Meet the Interns
Meet Our 2024 Summer Interns
Summer Powell
NTICC Summer Intern
Yá'át'ééh shik'èí dóó shidine'è, Shí éí Summer Powell yinishyé, Naakai Dine’é nishłį́, Na'ahiłii bashishchiin, Tsi’naajinii dashicheii, Naahiłií dashinalí. Hello, I am Summer Powell born to the Mexican People (mother’s clan), born for Black people (father’s clan), my Cheii (maternal grandfather) is from the Black Streak Wood People, and my Nalí (paternal grandfather) is Black. I am from Window Rock, AZ, the capital of the Navajo Nation, and a citizen of the Navajo (Diné) Nation. I am a graduate student/graduate research assistant (GRA) at the University of Kansas in the Indigenous Studies program in Lawrence, KS. I am currently researching water rights Diné people have to the Colorado River and water sources within the Navajo Nation. I did my undergraduate at Haskell Indian Nations University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous and American Indian Studies.
Jennifer Jones
USFS Office of Tribal Relations
Yá’át’ééh, Tsé deeshgizhnii nishłį́. Tódich'ii'nii bashishchiin. Tódich'ii'nii dashicheii, áádóó Tábąąhí dashinalí. Shí éí Jennifer Jones yinishyé. Ákót’éego diné asdzáán nishłį́. Jennifer, Navajo, is a Ph.D. student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. She works at the intersection of climate resiliency, energy justice, and tribal-federal environmental policies. Jennifer researches the potential of tribally owned utility development to provide clean, reliable electricity for tribal communities. She is a dedicated AISES member (2014 - 2024), a Cobell Graduate scholar, and Native Forward’s 2013 Rose Bogus Recipient. Her academic journey included the Hoop of Learning Program at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, a dual bachelor's in mechanical engineering and American Indian studies at Arizona State University, and a master’s in Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jennifer’s future ambitions include uplifting future indigenous scholars through peer mentorship with a focus on tribal climate research and higher education resources and opportunities.
Kianna Pete
Camp Colten
Yá'át'ééh (Hello)! My name is Kianna and I am a Diné/Navajo scholar, advocate, and politics and education researcher from New Mexico. As a graduate student at Columbia University, I am dedicated to policy research, curriculum development, and teaching that integrates Indigenous perspectives within education, law, and climate justice. Guided by Diné teachings of kinship, I work with tribal leaders, students, legal professionals, environmental justice organizers, and BIPOC communities to respectfully bridge collective knowledge and autonomy, and advocate for equitable education for and about Indigenous peoples. I have previously earned my BA in Political Science and Ethnicity & Race Studies specializing in Indigenous/Native Studies at Columbia University.
Hannah Jimenez
USGS Grassland Birds
Osiyo! My name is Hannah Jimenez. I am a proud member of the Cherokee Nation tribe of Oklahoma, and born and raised on the Cherokee Reservation in Tahlequah, OK. I recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Archaeology and Evolutionary Biology of the Human Species from Columbia University in the City of New York. Throughout my undergraduate, I worked in areas land and culture preservation, as well as wildlife conservation. I am currently studying the effects of climate change, agriculture, and human encroachment on native flora and fauna, and hope to find conservation solutions that would be helpful in saving species that are culturally significant to North American tribes.
Ella Cardoza
Alaska Community Actions on Toxins
Hello, my name is Ella Cardoza, I'm from North Tustin, California. I completed my Bachelor of Science in Integrative Biology at Michigan State University in April, with a minor in environment and sustainability studies. In the last two years of my undergraduate studies, I worked in the Schrenk geomicrobiology laboratory on campus. My research project explored the limits of activity of high-pressure microbial life, originating from hydrothermal vent systems, through laboratory experiments with connections to the field of astrobiology. I am looking forward to working with Alaska Community Actions on Toxics (ACAT) this summer, where I hope to put my academic backgrounds of microbiology, biology, and environmental sciences to practical use. I am excited to help empower communities in Alaska to eliminate exposure to toxics through research and shared science. I recently committed to a Master of Science in Environmental Geosciences, funded by the Schrenk Lab, where I hope to not only continue my high-pressure microbiology research but also further explore the fields of environmental sciences and climate change in the fall.
Annalee Bishop
Yukon InterTribal Watershed Council
My name is Annalee Bishop, and I am from a small town in Northern Kentucky! I am a senior at Berea college and am majoring in environmental science and sustainability. Berea is in the foothills of Appalachia in central/eastern Kentucky. This itty-bitty college promises each and every one of us free tuition, providing education for low-income students like myself! My goal is to go to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for their Artic Science program!
I am so excited to be an intern for ITEP Indigenous Climate Change program. My host organization is the Yukon InterTribal Watershed Council located in Anchorage Alaska! My focus is gathering water samples from different tribal areas and communities and accessing water health. This information can be used for grant writing and clean-up programs!
