She has an interdisciplinary background as an educator, research methodologist, and social worker. Her teaching, research, and service are focused on organizational capacity building with Native communities; culturally appropriate research and evaluation approaches; and human resource and community development. She is an engaged teacher-scholar who brings her national work with Native American communities and federal agencies into the classroom to extend learning opportunities for JMU’s undergraduate and graduate students. She is also passionate and engaged in SOTL (scholarship of teaching and learning) research to better understand the influences of Native American studies courses to address stereotypes and harmful misconceptions.