Meet Our Community Advisory Board!

Community Advisory Boards (CABs) are essential to our community-based participatory research methods.  CABs are groups of people from particular communities who meet with researchers to provide input and advice on research.  For our new Native Research Ambassador Program, we've created a CAB to help us make sure that we're addressing the needs of Native communities accurately and effectively.  So without further ado, meet our CAB!

Joshuaa Allison-Burbank, ABD, CCC-SLP is a Diné/Acoma Pueblo speech-language pathologist and Research Project Coordinator for the Culturally Responsive Early Literacy Intervention: American Indian/Alaska Native at the University of Kansas. He also provides mentoring and clinical supervision to trainees in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities interdisciplinary training program at the University of Kansas Medical Center. His clinical and research interests include community assessment and capacity building, parent coaching, culturally responsive teaching practices, and prevention of developmental delay in American Indian children. Joshuaa is currently pursuing his doctoral degree at the University of Kansas with an emphasis on neurodevelopmental disabilities and public health. Joshuaa is a lecturer for the KU Speech-Language-Hearing Department and holds an adjunct position in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program at the University of Vermont. Joshuaa has held several leadership positions recently including vice chair of the Multi-Cultural Committee (MCC) within the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and co-chair of the Native American Caucus within the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

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Joel Begay, MPH is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, originally from Shiprock, NM. He received his Master of Public Health in Hospital & Molecular Epidemiology and a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Infection Prevention & Control from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Joel was a Fellow with the Cancer Epidemiology Education in Special Populations (CEESP) Program through the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Research Associate at Michigan Medicine. His work has included breast cancer epidemiology and systematic reviews of clinical trials in neurological diseases, such as Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Joel recently joined the Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center at the University of Colorado School of Public Health as a Senior Professional Research Assistant and Data Analyst. His responsibilities include systematic literature reviews, data analysis, manuscript preparation, and grant writing. Joel’s interests include advancing health equity, strengthening health systems, and building public health infrastructure.

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Kelly Berryhill, MPH is an enrolled member of the Sac & Fox Nation of Oklahoma. She was recently employed by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center as a Tribal Prevention Specialist. Prior to this, she worked at the Center for American Indian Community Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center for 3 years as a research assistant. Kelly earned her Masters of Public Health with a focus in Public Health Management from the University of Kansas Medical Center in 2017. Through these experiences, she has been involved in research, education, and community engagement that target American Indian (AI) communities within the state of Kansas, as well as individuals from tribes across the United States. She has worked on projects and manuscripts that involve suicide prevention, breast cancer, Native identity, diet/physical activity and food insecurity.

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Marjorie "Chip" Bird Necklace is an enrolled member member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST). She was born, raised, and continues to live on the Cheyenne River Reservation where she has devoted her entire life to working with our tribal members and youth through education. She has worked as a CRST employee for over 30 years, including her current position as the Director for the CRST Title 1 Program; located in our tribal capitol of Eagle Butte, SD. As the Director, she serves as the direct contact with students and parents within the CRST K-12 school system. She also oversees parent involvement programs for the Cheyenne-Eagle Butte School (Eagle Butte, SD) and Tiospaye Topa School (La Plant, SD). Through her office, Chip also runs a summer program for students that provides educational support, cultural awareness camps, and overall healthy lifestyle education. she strives to emphasize the importance of understanding the connection between American Indian cultures, youth, and the health and wellness of our community.

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Cory Deer is a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, is the Director of Little Nations Academic Center (LNAC) on the Haskell Indian Nations University campus in Lawrence, Kansas. LNAC is an education-focused daycare center for the children of students, faculty, and staff at Haskell Indian Nations University. Cory has been one of our primary partners for four years, both in his role at LNAC and his role leading several sports teams for American Indian adults in the Lawrence community who are trying to stay active. He has extensive experience in community mobilization and communication in these roles and is a vocal advocate for the urban American Indian community in Kansas.

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Nathan Hale is a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (PBPN). He is the current director of the PBPN Boys & Girls Club and has worked with American Indian youth for nearly 20 years. Under his leadership, the PBPN Boys & Girls Club has developed a highly successful after school and summer program that provides an effective tutoring program, instruction and guidance in sport and physical activity, and American Indian cultural education programs. He has also implemented prevention programs that educate youth on the impact of alcohol, drugs, smoking, and bullying as well as coordinating with other PBPN tribal programs to provide health and wellness events for the community. Nathan resides on the Prairie Band Potawatomi reservation with his wife Jen, and three children.

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Lisa Little Axe, BS is an enrolled member of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation of Kansas and holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with Paralegal emphasis from Northeastern State University. She has worked at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) since 1997.  She is currently a Health Insurance Specialist in the Division of Financial Management for the Fee For Service Program. Lisa has oversight of 18 Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and serves as the lead for any American Indian issues within the Medicare Fee For Service program for the CMS Dallas Regional Office. Lisa has worked in several roles during her 22 years at CMS, these include serving as Deputy Director where she provided leadership in the management of the Medicare Advantage (Part C) Operations,  assisting in the development of the marketplace eligibility and enrollment process; serving as Special Assistant within the Center and Group level leadership team members, and working in the Medicaid managed care 1115 waiver program reviewing special populations, including American Indians. In addition, Lisa was the first American Indian recipient of the American Association of Health Plan Managed Care Fellowship, which is the national trade association for managed care organizations. Lisa has also held positions with the Indian Health Service Unit in Claremore, OK and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma Federal Claims Department.

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Priscilla Martin is a member of the Navajo Nation. She works for Central New Mexico Community College as a Human Resources Benefits Technician. Priscilla has worked in Human Resources for 19 years. She has previous experience at Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute, a small tribal community college, working with grants that promote teaching lifestyle skills to Native community members. Priscilla, herself, enjoys running and participates/volunteers in community races to stay active. Aside from working full-time, she is also currently attending classes at the University of New Mexico working towards a Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts with a goal to continue to an MBA degree. Priscilla resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her fiancé.

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