Roberta Hill
Short Bio
Meet Roberta Hill, Turtle Clan of the Mohawk Nation, Survivors of the Mohawk Institute and member of Six Nations of the Grand River. Alongside a 32-year career as a nurse, Roberta is an active member of her community and is committed to creating a better life for her children and grandchildren. Roberta dedicates much of her time to the Woodland Cultural Centre’s Education Department and shares Canada’s dark history of Indian Residential Schools with visitors. She is also a strong advocate for the Mohawk Village Memorial Park in their efforts to create a space for healing.
Why I'm Part of Survivors' Secretariat
My contribution to the Survivors’ Secretariat comes from my childhood experiences at the Mohawk Institute and many years of work with Indian Residential School issues. It is the voices of Survivors that reveal the truth about the painful legacy of missing children and unmarked graves. Our work is far from over, and we will continue until the full truth is uncovered. I am committed to this journey and encourage others to Stand with Survivors. Our work is not done yet!
Diane Hill
Short Bio
Meet Diane Hill, Turtle Clan of the Mohawk Nation, Survivor of the Mohawk Institute, and a lifelong resident of the Six Nations of the Grand River. After 38 years as a teacher, Diane recently retired from her role as an elementary school teacher at Oliver M. Smith-Kawenni:io Mohawk N.S.L. program, where the focus of her work was on Kanien’ke:ha (Mohawk) and Cayuga language revitalization. She believes her work is about strengthening the children and deepening the importance of sustaining our communities for a safe and meaningful future. Diane is committed to culture, ceremony, language revitalization, and upholding our Haudenosaunee identity.
Why I'm Part of Survivors' Secretariat
I am part of the Survivors’ Secretariat to share my lived experience and the hidden truths as a Survivor of the Mohawk Residential School in Brantford, Ontario. By doing so, I hope to help others understand the deep inter-generational impacts and how these experiences have affected our community over time. Through our shared lived experiences, we can raise awareness, promote healing, and ensure that future generations walk forward in understanding and unity.
Aya:wens tsi sewathahita’:khe ne sken:nen. (I hope everyone will walk the path of Peace.)
Sherelene Bomberry
Short Bio
Meet Sherlene Bomberry, Wolf Clan of the Cayuga, Survivors of the Mohawk Institute and member of Six Nations of the Grand River. Sherlene is recognized for her commitment to family and her work within the community.
A member of the Survivors’ Secretariat Board of Directors, and part of the founding Survivors’ Group, Sherlene strives to advance reconciliation and healing, as demonstrated by her work with Native Horizons Treatment Center. Her life’s path has taught her how to balance being a traditional person providing services to others and a woman focused on her own healing journey.
Why I'm Part of Survivors' Secretariat
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Geronimo Henry
Short Bio
Meet Geronimo Henry, Bear Clan of the Cayuga Nation, Survivor of the Mohawk Institute and a member of Six Nations of the Grand River. Geronimo is passionate about reclaiming language, connecting to culture and reconnecting with fellow Survivors. Anyone who spends time with Geronimo knows he is a master storyteller. He has had a career as an ironworker, industrial painter and in recent years has organized numerous Survivor Gatherings, programs and services at the Mohawk Institute. Geronimo was also part of the early lawsuits led by Muncey, Onieda and Six Nations Territory. He worked to get people mobilized in Six Nations and in communities across the province.
Why I'm Part of Survivors' Secretariat
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Tony Bomberry
Short Bio
Meet Tony Bomberry, Turtle Clan of the Cayuga Nation, Survivor of the Mohawk Institute and member of the Six Nations of the Grand River. Tony went to the Mohawk Institute when he was 6 years old, and then into foster care. During this time, there was a lack of positive voices in Tony’s life, and that is when he discovered running. Later in life, Tony started supporting and encouraging young runners to give back to their community.
Tony’s career in the justice sector includes time spent as an Indigenous Court Worker and Native Inmate Liaison Officer. These days, he is an Indigenous Law Worker at the Six Nations Justice Department.
Why I'm Part of Survivors' Secretariat
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Alfred (Lonnie) Johnson
Short Bio
Meet Alfred “Lonnie” Johnson, Mohawk Nation, Survivor of the Mohawk Institute and a member of Six Nations of the Grand River. Lonnie and his brother Frank arrived in 1946, speaking only Mohawk. The school’s response was an immediate and harsh punishment for speaking their language. Lonnie endured eight years at the Institute. After leaving, he worked as a carpenter in Detroit, eventually joining the union and traveling widely for work. Now a Board Member of the Survivors’ Secretariat, Lonnie is committed to exposing the truth of residential schools. His message to future generations is clear: educate yourself, seek the truth, and remember those who never returned. He continues to fight for accountability, truth-telling, and national awareness of this history.
Why I'm Part of Survivors' Secretariat
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Leo Nicholas
Short Bio
Meet Leo ‘Axkook’ Nicholas, a Survivor of the Mohawk Institute Residential School, proud member of the Munsee-Delaware Nation, and part of the Munsees of the Lenni Lenaape’ Nations. Leo’s mother is Turtle Clan from the Oneida Nation, and his paternal grandmother is Turtle Clan from Six Nations. Elected Chief in 1974, the youngest at the time in Canada, Leo has served as a community service worker since 1972. He led child welfare and educations programs until retiring in 2015. A founding member of the Munsee Lenni’ Lunaape’ Warriors Nations, he continues to fight for justice for Indian Residential School Survivors and the children who never returned home. Leo remains committed to truth-telling, government accountability, and honouring the treaty commitments. He was pivotal in starting the original lawsuit that resulted in the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) in 2006, which sparked national awareness about the atrocities experienced by children attending Indian Residential Schools.
Why I'm Part of Survivors' Secretariat
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Kathy Mair
Short Bio
Meet Kathy Mair, Turtle Clan, Cayuga Nation, and an intergenerational Survivor of the Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School. Her mother, aunt, uncle, and mother-in-law all attended the institute, an experience that shaped her commitment to truth-telling and advocacy. As a new Board Member of the Survivors’ Secretariat for the 2025–2028 term, Kathy brings a wealth of experience in Indigenous policy, justice, and community development. With a background in senior advisory roles at the Ministry of Indigenous Relations & Reconciliation and the Six Nations Elected Council, Kathy is dedicated to honouring Survivors, amplifying their stories, and ensuring that future generations never forget this history.
Why I'm Part of Survivors' Secretariat
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Laura Arndt
Short Bio
Laura Arndt is a Mohawk, Bear Clan, and a member of Six Nations of the Grand River. She is an intergenerational Survivor, whose mother, aunts, and grandmothers all attended the Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School. Laura has been with the Survivors’ Secretariat since its inception in 2021, initially as Chief Operating Officer and later as Secretariat Lead beginning in 2022.
Laura began her career advocating for the Developmental Services sector and has since continued to advocate for communities, children, and youth. Laura is a founding member of Feathers of Hope, supporting at-risk youth in northern communities, and serves on the Indigenous Advisory Boards of Jays Care Foundation and Right to Play.
Why I'm Part of Survivors' Secretariat
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