Andrea Ward

Age/Generation:  40

Current Job:  I have been at home for the past 7 yrs. raising my two sons.  I am starting back to work part-time this spring.

Former Jobs:  Speech Language Pathologist in various clinical and school settings

Education:  B.S., Speech Language Pathology, NSU
                   M.Ed., Speech Language Pathology, NSU

Greatest Professional Accomplishment:  Obtaining my M.Ed.
                                                                Relocating to North Carolina on my own to pursue a job
                                                                opportunity.

Areas of Expertise:  Pediatric speech and language development

Hometown:  Dewey, OK

Other Towns:  Tulsa, OK;  Fayetteville, NC;  Ormond Beach, FL

Family:  Married 10 years with two sons

Hobbies:  Reading, cooking, spending time on the water

Role of Mentors in Life:  My spirited grandmother, my resilient mother, and my inspirational twin sister have had a tremendous influence on me.  Female peers in professional settings have also been great mentors.

Favorite Quote:  Don't take yourself too seriously.

Libby Rogers

Age and/or Generation:  38

Current Job(s):  Director of Student Health Services, Family Nurse Practitioner

Former Job(s):  During high school and my undergraduate studies at NSU I worked at Walmart in the Health and Beauty department.  The next job I had was as the receptionist at Tahlequah City Hospital's Emergency Room.   As a Registered Nurse, I worked in the Emergency Room and Intensive Care Unit at both Tahlequah City Hospital and Hastings Indian Hospital.  

Education and/or Training:  BS in Chemistry, NSU;  BS in nursing, Langston University;  Master's of Nursing in Family Nurse Practitioner, Ball State University 

Greatest Professional Accomplishment:  Finishing my master's degree.

Areas of Expertise:  Health

Hometown:  Pryor, OK

Other Towns of Residence:   Tahlequah, OK

Family:  I am married and have a son.  We have 4 cats and 2 dogs. 

Hobbies:  Reading, yoga, being outdoors, cooking

The Role of Mentors in Your Life:  My first and most important mentor was my mother.  She role modeled working hard, setting goals, and not giving up.  She showed and taught me that if something/someone is blocking my way find a different path around.    

Favorite Quotation:  ' The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life."-- B.K.S. Iyenger

Patti D. Buhl

Age: 40 something...
Job: Director of Public Safety, NSU
Former Job: I have been in Law Enforcement since 1994
Education and/or Training: I have both a Bachelor and Masters Degree from NSU.
Greatest Professional Accomplishment: I am a graduate of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Indian Police Academy, Class 101. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done but also one of the most rewarding.
Hometown: Tahlequah most of my life with a 6 year stint in OKC just after undergrad
Hobbies: Spending time with my son, reading, snow skiing, hiking
Role of Mentors in my Life: I come from a long line of very strong, independent women. They have all served as great mentors in my life.
Quotes:  We gain strength, courage and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face..we must do that which we think we cannot.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Juli R. Skinner

Age and/or Generation: 35 years and I am Generation X

Current Job(s): I currently work for Cherokee Nation Behavioral Health as a Program Manager for Project LAUNCH

Former Job(s): I worked previously for Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare for 13 years.  

Education and/or Training: I graduated from Ponca City High School in 1995. I received my Associates Degree from Northern Oklahoma College in 1997. I received my Bachelor's in Psychology from Northeastern State University in 1999.  I received my Master's in Social Work from the University of Oklahoma May 2012.  My area of concentration in Social Work was Administrative Community Practice (Macro Social Work). 

Greatest Professional Accomplishment: I received the youth care worker of the year from the National Resource Center in 2009 during my employment working in Indian Child Welfare.  I received an award from the University of Oklahoma as the Outstanding Administrative Community Practice Graduate.  

Areas of Expertise: I love Social Work and working with communities.  I have 13 years experience working with children and families involved in the child welfare system. I also worked with teenagers involved in independent living skills. 

Hometown: Ponca City, OK 

Other Towns of Residence: Tahlequah, OK 

Hobbies: My hobbies include running, reading, sewing, bowling, tennis and hiking!

The Role of Mentors in Your Life: The mentors in my life have given me inspiration and guidance. My mother was my first mentor. She is a social worker and inspired me to work in the profession. My second mentor is also a social worker who inspired me to learn! They both gave me support and encouragement in my work life as well as educational life.  

