Nominated by Kishan Lara-Cooper and the Child Development Department

After four intensive years of balancing academia with community service, Ellen will graduate in May 2020 with a double major in Child Development and Native American Studies with a minor in American Indian Education. Not only has she served extensively on campus as the Treasurer of the ITEPP club, an intern for the Department of Child Development, a mentor for the American Indian education program, a planning committee member for Big Time, and a member of the resurfacing of the Native Forum committee; but also she has been an invaluable asset to the local community.

Ellen was a major contributor to the publication of “Ka’m-t’em: A Journey Toward Healing” and was formally recognized in the acknowledgements section. This book included the testimonials of 27 local community members. Ellen actively participated in assisting community members in the process of publishing book chapters. She helped them to record themselves, transcribe their interviews, and translate them into written chapters. Ellen served as a mentor and leader of the Ka’m-t’em Youth Photography Project that dedicated an entire year to teaching youth the process of transferring generational knowledge through an image. Ellen and five local youth spent the weekends interviewing community members about local history, researching in the HSU library, and capturing Indigenous knowledge through photography chapters. Ellen was selected as the Ambassador of the Hoopa Valley Tribe. In this role, Ellen provided workshops and presentations in schools and agencies throughout the state on tribal history, cultural competence, and contemporary issues in child development. Furthermore, she was recognized for academic excellence as a Udall Scholar.

Ellen is currently working as a counselor for Two Feathers Native American Family Services. Ellen works with at-risk children ages 7-12 that have been referred to the program for suicide prevention. Each week, Ellen dedicates an hour to engage in a meaningful activity with each of her six mentees. Ellen will take her mentees to local events such as basket making classes, assist them with homework, play basketball with them in their backyards, or take them to a movie. In addition, Ellen has worked with the Yurok Tribal Head Start Program and 0-8 Mental Health Collaborative on observations and assessments; the Hoopa Tribal Education Association on summer youth program activities; the Tribal Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) on family events; United Indian Health Services as a counselor and mentor for summer youth camps; and within the local schools as an educator of cultural competency. Through her community service, Ellen has been able to apply key concepts of her programs in Child Development, Native American Studies, and American Indian Education such as social justice and equity into her work with children and families in the community.