Digadatseli’i ᏗᎦᏓᏤᎵᎢ

In February 2009, a small group of Cherokee scholars/educators and language philosophers (Benny Smith, Andy Girty, and Durbin Feeling) convened in Lawrence, Kansas, to discuss the formation of a new group comprised of Cherokee scholars and teachers with a focus on revitalizing the Cherokee language, accountability to each other, and the promotion of Cherokee sovereignty. At this meeting, the late elder Benny Smith provided us with the name digadatseli’i ᏗᎦᏓᏤᎵᎢ which means: “We all belong to each other; for someone to take care of something.”

This page contains: (1) Cherokee professors/instructors currently employed as full time faculty at colleges and universities (visiting faculty are separately listed), (2) Cherokee language and humanities specialists who work for Cherokee institutions, in private sector, or independently; (3) other Cherokees who hold terminal degrees and work outside higher education, and (4) current Cherokee PhD candidates. 

All individuals listed on this page are enrolled citizens/members of the Cherokee Nation, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, and/or the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.  

To be added to the private email listserv maintained for the Digadatseli’i ᏗᎦᏓᏤᎵᎢ group, contact Professor Jeff Corntassel.  To be added to this website or make changes to your current listing, contact Professor Stacy Leeds. Media inquires are welcome.

Full Time University Faculty

Adcock, Trey (University of North Carolina-Asheville)

Andrews, Scott (California State, Northridge)

Anderson, Matt (Ohio State)

Baker, Alissa (Northeastern State (Oklahoma))

Benn-Duke, Samantha (Northeastern State (Oklahoma))

Black, Liza (Indiana University - currently visiting scholar at UCLA)(personal website)

Brown, Kirby (University of Oregon)

Burkhart, Brian Yazzie (University of Oklahoma)

Byers, Lisa (University of Oklahoma)

Calhoun, Anne (University of New Mexico)

Carroll, Clint (University of Colorado)

Corntassel, Jeff (University of Victoria)

Cushman, Ellen (Northeastern University)

Dixon, Lynda Dee (Bowling Green)

Erb, Joseph (University of Missouri)

Frey, Ben (University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill)

Hardbarger, Tiffanie (Northeastern State (Oklahoma))

Haynes Writer, Jeanette (New Mexico State University)

Jackson, Rachel (University of Oklahoma)

Johnson, Jennifer Barger (University of Central Oklahoma)

Justice, Daniel Heath (University of British Columbia)

Keene, Adrienne (Brown University)

Keeler, Honor (Wesleyan University)

Kennedy, Deanna M. (University of Washington-Bothell)

Kirk, Wyman (Northeastern State (OK))

Lambert, Michael (UNC-Chapel Hill)

Leeds, Stacy (Arizona State University)(personal website)

Lewis, Courtney (University of South Carolina)

Lewis, Melissa (University of Missouri)

Matlock, Marty (Univ. of Arkansas-Fayetteville)

Neely, Sol (University of Alaska Southeast)

Oeser, Michael (Southern University Law Center)

Pettigrew, Dallas (Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work)

Pierce, Joseph M. (Stony Brook University)

Pollet, Rebecca (Vassar College)

Ray, Alan (Fisher College)

Reed, Julie (Penn State)

Rhodes, Gary (University of Central Florida)

Ross, Casey (Oklahoma City University)

Shade-Johnson, Jacquetta (University of Missouri)

Snipp, Matthew (Stanford University)

Tehee, Candessa (Northeastern State University (Oklahoma))

Teuton, Christopher (University of Washington)

Teuton, Sean (University of Arkansas)

Viles, Philip (University of Tulsa)

Walkiewicz, Katie (University of California-San Diego)

Welch, Natalie (Linfield College)

Westerman, Gwen (Minnesota State University)

University Administration (Past and Present)

Brown, Kirby (Acting Director, Native American Studies, University of Oregon)

Donohue, Betty Booth (Chair of Humanities (2000-2004) Bacone College)

Hotvedt, Carly (Director of Tribal Enterprise, Indigenous Food and Ag Initiative, University of Arkansas )

Lambert, Michael (Founding Director of African Studies Center (2005-2015), University of North Carolina)

Leeds, Stacy (Dean Emeritus (Law Dean from 2011-2018) and inaugural Vice Chancellor for Economic Development (2017-2020), University of Arkansas)

McClain, Cordney (Director of Diversity and Inclusion, University of Oklahoma Price College of Business)(also teaches at OU+ UCO)

Pettigrew, Dallas (Founding Director, Center for Tribal Social Work)

Ray, Alan (President, Fisher College)

Westerman, Gwen (Director of the Humanities Program, Minnesota State-Mankato) 

Emeritus/Retired

Belt, Tom (Western Carolina University)

Cockrell, Karen Sunday (University of Missouri)

Hammons, A. Diane (Northeastern State (Oklahoma), retired)

Holm, Tom (University of Arizona)

Garroutte, Eva (Boston College)

King, Patti Jo (Bacone College)

Oosahwee, Harry (Northeastern State (OK))

Osborn, James Michael (University of New Mexico (Adjunct Professor, retired)

Russell, Steve (Univ. of Indiana)

Sly, Gloria (Cherokee Nation, Retired)

Thurman, Pamela Jumper (Colorado State)

Adjunct or Visiting Professors/Instructors

Coates, Julia (Cal State - Northridge)

Jordan, Courtney (University of Tulsa)

West Williams, Joel (Vermont Law)

Cherokee Language, Arts and Humanities Specialists

(with tribes, public or private sector)

Boney, Roy (Cherokee Nation)

Foster, Charles (Univ. of Oklahoma)

Huckabee, Anna (Cherokee Nation)

Kirk, Wyman (Cherokee Nation Immersion School)

Mackey, Ryan B. (ᏩᏕ ᎦᎵᏍᎨᏫ) (Cherokee Nation)

Meredith, America (Cherokee Nation)

Sixkiller, Dennis (Cherokee Nation)

Cherokees with Terminal Degrees Working Outside Higher Education

(with tribes, public or private sector)

Donohue, Betty (PhD, UCLA (English))

Cowan Watts, Cara (PhD, Oklahoma State University (Biosystems Engineering) (CEO & Managing Member, Tulsa Pier Drilling)

Fitzgerald, Deirdre (Ph.D., BCBA-D, University of Nevada (Psychology))

Gourd, Charles (PhD, Univ. of Kansas (Anthropology))

Hickman, Caleb (PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Zoology))

Holland, Ashley (University of Oklahoma (Art History))(Associate Curator, Art Bridges Foundation)

Sly, Gloria (PhD, Univ of Oklahoma (Education Admin))

Still, Corey (PhD, University of Oklahoma (Adult and Higher Ed))

Evans, Lara (PhD, University of New Mexico (Art History))

Cherokee PhD Candidates

Burchfield, Renata Ryan (University of Colorado (English))

Dawson, Patricia (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (History))

Ferris, Shane (University of Saskatchewan)

Hausman, Blake (Univ. of CA-Berkeley (English))

Jennings, Catheryn (Michigan State)

Jackson, Racheal (Univ. of Oklahoma (Composition/Rhetoric/Literacy))

Radocay, Jonathan (UC-Davis (English, Native Literature)

Rendleman, Vivien Christie (Duke University (History)

Spencer, Angela G. (Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health (Community Health)