Meet our Faculty – SBSS

Michael Lerma, Ph.D. (P’urhépecha) was born and raised on the Central Coast of California. He is Dean of the School of Business and Social Science at Diné College. His recent research explores the efficacy of traditional Diné institutions of governance. His current projects involve the launch of a virtual business incubator and the creation of a data base to locate Missing and Murdered Diné Relatives within Diné Bikéyah. Lerma received a Bachelor of Arts in History from UCLA, a Master of Arts in Political Science and a Doctorate in American Indian Studies from the University of Arizona. His background in American Indian Studies and International Relations has benefited his work within academic institutions, where his research advocates for future Native Nation building via consolidation of Indigenous interests and the expansion of Native Nation control of norms within the international political economy. He is author of Indigenous Sovereignty in the 21st Century and Guided by the Mountains. He spends his leisure time with his best friend and spouse Adrian.

Yá’át’ééh. Dóone’é nishlínígíí éí Táchii’nii nishlí, Bilagáana báshíshchíín, T’ó’aheedl’ííníí dashicheii, Bilagáana dashinálí. My name is Christine Ami and, as a faculty member of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, I teach Anthropology, History, and Indigenous Research Methodologies and Methods. I hold a B.A. in Spanish and Foreign Language Education (Rowan University) and a M.A. in Latin American Literature – emphasis in Colonial Studies (University of Maryland, College Park). I received my doctoral degree in Native American Studies with an emphasis in Diné Studies, Animal Studies and Decolonial Studies at the University of California, Davis. My research investigates the nuances of traditional butchering of sheep throughout the Navajo Nation. These variations also correspond with the various approaches to inherent Diné decolonizing practices, which I analyze throughout my dissertation, “Díí jí nída’iil’ah : A Study of Traditional Navajo Butchering.” Additionally, as the Navajo Cultural Arts Program (NCAP) Grant Manager at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, I am responsible programing associated with the Navajo Cultural Arts Certificate Program, the Navajo Cultural Arts Apprenticeship Program as well as various cultural arts lectures and workshops offered throughout the year. For more information about the NCAP, please visit www.navajoculturalartsprogram.org.

Random Fact:
My favorite animals are . . . . Furs! I pretty much love all kind of animals, especially our puppies, Achilles, Aries and Stubby.

Class Offerings:
SSC110: General Social Sciences
ANT111: Cultural Anthropology
ANT201: Ethnographic Methods
ANT225: Indians Of the United States and North America
HST201: Colonial Latin American History
HST234: History of Native Americans
HST245: History of the American West

Biography:
My name is Bruce Bradway. As a faculty member of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, I teach select Psychology courses. I am originally from Indiana, but became a vagabond when I joined the Air Force after receiving my B.A. in English (Wabash College). I spent twelve years in the service and during that time was able to earn an M.A. in Psychology, Guidance and Counseling (University of Northern Colorado), and an M.S. in International Relations (Troy University – Wiesbaden International Campus). I served as a Medical Laboratory Technologist while in the service and earned an A.A.S. in Medical Laboratory Technology. I worked in medicine for 30 years and understand the nuances of disease and struggling for life. I bring this intimate knowledge of life and death to the classroom and that is why I emphasize positive psychology in my classes. My dissertation is entitled Correlates of Resilience Among American Indians in a Northwestern State. This is my second foray on a Reservation, I taught for ten years at Fort Belknap College in Montana, home of the Aaniih and Nakoda people. I am married to a retired Air Force Colonel (she was a 2nd Lieutenant when I married her) and we have been stationed and lived in 11 states (Texas X4, Ohio, Nebraska X2, California X2, Indiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Maryland, Montana, Iowa, and Arizona) and three foreign countries (Japan, Korea, and Germany). While in Iowa, teaching at Ashford University, I finished my Ph.D. in Academic Psychology (Walden University). I am delighted to be at Dine’ College and look forward to doing whatever I can to make my students a success in life.Random Fact:
I ran track in college and held a school record for 45 years. I enjoy lifting weights and pretending that I look younger than I am (because I feel like I am 35).Class Offerings:
PSY111: Introduction to Psychology
PSY 240: Human Growth and Development
PSY 241: Abnormal Psychology
PSY 250:  Social Psychology
PSY 291: Introduction to Counseling
PSY 315: Health Psychology
PSY 325: Psychology and Law
PSY 340: Child and Adolescent Development
PSY 355: Physiological Psychology
PSY 360: Drug Use and Abuse

