An Okanagan from the communities of Penticton, BC (Sn Pint'ktn) and Omak, WA (wmak) and a current PhD student in American Studies at Washington State University. BFA (Univ. of New Mexico) and MFA (Univ. of Wash.) in Studio Art with an emphasis in Photography. K-8 Teacher Certification for WA and ID (Western Wash. Univ.), taught for about three years before starting PhD in Seattle,WA and Plummer, ID. Have also taught art (Printmaking, Drawing, and Painting)and Indigenous/First Nations art/creative courses throughout my K-8 experience, for Upward Bound at WSU, and at the En'Owkin Center in Sn Pint'kin.

Research: Have been working on border issues on and within the area of the 49th parallel and how they have affected traditional relationships, cultural ideals, and identity among our people for about 12 years in my artwork. I am working on translating this in depth work into my new research that includes looking at these issues by other Indigenous scholars and how this relates to past work done in this area in our local Okanagan communities. Some of the specific areas I have been working on are: A newspaper study of media representation of Aboriginal issues, formulating an interview project of a local grass roots Native/First Nations organization and community members on the borders of identity, and a Film/Video/TV study of Canadian First Nations representation, and the current shifts within these media.

General Research Interests:
Construction/Re-construction of Aboriginal/First Nations/Indigenous Identities; Aboriginal/Indigenous studies; Art/Contemporary Aboriginal/First Nations Art and Film Studies; Indigenous Elders, Children and Women; Inter-Cultural Communication; Deconstructing the intersections and fissures of Imperialisms/Empire, Colonization and Globalization; Pop Culture depictions of First Nations and other Indigenous peoples, women, and "others."