Presenters Bio's

Clayton Long is a Navajo Native American, born in Tuba City, Arizona. He was raised in a Navajo traditional hogan near Kayenta, Arizona, where he spoke only the Navajo language until eleven years of age. At eleven, Clayton picked up the oral part of the English language.

Mr. Long graduated from Sahuaro High School in 1971 in Tucson, Arizona. In 1979 he received an Educational Psychology degree from Brigham Young University, after which he received his Elementary Education teaching license. In 1993, Mr. Long received his Master’s degree in Public School Administration.

Since 1979, Clayton has worked with Navajo, Ute, and Spanish populations in the San Juan School District in Southeastern Utah. He has taught fifth and sixth grades for several years and later seventh through twelfth grades for English, Navajo language and culture classes. During 1984 – 1987 he served as Assistant Principal at Monument Valley High School. In 1988 – 1994 he served as the Principal of Montezuma Creek Elementary School.

Mr. Long served as the Bilingual Education Director from 1995 to 2019 for San Juan School District. Within the Bilingual Program he ran the Johnson-O’Malley Navajo Nation Supplemental program, Title VI Indian Education program, as well as the Career Ladder program under the College of Eastern Utah and Utah State University.

Clayton has also taught Navajo Missionary lessons from 1971 to 1972 as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also has been a translator (selection of the book of Mormon) and interpreter for the church while attending Brigham Young University from 1972 to 1978. After graduation and working for San Juan School District he started working as a free-lance translator for the church and insurance companies.

After retiring in the summer of 2019 Clayton was hired immediately by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a full time Navajo language translator. He was asked to translate the Book of Mormon into the Navajo Language.

Clayton’s passion is to see the Navajo language and cultures taught and preserved for future children. Currently, he is making efforts to preserve and teach the Navajo Language online. He has been teaching Navajo language and culture for over 35 years.

Stanley Nez is a Social Worker and traditional counselor. He has worked as an investigator for Welfare Fraud, a police officer, and an eligibility worker. He is an interpreter for the Dine' language, and teaches at BYU and Weber State.

Doug Freed has taught at MVHS for six years. He teaches English Language Arts, Journalism and Photography. He worked as a newspaper reporter, editor and publisher for 35 years prior to becoming a teacher.

Coerina Fife was born and raised on the Flathead Reservation where she graduated from high school in Charlo, Montana. Coerina has many family members of Salish-Kootenai descent and her ancestral line on her mother’s side is from Cherokee lineage; as well as Mexican and European. Her father’s lineage is British, Irish, French, and German. She graduated from Utah State University with both her Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees. She is the third oldest of ten children, eight girls, and two boys. She and her husband, Adam, raised their three children in Tremonton, Utah, where they were also blessed with two grandchildren.

Moving to the Navajo Nation to work was a difficult decision, in that her immediate family continues to reside in Northern Utah while her extended family remains in Northern Montana on the Flathead Reservation. However, Coerina feels it was by divine intervention that she and her husband navigated to Monument Valley and she is so grateful to work with the students, community members, and staff there.