Natasha Big Smoke Woitte, whose Blackfoot name is Pretty Pipe Woman, is a proud member of the Piikani Nation of the Blackfoot Confederacy in Southern Alberta. She is entering her third year of the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of British Columbia and previously graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and minor in Chemistry from the University of Alberta. As a first-generation university graduate, Natasha is deeply grateful for the opportunity to pursue higher education and hopes to inspire other Indigenous students to see themselves represented in academic and healthcare spaces.

Natasha is passionate about advancing Indigenous health equity, culturally safe healthcare, and Indigenous representation in pharmacy. She serves as Chair of the Indigenous Pharmacy Student Collegium, is an Indigenous Student Representative on the Indigenous Pharmacy Student Support Committee and is a mentor in an Indigenous Peer-to-Peer pharmacy student mentorship program. Natasha also worked with UPROOT, a research group dedicated to advancing Indigenous initiatives within pharmacy education and practice. Through these roles, she helps develop Indigenous-focused pharmacy education for the UBC PharmD program and practicing pharmacists, supports community nation partnerships, organizes cultural programming, and advocates for Indigenous students. She also supports other students as a general program peer mentor and tutor and volunteers as a student pharmacist with multiple different opportunities with her program instructors.

Natasha’s commitment to service is grounded in her connection to her culture and community. She grew up dancing at powwows, participating in traditional ceremonies, and represented the Piikani Nation and her community four times as a princess. Following graduation, Natasha hopes to complete a pharmacy residency and pursue a career in clinical pharmacy, research, and education. She is committed to supporting future Indigenous healthcare professionals and giving back to her community through advocacy, mentorship, and service.