Dr. Parker serves as the Principal Investigator for several CDC sub-contracts through the National Network of Public Health Institutes, including the Tribal Opioid Overdose Prevention project, Indigenous Social Determinants of Health, the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Death & Injuries (referred to as “STEADI”) project, and Tribal Public Health Capacity building. She is also the PI of a tribal technical assistance HRSA sub-contract through Georgia State University, and Co-Investigator for a RWJF-funded study on tribal systems alignment.

Prior to her work in Seven Directions, Myra served as Co-Investigator on an ETHICS project to culturally adapt a human subjects curriculum for tribal communities; a national epidemiology research study grounded in Community-Based Participatory Research involving 22 Tribal Colleges and Universities to establish alcohol, tobacco, and drug use rates within their respective communities through a mixed methods approach; and, an NIAAA R01 research study investigating the effectiveness of a culturally-adapted version of the “BASICS” (Brief Alcohol Screening & Intervention in College Students) intervention and a policy intervention.

As an enrolled member of the Mandan and Hidatsa tribes, Myra is aware of the historical health practices and misconduct perpetuated on tribes in the United States. Her background in law and policy has informed a broader understanding of the principles of ethics as well as honed her ability to identify methods to address the disparities in research control and access through the use of formalized agreements.

In 2019, Christina joined our team from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s Health Services Division. She received her MPH in community health practice (2002) and DrPH in public health policy and management (2018) from the Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona (UA). Her public health work is dedicated to centering tribal nations & communities and privileging Indigenous knowledge and practices. Christina is a member of the US Indigenous Data Sovereignty Network, Research Data Alliance, DrPH Coalition, American Public Health Association, and Society for Prevention Research.    

Dr. Oré works with tribal partners and advisory board on several projects to strengthen public health systems funded by the National Network for Public Health Institutes (NNPHI), through a CDC cooperative agreement. These include Indigenous Social Determinants of Health, training and resource development; Tribal Public Health Capacity + Infrastructure, technical assistance, Gathering Grounds, a peer-peer community of practice; and Indigenous Public Health Leaders, a public health training program, with partners at the American Indian Public Health Resource Center (AIPHRC) at North Dakota State.  

She was a research scientist for the Indigenous Healing + Health Systems: Revitalizing Inherent Alignment study, 2020 - 2022. This was a practice-based, descriptive study of long-term collaborations across tribal systems (e.g., education, public/healthcare, social services) for health and well being. Seven Directions partnered with Red Star International, Inc. and convened an advisory tribal technical committee for the duration of the study. The study was funded by Georgia Health Policy Center (GHP), Georgia State University, through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  

In 2020, Dr. Oré received funding for Coming Together in Indigenous Public Health Praxis from the UW Global Innovations Fund. Seven Directions and Whakauae Māori Research for Health and Development (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hauiti) have shared aspirations for Indigenous healing, health and well-being systems strengthening. This grant provided the seeds to nurture and grow our relationship and collaborations. In 2021, they co-presented at the APHA annual meeting and for Gathering Grounds.

Christina's paternal family are mixed Indigenous (Quechua descent, Ch'ixi) from the Rio Mantaro valley, Peru: Junin, Huancavelica, & Ayacucho. Her maternal family settled in Arizona from Waterford & Donagel, IE. She loves the desert, sea, and being above timberline. Her connection to this work is through commitments made to family, her communities, and the Yaqui Tribe in Sonora and Arizona.

Dr. Magarati is indigenous Magar from Nepal’s Himalayas. Her lived and professional experiences navigating both the Global North’s and the Global South’s historical, political, socio-economic-cultural landscapes center her research, teaching, and service around equity.

Maya’s scholarship straddles the intersection of sociology, public health, behavioral health and geography in addressing social inequities with an intention of fostering knowledge democracy and achieving holistic wellbeing. She incorporates Western as well as Indigenous, place-based, culture-centered epistemologies and collaborative approaches to understanding and addressing the social, behavioral, cultural, and environmental health determinants which result in disparities in access to and use of services, delivery, and outcomes related to substance use, mental health, STI/HIV, and environmental health.  

Maya attributes her community-based participatory research orientation in research, service, and teaching to her active involvement in the UW’s Indigenous Wellness Research Institute (IWRI) since 2010. These include building partnerships with Tribal Colleges and Universities, and research collaboration with multidisciplinary, cross-institutional global teams investigating health disparities in American Indian and Alaska Native populations, immigrant, refugee and rural populations in the U.S., and among Indigenous communities in Nepal experiencing environmental health issues and climate change. Maya is a current Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Interdisciplinary Research Leaders fellow, where she collaborates on a community-engaged climate change, water insecurity, ecological trauma, resilience, and environmental action research project with a tribe in rural Alaska.  