Biography:

Yá’át’ééh. Shí éí Miranda Haskie yinishyé. Dóone’é nishlínígíí éí !sh88h7 nishlí, T[‘iz7[an7 báshíshchíín, Kin[ichiinii dashicheii, T0dichiinii dashinálí. My name is Miranda Haskie. As a faculty member of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, I teach the Sociology courses. I strive to provide the Navajo perspective through a sociological lens as I enhance student understanding of the sociology discipline. I hold a B.A. in Sociology (University of New Mexico), a M.A. in Sociology (New Mexico State University) and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Change (Fielding Graduate University). Currently, I am leading the sixth year of the Diné College Navajo Oral History project done in collaboration with Winona State University. To date, our students have captured 23 Navajo living histories that include prominent educators, artists and leaders on the Navajo Nation, long-time Diné College and Navajo Community College employees and the world reknown Navajo Codetalkers. I am happy to report that these Navajo living histories are archived at the Smithsonian Institute Museum of the American Indian, and the libraries of Diné College, Winona State University and the Navajo Nation Museum. I also lead an intercultural exchange in collaboration with Northampton Community College as my colleague and I work to achieve cross-cultural understandings that promote cultural diversity in the preparation of 21st century students.

Random Fact:
I enjoy photography and the study of geneology.

Class Offerings:
SOC111: Introduction to Sociology
SOC 205: Qualitative Research Methods
SOC 210: Deviant Behavior
SOC 215: Native Americans in American Society
SOC 225: Marriage & Family in a Changing Society
SOC 230: Racial & Ethnic Relations
SOC 275: Social Stratification

Biography:

Brian King teaches history and political science classes at Diné College. Besides the degrees listed above, Brian also received his secondary teaching credentials from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff in the 1990s and taught in Chinle, Arizona (among other places). Brian enjoys continuing his writing and research projects in his spare time. He is currently turning his dissertation into a book manuscript; the working title is Mystics, Radicals, Sinners, and Saints: Freedom, Rebirth, and the American West. Prior to his arrival at Diné college in 2013, Brian worked as a research assistant at the Center for Southwest Research at the University of New Mexico. He spent his last three years there researching and writing for the Chronicling America newspaper project for the Library of Congress. Prior to that, he worked for two years on the New Mexico Centennial Project digitizing primary source documents and images and providing supporting textual material for open access on the web.

Random Fact:
My favorite pastimes include motorcycling, meditation, hiking, camping, and being a dad.

Class Offerings:
HST 101: World Civilization I: to 1450
HST 102: World Civilization II: 1450 to present
HST 135: American History – Prehistory to 1865
HST 136: American History – 1865 to present
HST 245: History of the American West
HST 256: Southwestern Borderlands
POS 111: Introduction to Political Science
POS 181: Arizona Constitution and Government
POS 271: U.S. Constitution and Politics

Introduction:

Dr. Gregory I. Redhouse is from the community of Dennehotso, Arizona.He is of the Todich’iinii (Bitter Water) clan and born for the Bit’ahnii (Folded Arms) clan.

His maternal grandfather’s clan are the Tsenjikini (Cliff-dweller) and his paternal grandfather’s clan are the Kinlichiinii (Redhouse).  He is the proud father of three children: Haylei, Bradley, and Octavia.

Professional Background:

He has been a college professor since 1997 when Navajo Community Colllege (NCC) was transitioning to its current name, Dine College (DC).  In fact, Dr. Redhouse has been affiliated with NCC/DC for nearly three decades when he started as an undergraduate student majoring in Liberal Studies and a student-athlete with the 1991-1992 NCC Archery Team.  After earning his BA and MA from the University of Arizona, Dr. Redhouse returned to DC’s Tsaile campus to teach from 1997 to 2007; including the summers of 2009, 2010, and 2011.  He also coached the DC Archery Team from 1999 to 2007.

