Dr. Esther Tailfeathers appointed associate dean, Indigenous Health

Press Release

May 14, 2026

The Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Esther Tailfeathers, MD, as the associate dean of Indigenous Health within the Indigenous, Local and Global Health Office (ILGHO).

The appointment took effect on April 1, 2026. In July of last year, Dr. Tailfeathers had been named assistant dean of Indigenous Health within the ILGHO.

Dr. Tailfeathers is an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine and a family physician who has served rural communities across Alberta, Montana and beyond for more than three decades. She is a proud member of the Kainai First Nation and a prominent leader and advocate of Indigenous health in Alberta and within the CSM.

Dr. Tailfeathers has improved access to health services and advanced culturally safe care for Indigenous peoples, including in areas such as mental health and addiction recovery. As medical lead of the Indigenous Wellness Core at Alberta Health Services (AHS) she codeveloped the Indigenous Health Commitments: Roadmap to Wellness strategy for the province, a milestone in reconciliation for Alberta’s Indigenous communities.

A former president of the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) from Dr. Tailfeathers was a key member of the AMA Indigenous Health Committee established in 2018. She also served as the medical lead for the Population, Public and Indigenous Health Strategic Clinical Network at AHS.

Born and raised on the Blood Reserve (Kainai First Nation), Dr. Tailfeathers earned her medical degree from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and completed her residency in family medicine at the University of Alberta. She was awarded the Dr. Thomas Dignan Indigenous Health Award in 2019 for her contribution to improved Indigenous health care in Canada, and in 2023 received an honourary degree from the University of Lethbridge.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Tailfeathers on her new leadership role within the CSM.

Sincerely,

Todd Anderson, MD
Dean, Cumming School of Medicine
University of Calgary

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