About
Indigenous Research Trainees
IHART - Cohort 1
Tessa Evans-Campbell, PhD (Snohomish)
Executive Co-Director, Indigenous Wellness Research Institute
Charles O. Cressey Endowed Associate Prof., School of Social Work, University of Washington
Michelle Johnson-Jennings, PhD (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma)
Executive Co-director, Indigenous Wellness Research Institute
Professor, University of Washington School of Social Work
Director, Environmentally based Health & Land-based Healing, IWRI
IHART - Cohort 2
Daniel Dickerson, DO, MPH, (Inupiaq)
Associate Research Psychiatrist, UCLA, Integrated Substance Abuse Programs
Tommi Gaines, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego
IHART - Cohort 3
Ramona Beltrán, PhD, MSW (Chicana, Indigenous Mexican descent)
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver
IHART2 - Cohort 2016
Myra Parker, JD, PhD (Mandan & Hidatsa)
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington
Director, Seven Directions, Center for the Study of Health and Risk Behaviors
Vanessa Simonds, ScD (Crow Tribe)
Associate Professor, Community Health, Montana State University
Angela Walden, PhD (Cherokee Nation)
Clinical Assistant Professor, Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago
IHART2 - Cohort 2017
Maya Magarati, PhD (Indigenous Nepali)
Preceptor, LUNA Program
Felicia M. Mitchell, PhD (Chickasaw, Black, White
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Arizona State University
Misty Pacheco, DrPH (Hawaiian, Japanese, White)
Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Exercise Science Department, Health Promotion track, University of Hawaii at Hilo
Margaret Robinson, PhD (Mi’kmaw from Eski’kewaq, Nova Scotia, and Member, Lennox Island First Nation)
Assistant Professor, Indigenous Studies in the Department of Sociology & Social Anthropology, Dalhousie University
IHART2 - Cohort 2018
Richard Armenta, PhD (Pascua Yaqui/Latino),
Assistant Professor, Health Science/Kinesiology, California State University San Marcos
Peter Mataira, PhD (Maori)
MSW Program Director and Associate Professor, Hawai'i Pacific University College of Health and Society - School of Social Work
Eugenia Millender, PhD (Indigenous Afro-Latina (Kuna/Guna)
Associate Professor, College of Nursing, Florida State University
Matthew Town, PhD, MPH (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma)
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, Pacific University Oregon
IHART2- Cohort 2019
Melessa Kelley, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin
M. Crystal Lee, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, College of Population Health, The University of New Mexico
INSPIRE - Cohort 1
Danica Brown, PhD, MSW (Choctaw)
Behavioral Health Manager, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
Pilot Project, Every Day is Ceremony: Accessing Traditional Indigenous Knowledge to Heal Trauma and Improve Health and Wellbeing in Tribal Communities
Primary mentor, Melissa Walls, PhD, Associate Professor, International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Carolyn Camplain, J.D. (Comanche, non-tribally affiliated)
Assistant Professor, Indigenous Health Law and Policy, Lehigh University
Pilot Project, Health and Healthcare in Tribal Jails: Physical, Mental, and Behavioral Health and Healthcare in the Hualapai Tribal Jails
Primary Mentor, Wadiya Udell, Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, University of Washington Bothell
Jennifer Richards, PhD, MPH (Diné/Lakota/Taos)
Assistant Scientist, Center for American Indian Health, John Hopkins University
Primary mentor, Michelle Sarche, PhD, Associate Professor, Centers for American Indian & Alaska Native Health Department of Community & Behavioral Health Indian Center, Colorado School of Public Health
INSPIRE - Cohort 2
Antonia R.G. Alvarez, LMSW, PhD
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Portland State University
Pilot Project, Harvest Season: Developing a Conceptual Model from the Binhi Food Sovereignty Project
Primary Mentor, Michelle Johnson-Jennings, PhD, Professor, School of Social Work, University of Washington
Angela Fernandez, PhD, MPH, LCSW (Menominee)
Program Officer, NIMHD
Withdrew from INSPIRE,
Primary Mentor, Lonnie Nelson, Associate Professor, Washington State University College of Nursing
Joanna La Torre, LCSW
Doctoral student, School of Social Work, University of Washington
Primary Mentor, Karina L. Walters, PhD, Professor, School of Social Work, University of Washington
Jessica Saniġaq Ullrich, PhD (Nome Eskimo Community)
Assistant Professor , Washington State University, iREACH Program
Pilot Project, Co-Developing a Connectedness Curriculum for Personal and Collective Wellbeing
