Instructional Leadership, emphasis: K-12 School Leadership (MEd)
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Category: Community

Amanda Aguirre: Building at the Border to Revolutionize Rural Healthcare

Beck Thomas | August 26, 2025

Former Arizona State Senator and longtime nonprofit health leader reflects on public service, policy wins, and the collective vision that’s transforming rural health in southern Arizona through quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare options like the San Luis Medical Mall and planned San Luis Community Hospital… Read more
A digital rendering of the planned San Luis hospital.

SHERC awarded 10th supplement to support data capacity

Heather Tate | December 10, 2024

The southwest region of the United States is a beautiful part of the country, filled with rich culture, incredible landscapes, and a strong need for health equity intervention. SHERC, the largest research initiative within the Center for Community Health and Engaged Research (CHER), specifically addresses health and wellness disparities through community-based research. … Read more

Now is the Time: Integrating and Reimbursing CHR Services within Tribal Health and Social Systems

llk73 | July 23, 2024

The CDC-funded CHRs WITH uS! (Community Heath Representative (CHR) Workforce Integration in Tribal Health Systems) initiative hosted a groundbreaking event on in May at Flagstaff’s High Country Conference Center. This first-of-its-kind conference, crafted by CHR leaders and allies, aimed to enhance rural and urban American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) health across Arizona… Read more
Chassity Begay of CHER networking with CHR leadership.

Improving Mental and Physical Health in Rural and Culturally Diverse Populations: Music as a Therapeutic Intervention

llk73 |

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted mental health, with one in six youth and one in five adults in Arizona experiencing a mental health disorder each year.1 In response, a team of researchers from Northern Arizona University (NAU) engaged with clinical professionals and Indigenous musicians to initiate a pilot project to evaluate the benefits of music-based interventions (MBIs) on mental and physical health… Read more
Research Assistant Craig Yarbrough speaking to peers.

Welcome, Baby, Smile! NAU professor uses art to bridge Native healthcare gaps

Beck Thomas | February 21, 2024

Early childhood caries (ECC), defined as one or more decayed, missing, or filled teeth in a child under the age of six, can affect children of all populations and backgrounds. However, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) has highlighted a concerning trend: ECC are four times more prevalent among American Indian children than among white children. This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need to address this disparity… Read more
An illustration of a pregnant Hopi woman in a field of corn. Illustration by Bre Taylor for the Great Beginnings for Healthy Native Smiles research project.