Environment and Climate Change

Biography

I received my Master Degree in Public Administration with a Concentration in Tribal Administration/Governance from the Evergreen State College in 2004, which is the first program of its kind in the Nation. My undergraduate Degree was focused on Law and Policy and Federal Indian Law and government to government relations (Federal/State/Tribal). My current climate change work is working with tribal communities and in collaboration with outside agencies including federal/state/college/universities/non-profit tribal/private and corporate sectors on development and implementation strategies and programs to strengthen Tribal member participation and engagement in climate change and its impact on tribal trust treaty resources, human health security, water and food security/sovereignty. My work is to help preserve and share with the next ten generations the importance of educating and preserving our traditional ecological knowledge and sharing of culture and history through community engagement and outreach. To receive community input and ownership in decision making as active participant’s, providing a voice to their contributions in becoming resilient in taking actions at the community based level in the efforts of climate change adaptation strategies and awareness to climate impacts.

Research Interest

We are at a pivotal moment where we see risk and vulnerability to the impacts of a changing climate entering into the discourse of decision makers at all levels of policy and natural resource management. Managers working at a local, state, regional, and federal level are beginning to respond to climate impacts. Engaged members of civil society are organizing their communities to improve futures for all people and mobilizing action to protect the places they care about. However the field of climate adaptation is still in its infancy and too many are reinventing instead of innovating. With climate jeopardizing society's past, present, and future efforts to thrive, the need for practical climate adaptation solutions has never been greater. As a member I can contribute and share and develop a program that provides guidance through the steps of the adaptation process, as well as across the spectrum of adaptation activities in the United States and around the world today. As such they should engage multiple perspectives, either across sectors, geographies or stakeholders (e.g. national, tribal , regional, state, local, private, non-profit, educational). My goal is to include TRIBAL VOICE!