Isabella Bourtin

Isabella Bourtin (she/her) is a junior at Rice University majoring in Health Sciences. As a Native American student, she is deeply committed to research that centers Native voices and lived experiences, particularly in the areas of substance use, intergenerational trauma, and mental health. She has worked on community-based projects addressing substance use among Native mothers, and is currently involved in research that uses oral histories to explore culturally grounded narratives around healing and resilience.

In addition to her research, Isabella has helped organize a Native Youth Advisory Board, which is aimed at making mental health care more inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the needs of Native and Indigenous youth. She believes in the power of storytelling, community collaboration, and youth leadership as tools for change. Her long-term goal is to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology and work in partnership with Native communities to address mental health and substance use disparities through both evidence-based research and culturally rooted care.