Biography
Tylaya, a member of the Diné Nation, is Kinyaa’aanii (Towering House Clan), born for the Ta’neeszahnii (Tangle Clan). Her maternal grandpa is Naasht’ezhi Tabaahi (Zuni Edge Water Clan) and her paternal grandpa is Ashiihi (Salt People Clan). She joined the Center in January of 2025 as a Research Program Assistant with the PAWS (Project AWARE Wildcats) program in Chinle, AZ, where she is involved in the implementation, coordination and evaluation of behavioral health programs to support the students of Chinle Unified School District.
Prior to working with JHU, Tylaya was a student at Diné College and has an AA degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences. She is currently pursuing a BA in Psychology with Dine College with the intentions of pursing an MS in Forensic Psychology at Arizona State University, In her free time, she loves to spend time with her friends and family, enjoys video games and going to concerts.