Tribal Relations Advisory Group (TRAG)

Here’s a comprehensive look at the University of Idaho’s Tribal Relations Advisory Group (TRAG) members who actively engage with the Office of Tribal Relations, Student Engagement and Research (OTRSER) and MOU tribes. These individuals play a critical role in presenting research, fostering student engagement, sharing scholarship information and improving retention and success for Native American students.

University of Idaho TRAG Members

1. Dr. Vanessa Anthony-Stevens – Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, Health and Human Sciences
   • Indigenous Knowledge for Effective Education (IKEEP)
   • Center for Interdisciplinary Indigenous Research and Education (CIIRE)
2. Dr. Dianne Baumann – Assistant Professor, Culture, Society and Justice, College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences
   • American Indians/Native American, Race/Ethnicity, Social Change and Justice
   • Cultural Anthropology, Human Rights
3. Dr. Shawna Campbell-Daniels – IKEEP Project Director, Assistant Clinical Professor
   • Indigenous Knowledge for Effective Education
4. 4. Leanna Dann – TRiO McNair Achievement Director
   • Works with low-income, first generation and underrepresented scholars in graduate research-based studies
5. Lance Dick – Native American Student Center Recruitment Specialist
   • Role is to enhance enrollment, retention and overall student success
6. Dr. Chris Hamilton – Assistant Professor of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology
   • Engages through research presentations on environmental and scientific topics
   • Support Native students interested in STEM fields
7. Dr. Dylan Hedden-Nicely – Professor of Law/Native American Law
   • Sharing Native American law resources and promote Native student involvement in law programs
8. Dakota Kidder – Native American Student Center Program Coordinator
   • Responsible for designing, developing and implementing culturally responsive programming
   • Ensuring Native American students have success to the tools, mentorship and opportunities needed to thrive academically and personally at U of I
9. Steve Martin – Native American Student Center Director
   • Leads initiatives in partnerships, focusing on building relationships with MOU tribes and enhancing Native student retention through culturally supportive programming
10. Sarah Penney – Idaho EPSCoR Outreach and Communication Coordinator
    • Scholarship opportunities, student performance and retention support for Native American students
11. Shanny Spang-Gion – Visiting Tribal Scholar, College of Natural Resources
    • Biological Resilience for Indigenous Systems Empowerment (BioRISE)
12. Dr. Philip Stevens – Associate Professor of Anthropology, Director of American Indian Studies
    • Engage with Indigenous knowledge and culture as dynamic, vibrant, diverse, place-based and resilient

These advisors maintain close partnerships with the Office of Tribal Relations, Student Engagement and Research, and MOU tribes, ensuring a holistic approach to supporting Native American students. Through these efforts, they aim to improve student recruitment, retention and academic success while fostering strong, culturally aware relationships with tribal communities.