newsletters; 10 podcast episodes; 3 social media channels; 1 website; and 37 blogs.
As an Education and Communications Advisor with the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion at York University, I developed and delivered curriculum on the topics of human rights, equity and inclusion to over 800 faculty, students and staff at York University.
As a senior advisor with the Ontario Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, I co-led the customization and implementation of mandatory Indigenous cultural safety training curriculum for all Ontario public servants (~60,000) in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #57.
As a policy advisor with the Ontario Women’s Directorate, I supported the creation of Ontario’s policy framework to address violence against Indigenous women and girls and Ontario’s first strategy to end sexual violence and harassment.
Research Contributions
Peer-reviewed publications
Bishop, A. Roth, R. McGregor, D. Moola, F. & Nitah, S. (In publication). Catalyzing transformative change in the conservation sector: Lessons learned from a decolonial conservation partnership. Conservation and Society.
Refereed conference presentations
Bishop, A. (2024). Practicing social change: Transforming colonial conservation in Canada. [This paper shares the preliminary results of a participatory action project in which five large-scale national conservation organizations are contributing to an institutional ethnography study that produces actionable recommendations to advance decolonial conservation practices amongst settler conservation organizations]. Political Ecology Network. Lund, Sweden June 12.
Roth, R. & Bishop, A. (2021). Conservation through Reconciliation in Canada: cultivating a decolonial conservation practice. [Through an interrogation of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership, this paper outlines what a decolonial conservation practice might look like and their potential for transformation. American Association of Geographers. Seattle (virtual) April 10.
Roth, R. & Bishop, A. (2021). Decolonial Conservation Partnerships in Canada. [Through an interrogation of the Conservation Through Reconciliation Partnership, this paper outlines what decolonial partnerships for conservation might look like and their potential for transformation.] Anthropology and Conservation. London (virtual) October 27.
Non-refereed contributions and creative outputs(*denotes primary authorship)
Roth, R. & Bishop, A. Elevating Indigenous Governance and Leadership in Urban Parks: Possibilities, Challenges, and Pathways. https://ipcaknowledgebasket.ca/elevating-indigenous-governance-and-leadership-in-urban-parks/.
Bishop, A. (2022, November 26). White Washing. [Video]. https://www.allisonbishop.ca/mywork/research-and-making.
Bishop, A. (June, 2022). IPCA Knowledge Basket. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/ui4A9m8-OSY
Bishop, A. & Young, L. (2022, March 22). The Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership (CRP): Rising together to support Indigenous-led conservation. [Presentation for the Annual Indigenous Lands and Resource Management hosted by First Nation Department of Lands]. Magnetawan First Nation ON.
Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership. (October, 2021). Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership. https://conservation-reconciliation.ca/
Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership. (2022). Community Connections Series. [audio podcast series]. https://conservation-reconciliation.ca/podcasts.
Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership. (May 27, 2020). Continuing the Journey: Connections between the CRP and the Indigenous Circle of Experts. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wul4Qt14Mi8.
Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership. (2022, June 20). IPCA Knowledge Basket. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui4A9m8-OSY&t=4s.
Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership. (June 24, 2020). Our Message. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noFipc0WvAw.
Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership. (June 21, 2021). What are Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR1EeEB2t2I.
Guest Lecturer, Guelph University. (2022). SOC 2280 - Society, Knowledge Systems, and the Environment.
Guest Lecturer, York University (various classes), (2018)
AP/GWST 1501 – Introduction to Gender and Women’s Studies, “Gender and sexuality in the Ontario Human Rights Code”
Teaching Assistant Certificate in Teaching, “Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusion in the Classroom”
Certificate in Teaching Practices, “Inclusive Course Design and Delivery”
IPCA Knowledge Basket. (June, 2022). IPCA Knowledge Basket. https://ipcaknowledgebasket.ca/.
IPCA Knowledge Basket. (2022, June 20). Stories of Ethical Space in the Pathway to Canada Target 1. https://ipcaknowledgebasket.ca/resources/stories-of-ethical-space-in-the-pathway-to-canada-target-1.
Kakar, N., Kipp, A., & Bishop, A. (Eds). SOPR Stories: Student website. https://soprstories.ca/.
Nitah, S., Craig, M.K. & Bishop, A. ( 2024, March 4). Research as movement building: A SOPR knowledge exchange with Steven Nitah and Mary-Kate Craig. [Presentation for the University of Guelph’s Social Practice and Transformational Change Program. University of Guelph, Guelph ON.
Roth, R. & Bishop, A. (2022, May 24). Building Partnerships and Collaborations: Perspectives from Strategic Grant Holders. [Presentation for the University of Guelph’s College of Social and Applied Human Sciences]. University of Guelph, Guelph ON.
Personal Statement
My professional experience has always contributed to social justice policy and education initiatives with a focus on reconciliation, decolonization, and human rights. Most prominently, I am the manager of the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership (CRP). The CRP is an Indigenous-led 7-year SSHRC Partnership Grant that sets the conditions for the transformation of nature conservation through the implementation of the Indigenous Circle of Experts, We Rise Together report (ICE, 2018) and legacy projects that will support Indigenous Nations and their governments with the development and implementation of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas. In this role I initiate, develop, manage, and support knowledge mobilization, research, and outreach activities across 50+ organizational and community partners. I also supervise one full-time professional managerial staff and several undergraduate and graduate research assistants. As a civil servant I assumed progressive leadership roles, making contributions to precedent-setting policy strategies and programs to address gender-based violence, sexual violence, and anti-Indigenous racism. My education in Indigenous Studies (B.A., Trent University, 2011), Education (B.Ed Queen’s University, 2012), and Dispute Resolution (M.A., University of Victoria, 2014) prepared me for these roles. Cumulatively, I have over eight years experience working on collaborative projects with academic and non-academic stakeholders, including Indigenous peoples.