Spokane Colleges appoints first-ever Director of Tribal Relations to strengthen local indigenous partnerships | News [Video]

SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Colleges has created its first-ever role of Director of Tribal Relations in the education establishment’s history.

The role is being filled by Dr. Naomi Bender, who has over 20 years of experience in Native Health sciences. Dr. Bender is an Indigenous Peruvian Quechua.

She previously served as Director of Native American Health Sciences and Director of the Center for Native American Health at Washington State University (WSU).

Dr. Bender co-developed the first Indigenous developed and instructed Indigenous Health Perspective Certificate in the nation, aimed at helping both native and non-native learners how to better serve Indigenous populations in the area of healthcare.

According to Spokane Colleges, Dr. Bender’s top priorities will be to create a Tribal Advisory Board that will advise native students and their education journeys, build long-lasting relationships between local tribal communities and Spokane Colleges and develop a goal-oriented working plan that provides metrics …