As an enrolled member of the Nez Perce Tribe (#1095), I grew up near Kooskia, Idaho, and spent summers in Los Angeles for work experience. During my senior year of high school, I moved to Lapwai and later earned an Associate Degree in Music from Bacone Junior College, Oklahoma.
My career began at the Save the Children Federation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, followed by various roles in tribal programs. I completed a Bachelor of Science in Social Science from Lewis Clark State College through night classes and obtained a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary. My service extended to Indian churches on the Navajo and Tohono O’odham Reservations, where I pursued and completed a Doctorate in Ministry in 2013.
Currently, I serve the First and Second Indian Presbyterian Churches in Kamiah, Idaho, and am the Vice-Chairman of the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, holding various roles. My interests include piano playing, mountain drives, camping, attending pow-wows, and reading about indigenous history. I advocate for the Indian Child Welfare Act and cherish the Nimiipuu homeland’s seasons and the Clearwater River’s beauty.