A few years ago, Dr. Redhouse was contacted by Dine College to help provide instruction for online courses pertaining to the Navajo Nation Leadership Certification program.  By the summer of 2017, he was hired as an adjunct faculty member and began teaching online courses.

His academic background consists of a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, a Masters degree in American Indian Studies w/a concentration in Federal-Indian Law and Policy, a second Masters degree in Higher Education, and a Ph.D. in American Indian Studies with a focus in Native Nation-building.  Dr. Redhouse has also instructed a variety of courses at other institutions: Tohono O’odham Community College, Pima Community College, Navajo Technical University, and the University of Arizona.

His work experience with a diverse student population is significant, at both tribal and mainstream institutions, by catering to people of different cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, genders, and disabilities.  He is a U.S. Marine Veteran who benefitted from the Montgomery G.I. Bill and earned his Ph.D. after successfully defending his dissertation “The University Experiences of Post-9/11 Native American Veterans: Strategic Support for Inclusion, Retention, & Success.”  And for the past two summers, he has volunteered with the University of Arizona to provide lectures upon “American Democracy during the Civil War.”  This was a collaboration with the Warrior Scholar Project (WSP) based out of Washington D.C. and was a week-long seminar sponsored by the Warrior Scholar Organization and the University of Arizona’s Veterans Education & Transition Services (VETS).  The overall goal of this seminar was to assist veterans transitioning from the military environment to the university environment.

Favorite Courses:

Dr. Redhouse’s academic interests include courses that impact indigenous populations, addressing indigenous language revitalization, exploring tribal histories and cultures, assessing humanity’s relationship to geographic landscapes, and developing a relevant and meaningful curriculum for students interested in Native Americans.  Much of his current work involves economic development and Native Nation-building.  This means the economic courses being developed will reflect a balance between mainstream society and non-mainstream society. The economic courses will continue to focus upon Tribal Economic issues.  In addition,  economics is about the study of people and their choices, wealth and people, the business of life, weighing your options with limited resources, decision-making, and problem solving.  Therefore, in order to fully understand how we can make better decision for the future, DC’s economic courses will reflect the cultural values of Navajo society and embedded within the philosophy of Sa’a Naaghai Bik’eh Hozho (SNBH).  In essence, it is a “life pathway” that reflects balance, strength, kinship, and a connection to the land (home).  As Dr. Redhouse develops new courses within the School of Business & Social Science, he strives to promote, maintain, and preserve the cultural integrity of Navajo society. This means incorporating culturally-inclined Navajo elders and entrepreneurs into the curriculum so they can re-introduce traditional and sustainable methods of living and to explain how the Navajo people understand and respect their relationship to the land. This cultural concept of being connected to the land extends beyond political boundaries because Navajo cultural homelands stretch beyond reservation boundaries.  Dr. Redhouse’s other research interests include the experiences of Native American Veterans and indigenous populations as an internal resource for the U.S. Military.

Hobbies:

Dr. Redhouse is an avid archer and enjoys training his children for future archery tournaments. He grew up with a ranching and farming background in the community of Dennehotso and is eager to return to a self-sustaining lifestyle so that he can continue to teach his children the value of hard work and to appreciate the fruits of their labor.  Other times, he enjoys working on his vehicles, exercising in the weight-room, hiking with his children, and watching movies filled with sci-fi, action, and comedy.

Advice to Students:

At the end of each lecture, Dr. Redhouse will often express to his students: “Moderation is the key word, pace yourselves…and make sure you have a plan…including a contingency plan.”

As a Veteran, Dr. Redhouse was instilled with the Marine Corps motto: “Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome” obstacles.

As a Navajo, he was instilled with Navajo values: “T’aa hwo ajit’eego t’eiya” (only you can take the initiative).