Primary Mentor, Dolores Subia Bigfoot, PhD, Professor, Pediatrics University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
INSPIRE - Cohort 3
Tess Abrahamson-Richards, MPH (Spokane)
PhD Student, School of Social Work, University of Washington
Primary Mentor, Annjeanette Belcourt, Professor, Native American Studies Chair, University of Montana
Matthew R. Frank, MPH, MSW (Navajo Nation)
PhD student, School of Social Work, University of Washington
Primary Mentor, Tommi Gaines, DrPH, Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health School of Medicine University of California San Diego
Amanda Hunter, PhD, MPH (Pascua Yaqui)
Assistant Professor, College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University
Primary Mentor, Professor, Medicine, Psychology, and Epidemiology, University of Illinois at Chicago
Seratha R. Largie, MSW (Navajo)
PhD Student, School of Social Work, University of Washington
Primary Mentor, Michelle Sarche, PhD, Professor, Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health, Colorado School of Public Health
Faith Price, MS, MA (Assonet Band of Wampanoag descent)
Community Prevention Coordinator, All Nations Health Center, Missoula, MT
PhD student, Prevention Science, Washington State University
Primary Mentor, John Lowe, RN, PhD, Professor, School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin
Lalaine (Lainey) Sevillano, PhD, MSW
Assistant Professor, Portland State University
Primary Mentor, Melissa Walls, PhD, Bloomberg Associate Professor of American Health, Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health
Rose Wimbish-Tompkins, PhD, MSN, RN (Haliwa-Saponi)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Social Work, The University of Texas at Austin
Primary Mentor, Julie Baldwin, PhD, Regents' Professor of Health Sciences, Northern Arizona University
INSPIRE - Cohort 4
Damian Chase-Begay, PhD (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Nation)
Associate Research Professor, University of Montana
Kilohana Haitsuka, MSW (Native Hawaiian)
PhD Student, School of Social Work, University of Washington
Nidia Hernandez, MSW (Chicana, of indigenous Mexican P’urhépecha and Mexica descent)
PhD Student, Adjunct Instructor, Arizona State University
Kristina (Tina) Hulama, MSW (Native Hawaiian, Samoan, and other Pacific Islander)
PhD Student, University of Denver
Felix Muniz, BS, MA (Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community)
PhD Student, Quantitative Research Methods, Department of Psychology, Arizona State University
Blanca-Azucena Pacheco, PhD (Xinka Pueblo)
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Denver School of Social Work
Lona Running Wolf, MEd (Blackfeet)
Doctoral Student, University of Montana
Cary Waubanascum, PhD (Citizen of Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and descendant of Menominee, Potawatomi, & Stockbridge Nations)
Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
ISMART-Cohort 1
Danica Brown, PhD, MSW (Choctaw)
Behavioral Health Manager, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
Pilot Project, Every Day is Ceremony: Accessing Traditional Indigenous Knowledge to Heal Trauma and Improve Health and Wellbeing in Tribal Communities
Primary mentor, Melissa Walls, PhD, Associate Professor, International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
E. Roberto Orellana, PhD
Professor, School of Social Work, University of Washington
Director, LUNA Program
Affiliated Faculty, Indigenous Wellness Research Institute
PhD Program Director, School of Social Work, University of Washington
Katie Schultz, PhD, MSW (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma)
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, University of Michigan
Matthew Town, PhD, MPH (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma)
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, Pacific University Oregon
ISMART-Cohort 2
Shanondora Billiot, PhD (United Houma Nation)
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Arizona State University
Angela Fernandez, PhD, MPH, LCSW (Menominee)
Program Officer, NIMHD
Withdrew from INSPIRE,
Primary Mentor, Lonnie Nelson, Associate Professor, Washington State University College of Nursing
Raven Ross, PhD
Evaluation and Efficiency Officer, Office of Quality, Indian Health Service
Ciwang Teyra, PhD, MSW
Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, National Taiwan University
ISMART-Cohort 3
Jessica Black, PhD, MSW (Gwich’in Athabascan)
Assistant Professor, Alaska Native Studies and Rural Development, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Emma Elliott-Groves, PhD, MSW (Cowichan)
Assistant Professor, College of Education, University of Washington
Migis Gonzalez, PhD, MPH
Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Family Medicine and BioBehavioral Health, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Duluth
Melissa Lewis, PhD (Cherokee Nation)
Assistant Professor, Family and Community Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Missouri
Miriam Valdovinos, PhD
Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Social Work University of Denver
ISMART-Cohort 4
Ashleigh Coser (Muscogee (Creek), Choctaw, and Chickasaw Nations)
Psychologist, Cherokee Nation Health Services
Laverne Demientieff, LMSW, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Matthew Ignacio, MSW (Tohono O’odham)
PhD Student, IWRI
ISMART-Cohort 5
Antonia R.G. Alvarez, PhD, LMSW (Mestiza Pinay)
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Portland State University
Ashley Cole, PhD (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)
Assistant Professor, Psychology, Oklahoma State University
Jerreed Ivanich, M.S. (Alaskan Native – Tsimshian)
Assistant Professor, Colorado School of Public Health
ISMART-Cohort 6
Ricky Camplain, PhD
Assistant Professor, Center for Health Equity Research, Northern Arizona University
Charles Lea, PhD
Assistant Professor, Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston
Araceli Orozco, MSW (Mexican Indigenous)
PhD Candidate, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle
Sarah Rhoades-Kerswill, PhD (Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma)
Psychologist, Chickasaw Nation Department of Family Services
ISMART-Cohort 7
Lisa M. Colon
Doctoral student, Adjunct Faculty, Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver
Emily Loerzel, MSW
PhD Candidate, School of Social Work, University of Washington
Helen Russette
PhD student, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana
Jessica Saniġaq Ullrich, PhD (Nome Eskimo Community)
Assistant Professor , Washington State University, iREACH Program
Pilot Project, Co-Developing a Connectedness Curriculum for Personal and Collective Wellbeing
Primary Mentor, Dolores Subia Bigfoot, PhD, Professor, Pediatrics University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Evan J. White, PhD
Associate Investigator, Laureate Institute for Brain Research
Itzá - Cohort 1
Angelique Day, PhD (Hochunk)
Associate Professor, UW School of Social Work
Faculty, Indigenous Wellness Research Institute
Christopher Kemp, PhD (Māori)
Assistant Scientist , Johns Hopkins University
E. Roberto Orellana, PhD
Professor, School of Social Work, University of Washington
Director, LUNA Program
Affiliated Faculty, Indigenous Wellness Research Institute
PhD Program Director, School of Social Work, University of Washington
LUNA - Cohort 1
Ramona Beltrán, PhD, MSW (Chicana, Indigenous Mexican descent)
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver
Tvli Jacob, PhD, MPH (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma)
Clinical Assistant Professor, Center for Health Sciences (CHS) Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Oklahoma State University
Dissemination and Implementation Director, Center for Health Sciences (CHS) Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Oklahoma State University
Christina Oré, DrPH
Senior Advisor, Seven Directions, Center for the Study of Health & Risk Behaviors, University of Washington
LUNA - Cohort 2
Oliver Bear Don’t Walk, MS (Apsáalooke)
PhD Student, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York City
Joshua Brown, MPH (Salish, Nakoda, Aaniiih)
PhD student, Anthropolgy, University of Montana
Jill Greendeer, M.A., M.S. (Ho-Chunk)
PhD student, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota
Kyle Hill, PhD, MPH (Ojibwe, Dakota, Lakota)
Assistant Scientist, John Hopkins University Center for American Indian Health, Great Lakes Hub
Lynn Mad Plume, MPH (Blackfeet)
PhD student, Indigenous Studies, University of North Dakota
Diversity & Equity Coordinator, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of North Dakota
Candy Martinez, M.A. (Zapotec)
PhD. candidate, Latin America Latino Studies, UC Santa Cruz
Felix Muniz, BS, MA (Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community)
PhD Student, Quantitative Research Methods, Department of Psychology, Arizona State University
Araceli Orozco, MSW (Mexican Indigenous)
PhD Candidate, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle
LUNA - Cohort 3
Chase Bryer, MSW (Chickasaw)
PhD Candidate, Diversity Fellow , Brown University
Santino Giovanni Camacho (CHamoru)
PhD Student, School of Social Work, University of Washington
Kilohana Haitsuka, MSW (Native Hawaiian)
PhD Candidate, School of Social Work , University of Washington
Awapuhi Lee, MS (Native Hawaiian)
MD Candidate , University of Hawaii at Mānoa
Mahina Cohort 2017
Santino Giovanni Camacho (CHamoru)
PhD Student, School of Social Work, University of Washington