@ NAT

I believe sports can change the world and love helping the next generation of sports managers find their own passion in the business of sports. I believe deeply in experiential learning and hope to break down barriers between the industry and the academy. With my research, I like to focus on the positives of sport in Native communities and look to work with Native communities to use sport as a path to success. I also advocate for alternative methods of sharing research such as documentary film and podcasting.

I am originally from the Qualla Boundary (also known as the Cherokee Indian Reservation) in the mountains of Cherokee, North Carolina and I am a proud member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. I grew up with a love for sports and realized early on how it could foster a strong sense of community on the Rez. I have always been passionate about education and attended the University of Tennessee (BS) and the University of Central Florida (MBA/MBSM). I was lucky enough to study under Dr. Richard Lapchick, Dr. William Sutton and Dr. Keith Harrison, who all further instilled the power of sport for social good.

In the fall of 2022 I will start a new role at Seattle University as an assistant professor in the marketing department in the Albers School of Business. I will be teaching in the Sport and Entertainment Management MBA program and look forward to being a part of a program that is transformational for our students and the sports community. Prior to this move I spent the past three years at Linfield University as the coordinator of the Sport Management program and FAR. I graduated in 2019 with my doctorate in Sport Management at the University of Tennessee. Before returning to academia I worked at ESPN Wide World of Sports, Nike N7, and Wieden+Kennedy. I gained valuable marketing experience and became well-versed in the production of advertising and documentary content. I am very passionate about storytelling and incorporated a documentary into my dissertation. I think it's important for Natives to tell our own stories and make our success visible to the world. We're still here.

Sgi! / Thank you!

Emmy Nominated She Carries On ᎡᏘᏴ ᏥᎾᎾᏛᏁᎮ ᎠᏰᎵᏐ ᎾᏛᏁᎰ

Nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina is a tight-knit community of the the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. One of the tribes’ cultural traditions still practiced to this day is the game of stickball. In the year 2000, nearly 100 women: mothers, daughters, sisters, cousins, and friends, took the field to play and exercise the matriarchal spirit that the Cherokee were known for. This film tells the story of these women, how and why they played, and what the game means to them and their families, and the future of the Cherokee people.

Intro

Intro