Biography
Novalene is a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe. She joined the Center for Indigenous Health in November of 1997. Currently, Novalene is an Assistant Scientist at the Whiteriver, AZ site where she has been a behavioral interventionist for the Apache Tribe for over 25 years. She has worked on all behavioral intervention projects, including teaching parenting to young Apache pregnant women, as well as coping skills for Apache youth who have made a recent suicide attempt. She oversees Case Managers’ day-to-day activities and facilitates local community advisory board meetings and Elders Council activities. She has been certified as an Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) trainer and conducts regular ASIST training in her community. Novalene is a liaison to the Tribal Council and Tribal Health Board.
Novalene received her Doctorate in Behavioral Health from Arizona State University. She also has a Master of Science degree in Professional Counseling from Grand Canyon University and earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Phoenix in Business Management with an emphasis in Community Health Education.