Maya is an affiliate faculty with the UW Department of Sociology, and the Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology as well as a preceptor (Nepal) for IWRI’s NIH-funded LUNA International Indigenous Health Research Training Program.

Maya received her B.S. in Nutrition & Dietetics in Australia, an M.A. in Sociology under the Fulbright program, and then a Ph.D. in Sociology from the UW. Prior to attending graduate school, she worked in Nepal with a local NGO and with UNICEF advancing community nutrition and health. Maya was born and raised in Nepal. She serves on the Board of Directors at Nepal Seattle Society and The Mountaineers. She loves natural landscapes and engaging in outdoor activities.

Danielle is a mixed-race woman who had lived in eight states before entering high school. As such, her personal and professional interests have centered on the impact of community, belonging and identity on mental health. Danielle received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Washington. As a graduate student she interned for the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute and received a fellowship from the Indigenous Substance Abuse, Medicines and Addictions Research Training Program to complete her dissertation in conjunction with the Tribal College/University BeWell Study. Danielle completed her clinical psychology internship and post-doctoral fellowship as the Rural Health/Underserved Populations resident at the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System. At VA PIHCS, Danielle focused on in-person outreach and remote telehealth services to Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander veterans located in American Samoa, Guam, Saipan and the neighboring Hawaiian Islands. At Seven Directions, Danielle focuses on incorporating a clinical lens to technical assistance, evaluative assessment and inclusive programming work for the Tribal Opioid Overdose Prevention Project.  

Danielle is grateful to live in Hawaii and loves freediving and learning the environmentally sustainable practice of spearfishing.

Leo is currently working on several projects, including Opioid Overdose Prevention, Elderly Fall Prevention, and Systems Alignment. He has been the project liaison with TCU partners and has visited communities to facilitate many on-site focus groups. Through these community visits, he has seen health system inequities first-hand, which in turn has informed his passion to Indigenous Public Health.

Leo has a Bachelor’s degree in Japanese & Chinese languages, and a Master’s in Business Administration. He has studied linguistics and four foreign languages, and is a strong advocate for indigenous language retention and revitalization.

On a personal note, he is an outdoor nut, hiking and going on 7-12 day backpacks to remote corners of North America, and snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing in winter locally. A non-car owner for 19 years, he bicycles Seattle’s hilly terrain daily in rain or shine.

Angela Gaffney joined the Seven Directions team as a Senior Research Coordinator in 2022. Angela specializes in evaluation design and implementation as well as providing technical assistance to program staff and leadership.

With a background in environmental policy, she has done ecological research and policy work at the federal, county, and city levels. She is invested in Indigenous health, climate justice, and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Outside of work you can find her exploring trails in the Columbia River Gorge or napping with her dog Tasha.

Jacob has done research in evolutionary biology and public health. He is excited to be working with Seven Directions and increasing his skillset. Jacob is primarily involved with the research study Indigenous Healing + Health Systems: Revitalizing Inherent Alignment.

Caelin is broadly interested in the ways that Indigenous community work, including practices such as harm reduction and peacemaking, can bolster Indigenous sovereignty. Outside of work, she enjoys road tripping home to Montana, beading and (hopefully!) teaching her cat, Toby, to hike.

‍

Adam aspires to pursue an MPH degree and then attend medical school to help expand medical access in rural communities. Adam enjoys fly fishing, skiing, playing the bass guitar, and spending time with his dog, Axel.

In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, taking walks, and volunteering to serve Sunday dinners.

In her future career, Jamie plans to use her interests in epidemiology, research, and community health to increase health equity for Indigenous populations and other marginalized groups. Outside of school and work, Jamie enjoys being outside in the sun, playing the oboe, and spending time with family and friends.

‍

Outside of the classroom you can find him visiting the many museums in Seattle and browsing vintage bookstores.

Prior to pursing her MSW, Robyn worked on well-being programs and research in the UW Department of Psychology. She has also lived in the Middle East, India, Canada, and Botswana working on community health and humanitarian programs. Outside of the classroom, Robyn enjoys spending time hiking, canoeing, and nordic skiing with her five-year old son.

‍

Shino likes to play soccer and bake in her free time.