Dosha! Welcome, friends! Thank you for taking the time to get to know me.
I am the daughter of an outstanding Hidatsa/Mandan woman who raised as a single mother me, my six siblings (three older brothers and three younger sisters), and two of our cousins. We were raised in Mandaree, North Dakota, where I still have family today.
To this day, my mother is a strong community advocate who pushed each of her children to receive a quality education. My father is a Chiricahua Apache man, and a U.S. Air Force veteran who proudly served our country.
At an early age, I set out to address the healthcare issues my family experienced and ultimately became a public health professional. I’ve devoted my education and career to improving the health and lives of the public. I earned master’s degrees in public health, management, and business administration. Each of these programs have uniquely prepared me for the challenges of making important decisions that impact our future.
I love community work and am passionate about improving the quality of life for all North Dakotans. I’m actively involved in several boards and advisory councils ranging from local food systems to low income youth interested in the STEAM fields. And, I’m the first Native American Democratic woman elected to the North Dakota Legislature.
I’m also the proud mother of four beautiful children and married to my college sweetheart!
