[SPOKANE, Wash.] --Spokane Colleges has welcomed Dr. Naomi Bender as the inaugural Director of Tribal Relations. In this executive leadership position reporting to Chancellor Kevin Brockbank, Dr. Bender will provide strategic leadership to help strengthen relationships between Spokane Colleges and the Indigenous tribes of the Inland Northwest region.
Initially, her top priorities are establishing a Tribal Advisory Board to advise on all subjects related to native students and their pathways in education, building sustainable relationships between the tribal community and Spokane Colleges, and developing a strategic working plan for her position and unit for the institution overall.
“As a tribal liaison between tribal governments, the Chancellor's office, and Spokane Colleges, this office looks at executive level commitment in areas of developing trusting and sustainable relationships that center respect of tribal sovereignty, pathways of support and success in education for tribal youth through adults, policy, and culturally centering curriculum and initiatives across systems that advances the knowledge, workforce, and humble skillsets of our Non-Native allies and friends,” said Dr. Bender. “I look forward to seeing how tribal leaders and community can help inform this position and unit as well as what's currently happening in our tribal communities where we may partner.”
Dr. Bender, an Indigenous Peruvian Quechua, brings over 20 years of experience primarily in Native Health sciences to this position. Prior to joining Spokane Colleges, she served as Director of Native American Health Sciences and the Director for the Center for Native American Health at Washington State University in Spokane, and in both roles, cultivated strong partnerships that provided support for indigenous-centered education. She co-developed the nation’s first Indigenous developed and instructed Indigenous Healing Perspective Certificate to help both Native and non-Native learners how to better serve Indigenous populations in health service areas. Dr. Bender also led the creation of the nation's first Indigenous-developed clinical health simulation exam room and now center, during COVID-19, earning national recognition and additional funding from Bank of America and Congress.
Dr. Bender holds a Doctorate in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, a Master of Arts in Communications, and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of North Dakota. She also earned an Executive Tribal Urban Planning Certificate from Eastern Washington University and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration. Throughout her career, she has emphasized the wisdom and guidance of tribal communities, which continue to inform her work and inspire her service.
About Spokane Colleges - Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College are part of Spokane Colleges, one of the largest higher education providers in Eastern Washington, serving about 20,000 students each year. Spokane Colleges provide higher education, early learning and corporate and continuing education services across a six-county region in northeastern Washington. Both colleges are accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.