Favorite Quotation: "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."   - Anne Frank 

Dana S. Boren-Boer

Age/ Generation: 40, Generation X

Current Job: Instructor of Media Studies, Northeastern State University

Former Jobs: University Marketing Coordinator, Northeastern State University.
Owner/President, American Traditions Clothing Co.,

Education/Training: B.S. Marketing, Metropolitan State College, Denver.  MBA, NSU

Greatest Professional Accomplishment:  Moving over to full-time faculty.

Areas of Expertise: Marketing, advertising, sales

Hometown: Broken Arrow, OK

Other Towns of Residence: Bennett, Co., Tahlequah

Family: Single mom of an amazing 10 year old son.  I have three brothers and now,  two beautiful sister-in-laws. I have been blessed with two wonderful parents.

Hobbies:  Kayaking (I teach kids kayaking camps in the summer), Hiking, Bicycling, anything outdoors.

The Role of Mentors in Your Life: My love for marketing came from my high school DECA teacher.  She inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and to believe in myself.  I looked up to all strong, self motivated women whether they were on television or somehow placed in my path.  I learned long ago there is nothing I cannot accomplish if I believe in myself and work hard.  I now try to recognize passion in my students or friends and fill them with hope for their own future.

Favorite Quotation:  "I do the very best that I know how- the very best that I can; and mean to keep doing so until the end" ~Abraham Lincoln.

Chrissi Ross NImmo

Age and/or Generation:  32, Right on the line between X and Y

Current Job(s):  Assistant Attorney General, Cherokee Nation

Former Job(s):  Educational Development (fundraising) at NSU and TU, Volunteer Coordinator and Office Manager, Hospice of Muskogee

Education and/or Training:  B.A. Developmental Psychology, NSU; M.B.A., NSU; J.D., University of Tulsa College of Law

Greatest Professional Accomplishment:  Oral Argument before the 10^th Circuit Court of Appeals

Areas of Expertise:  Indian Law

Hometown:  Warner, OK

Other Towns of Residence:  Muskogee, Tulsa, Tahlequah

Family:  Married almost 11 years, 1 cat, 1 dog, and a brand new niece

Hobbies:   Live Music, Reading, Antique/junk shopping, Anything on the water, Watching cooking shows and occasionally trying the recipes.

The Role of Mentors in Your Life:  The legal field, especially litigation, is still very much a male dominated world. I have been very fortunate from the time I started law school through today to have female attorneys who were not only great at their jobs but willing give advice and lend their expertise. Sometimes just being able to talk to someone who has “been there” is a huge help.

Favorite Quotation:  "Let me be something every minute of every hour of my life. Let me be gay; let me be sad. Let me be cold; let me be warm. Let me be hungry...have too much to eat. Let me be ragged or well dressed. Let me be sincere-be deceitful. Let me be truthful; let me be a liar. Let me be honorable and let me sin. Only let me be something every blessed minute. And when I sleep, let me dream all the time so that not one little piece of living is ever lost." - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Amy Aldridge Sanford

Age and/or Generation:  36, Gen X'er

My little brother and me, late 1970's.

Current Job(s):  Chair of the Department of Communication, Art, and Theatre; Associate Professor of Communication Studies; Founding Director of Women's & Gender Studies

Former Job(s):  I've taught at the college level since I graduated with my BA in 1999.  During high school and college, I worked at Coach House Gifts and Lane Bryant at Arrowhead Mall in Muskogee.  I also worked as a tutor and as an assistant hall manager in the dorms.  I was a first generation college student and held two to three jobs at a time while in college.

Education and/or Training:  BA Communication Education, NSU; Master's of Education in School Administration, NSU; Master's in Communication Studies, University of Iowa; PhD in Communication Studies, University of Iowa

Greatest Professional Accomplishment:  Finished my PhD before my 30th birthday (with 6 months to spare!)

Areas of Expertise:  leadership, gender, communication

Hometown:  Warner, OK

Other Towns of Residence:  Iowa City, IA

Family:  Married since 2006; 4 cats and 3 dogs; brother and dad in Warner; AWESOME nieces and nephews

Two of my nieces (Jenna and Taylor) and a nephew (Justin).

Hobbies:  Reading; Watching documentaries and reality television; Traveling

The Role of Mentors in Your Life:  I was VERY fortunate in high school that some female teachers took an interest in me and encouraged my talent for public speaking.  Then when I came to NSU, I found two professors who had characteristics I wanted to emulate.  Ever since I became a professor, I try my best to be a good role model and to look for others who may need advice or a role model or may need an introduction within my network.  I really like to help hard workers.  It's my way of paying respect to the people who helped me.

Two of my college mentors:  Dr. David Scott and Dr. Dana Eversole.

Favorite Quotation:  "The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any."~Alice Walker