We also have many permafrost monitoring stations throughout the Athabascan region so we can see how quickly it’s melting. The melting permafrost is detrimental in many Alaskan communities; roads collapse, sink holes appear and tons of methane are released into the atmosphere, an even more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Tracking the progress of this can help to predict future patterns and possible effects of climate change.
One of my favorite parts of the internship is being able to travel around the state and meet so many amazing people. By doing community outreach programs and interviews we gather traditional ecological knowledge to further piece the puzzle together. Elders carry so much knowledge; their observations and insights are integral in the fight against climate change.
Maya Nunez
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation
Hello, my name is Maya Nunez. I am from the Yaqui Nation and am of Mayan descent. I currently attend California Indian Nations College, and I previously attended Colorado State University. My major is Fish and Wildlife Biology; however, I am passionate about our plant relatives. I am active in my culture and traditional ceremonies, which I take pride in. I am blessed to have been taught the knowledge of traditional medicine and ceremonies for healing our trauma, spirits, and bodies.
I am delighted to follow in the footsteps of my mother and grandmothers before me. I hope to make them proud by protecting our land, water, air, and non-human relatives, and by continuing to live in balance and harmony with them. My goal is to keep practicing my culture and resilience and to heal the damage we humans have caused to the planet.
Lauren Love
Tuolumne Me-Wuk Chicken Ranch Rancheria Cultural Center
Hi! My name is Lauren Love. I am a full-time student at Columbia College, in the Sierra Nevada foothills. I am majoring in Forestry, Natural Resources, and Water Resource Management. During the last couple years at Columbia College, I have become a California Climate Steward, gotten certified for basic power saw safety, ArcGIS Pro, and chartered the River Ecology Club, which I am the current president of. I am married, and mother of four wonderful boys, aged 2, 4, 9 and 21. I have worked the last almost twenty years as a self-employed hair stylist in Calaveras County with my mom, and own my own home and property in Tuolumne California. When I graduate, I plan on working in the area, doing something that deals with Stewardship of the land. I am passionate about rivers, forestry, and regenerative farming. I am a musician, and artist and have played guitar since I was 11 years old. I am super excited to start my internship this summer at the Tuolumne Me-Wuk Chicken Ranch Rancheria Cultural Center.
Kaniesha Valley
7 Directions of Service
Hello, my name is Kaniesha Valley. I am from the Acoma Pueblo where I am Bear Clan on my paternal side. I am an undergraduate student studying Population Health with a minor in Community Health Education from The University of New Mexico. My goal is to work within Indigenous Communities with a Master's in Public Health with an emphasis in Environmental Health.
Meet our previous summer interns and learn about their projects.
I am very proud to be interning for the Tribal Alliance for Pollinators in Bixby Oklahoma this summer. The internship has allowed me to build upon my skills in working with native plants and animals. I really enjoy the outdoors and traveling so I am glad I was able to get this internship. Helping habitat restoration to ensure that there are native plants on native land for the pollinators makes me feel like I am a part of something great. When I saw the opportunity for the pollinators internship, I was excited because of my research background and studies in food science. The work done by the pollinators is not something that can be outsourced or replaced with machinery. The pollinators are an essential component of our food systems.
The indigenous person's diet here in America is directly related to the land policies that Native Americans face. My career goals are to build upon my recreational interests and hobbies of organic farming and gathering wild foods, so that I can enjoy my life to the fullest. I am very interested in pursuing a career in tribal agriculture where I can incorporate the procurement of natural foods and help build upon existing systems to provide people with healthy native foods. At the end of the day, I want to know that the work I’m doing is fulfilling and something that my ancestors can be proud of. I believe that working to save our pollinators would meet this criteria.
For any Indigenous student seeking to delve into the realm of organizations engaged in climate change and related topics, particularly those intertwined with Indigenous communities, this internship presents an invaluable opportunity. Over the course of this internship, I had the privilege of engaging in outreach and feedback initiatives concerning a web portal database- Tribal Resilience Action Database. This database holds the potential to make significant contributions to Tribal Communities, by allowing them a see what strategic plans are in place for other Tribes and First Nations around Turtle Island. Through the outreach endeavors, I not only had the chance to establish connections with various Tribes but also gained insights into the action plans they have crafted in response to the challenges posed by climate change impacts.
During my internship with ITEP, I was able to get experience with an NGO that is based in the Colorado Plateau and run by Indigenous people. This experience was invaluable because I was able to work on projects that related to my own tribe (Diné). I signed up for this internship because I am entering NAU's Master of Environmental Science program. I thought that the experience here at ITEP would help me think of a topic for my upcoming thesis project. This internship allowed me to brainstorm different topics that consist of ethnobotany, tribal policies, and water usage in the Southwestern region of the United States. Any students looking to work in the environmental field should look to ITEP for an internship because the possibilities are endless.
Aiy-ue-kwee!
