Biography
Nikki, a member of the Diné Nation, is Tabaaha (Edge Water), born for the Choctaw. Her maternal grandpa is of the One- Walks around (Honágháahni), and her paternal grandpa is Chickasaw. She joined the Center in December of 2022. Nikki works as a Research Program Assistant in Tuba City, AZ and is involved in assisting in carrying out research in accordance with good clinical practices in such activities as obtaining informed consent, data and specimen collection, and patient follow-up over time. Nikki also collects data from participants, which may include some or all of the following: interview data; self-report data; observational data in the home; health specimen collections.
Prior to joining the Center, Nikki worked largely in volunteering for her local community in coordinating recreational activities and community gatherings for over 7 years. During this period, she had the opportunity to work with Native American populations promoting health and wellness. It was in this capacity that she developed a passion for working in community health to improve the health of Native communities and attain Hózhó. Nikki has a BA degree in Public Health from Dine College, May 2023 and an Associates of Science, Health Occupations, and has completed the Public Health Training Certificate for Public Health, Associates of Science, Public Health, Health Education Socio-Cultural Option and associate in social work from Dine College, December 2023. She is currently taking the steps to enroll in the master’s degree in public health from John Hopkins University.