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Leander Yazzie, Ed.D. (he/him/his)
Tribal Liaison
Leander Yazzie grew up in the Navajo Nation. He earned two bachelor degrees from Arizona State University, one in sociology, the other in American Indian studies. He received a master’s degree in human relations from the University of Oklahoma and then completed his doctorate in educational leadership at the University of Washington Tacoma in 2018. An Army veteran, he also spent 10 years at Green River College in advising and tribal relations.
Ariel Vasquez (he/she/they)
Student Assistant
Ariel Vasquez is the secretary to the Native and Indigenous RSO Cedar Circle and assistant to the syayəʔadiʔ (Family Room). Ariel immigrated from Nicaragua and was influenced by the Catholic Church and later western depictions of queerness in American media. Hired in 2022 to aid activities in the Family Room, Ariel is interested in urban community development, working-class solidarity, and decolonization of gender dynamics. Their work in the Family Room supports UWT's effort to empower tribal members and individuals of indigenous descent to utilize institutional resources for influencing policy and local mainstream culture.