Over the summer I had the privilege of participating in ITEP’s student internship program where I was able to be placed in San Diego, Ca with my hosts, Climate Science Alliance. This opportunity allowed me to explore climate adaptation work in the Southern California region, with a focus on tribal leadership within the field of environmental work. This internship was guided by amazing support from my team at Climate Science Alliance, who nurtured an outstanding learning experience and allowed me to expand my ambitions for a future of pursuing my academic and career goals.
I settled into my internship easily with the help of a great team and workplace. I learned from people who are passionate and intentional with the quality work they do, which inspired me to aim high at the same pace of work, while still being able to look forward to some fun each day. I went into this experience feeling a little nervous, but in my time there I was able to strengthen my own sense of confidence for the work ahead of me. As I move forward from this experience I relish in immense gratitude for ITEP and my CSA hosts, who put faith in me as Indigenous youth. I know that wherever I end up next, I will dedicate thanks to this very experience for opening opportunities to me.
Wok-hlew, thank you
Having recently completed a transformative summer fellowship with ITEP at Northern Arizona University, I'd like to explain why this opportunity is a powerful choice for those looking to deepen their understanding and make a meaningful impact in tribal communities through climate justice work.
During my internship, I collaborated closely with the Indigenous Education Liaison at CAVU, my host site, and engaged in several impactful projects. These projects included developing a new climate justice curriculum and conducting educational training sessions, workshops, and presentations. The summer was incredibly dynamic and educational. Additionally, my involvement with CAVU provided me with access to various climate justice conferences, both organized by local tribes and dedicated to addressing the needs of local tribes. These conferences offered valuable opportunities to establish new connections and broaden my awareness of both local and global climate challenges and potential solutions.
ITEP's internship program is not only a chance for personal growth but also a platform for building enduring connections. It brings together interns and professionals with diverse perspectives on climate justice, representing various backgrounds and academic disciplines. Together, we shared our experiences, exchanged ideas, and nurtured our dreams. The mentorship I received during this journey was priceless; it didn't just provide technical insights but also offered guidance on becoming a more effective advocate for environmental justice within Native grassroots, academic, and governmental contexts.
Nizhoni Tallas, Diné
San Diego, California 2022
Yá'át'ééh my name is Nizhoni Tallas and I'm from Rough Rock, Arizona. I'm pursuing my Ph.D. program within the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona. I’m a current Indige-FEWSS trainee. I graduated from Virginia Tech with my Bachelor's degree in Natural Resources and Conservation. I'm also an American Indian Science and Engineering Society Sequoyah Fellow and a past Udall Scholar. My research interests include community-based outdoor recreation and land management practices with the integration of Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge. As the Climate Science Alliance Climate Resilience Intern, I continued my involvement with native plant propagation training, contributing to the restoration guide, and forming connections with Indigenous peoples in Southern California. I hope to contribute to the work people have already done and develop new ideas. I’m enjoyed learning from community members and making new friends this summer. I plan to apply the new skills and knowledge from this experience to future collaborative research projects. Some fun things about me - I love the outdoors, traveling, coffee, and boba!
Hunter Wahpepah
Tribal Alliance for Pollinators
Bixby, Oklahoma 2022
Siyo, my name is Hunter Wahpepah. I am an avid outdoorsman pursuing a career in the environmental industry abiding by conservational efforts and sustaining ecosystems through a balance of Indigenous based knowledge and cultural preservation. The cultural significance of having a personal bond and spiritual relationship to the natural world is absent from today. My goal is to revitalize that significance. This can be verified by Cherokee and Kickapoo traditions that involve ecological practices, philosophy, architecture, and food intake. The process of hunting, foraging, comradery, and spiritual beliefs placed me in constant participation with the natural world. The revitalization of Kickapoo and Cherokee knowledge is an essential component of cultural preservation that can lead by example for the world. During this internship, I worked to improve the biodiversity of Euchee Butterfly Farm, grow native plants for restoration projects on tribal land, and teach tribal communities about managing grassland ecosystems to adapt to climate change.
Noah Comanche
Fairbanks, Alaska 2022
Hello, my name is Noah Suusbaa Houghten Comanche and I come from the Mescalero Apache Reservation, in Mescalero, New Mexico. I am attending Ruidoso Community College working towards a Fire Science degree. My stay in Alaska has me tempted to consider studying Indigenous Studies, Natural Resources & Environment, and Geological Engineering. This would allow me to study Indigenous ways, the theology of how they respected and maintained balance with nature, and how to invest into better implementing their knowledge and practices into the modern world. I worked alongside the Tanana Chiefs Conference in villages inside the interior of Alaska. They’ve fought for many years for the rights to co-manage their lands and have a say in what is being done on their homelands. We worked to take apart and rebuild a weir along the Yukon River in the Henshaw Creek, which is located near Allakaket, Alaska. The purpose of my internship was to get a hands-on understanding of the effects climate change has had on the lands.