Elisha V. Charley is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Design at Arizona State University, where she holds joint appointments in the Indigenous Placekeeping and Design program and the Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, and Environmental Design programs. In this role, she teaches, develops curriculum, and serves as an academic reviewer while collaborating across disciplines to support Indigenous‑centered design education. She is also a Ph.D. candidate in Urban Planning at Arizona State University and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. In addition to her faculty role, Charley serves on the board of the American Indian Council of Architects and Engineers and has contributed to research, outreach, and curriculum initiatives that bridge Indigenous knowledge systems, environmental design, and planning practice. She has participated in public engagement efforts, including Cultivating the Future, a film‑based initiative that introduces high school students to landscape architecture and Indigenous design pathways.

Her research focuses on Indigenous planning frameworks, housing conditions, and housing data justice in Native Nations. Examining housing marginality, governance, and spatial mapping inequities. Her work is grounded in kinship, lived experience, and self-determination. This informs her teaching and scholarly pursuits, which emphasize ethical research practice and community agency. Charley holds a Master of Arts in Community and Regional Planning from the University of New Mexico, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Interior Design from Northern Arizona University, and professional certification in Native community development finance. She is affiliated with the American Planning Association and several Indigenous scholarly and professional organizations. Her work has been featured in academic journals, edited volumes, institutional reports, and public exhibitions focused on Indigenous design, planning, and environmental justice.