Meet Our Faculty – SDSE

Rex Lee Jim’s clansare Kin {ich7i’nii nil9. T1chii’nii y1shch77n. Kin yaa’1anii dabicheii. Naakaii Diné dabin1l7. He is orginially from Ts4 Nitsaa Deez’1h7d66’(Rock Point, AZ). Ts4dild=’ii hooly4, 1kwe’4 k44hasht’9. He is the Dean of the School of Diné Studies and Education and the Executive Director of Navajo Sovereignty Institute.

PUBLICATIONS (PartialListing)

Saad L1 Tah H0zh00n:A Collection of Diné Poetry.Flagstaff: Salina Bookshelf, Inc., 2019. Duchas – T’11 K== Diné Belfast: Irish Press, 1999.

Saad. Princeton: LenapeYaa Deez’1, 1995.

Dancing Voices: Wisdomof the American Indian. Editor.White Plains Peter Pauper Press,1994.

!h7 Ni’ Nikisheegiizh. Princeton: Lenape Yaa Deez’1, 1989.

Living From Livestock: Range Management and Ranch Planningfor Navajo Country.Rock Point: Rock Point Books, 1984.

Naakaii Tahg00 T1zhd77y1(Capture by the Mexicans). Rock Point: Rock Point Books, 1981. Echo. Rock Point: Rock Point Community School, 1981.

Dr. Waylon Nakai Begay is Diné, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and an Assistant Professor in the School of Diné Studies and Education at Diné College in Tsailé, Arizona. He is Bįįh Bitoodnii Diné (Deer Spring People) born for Kinlichíi’nii Diné (Red House People). His maternal grandfather is Táchii’nii (Red Running Into Water People) and his paternal grandfathers are Tábąąhí (Water’s Edge People). He comes from Tséédildoo’éé (Hardrock), a small community located around the Shonto/Inscription House area in the western region of the Navajo Nation.

He holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees in English, Creative Writing – Emphasis in Poetry, and a Ph.D. in American Indian Studies from the University of Arizona – Emphasis in American Indian Education & Literature. His dissertation titled, Haane’ Bitsáádéé: The Process of Diné Education examines Diné (Navajo) students’ struggle with success in American mainstream postsecondary institutions. He writes poetry, short fiction, and has a collection of unpublished scholarly articles concerning Indigenous methodologies and Indigenous knowledge systems. Dr. Begay has published poems in Red Ink Magazine and has read his works alongside Sherman Alexie, Sherwin Bitsui, Luci Tapahonso, Ofelia Zepeda, Orlando White, and Laura Tohe. He was recipient of the University of Arizona Department of Women’s Studies 2006 Monique Wittig Writer’s Scholarship honorable mention award for his poetry. He has taught American Indian Studies and Navajo Language courses at the University of Arizona. He has also taught English and Creative
Writing classes at local tribal Tohono O’odham schools in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Begay executed research work in 2014 for the Navajo non-profit organization, Diné Hataalii Association. His teaching and scholarly activities are focused on American Indian education with an emphasis on higher education, American Indian literature, Creative Writing – poetry and fiction, Diné centered epistemology in education, Diné language revitalization, and Diné History. Dr. Begay seeks to further scholarship in the field of American Indian higher education and Multicultural education.

Roger P. Benally’s clans are Kin {ich7i’nii nil9, Bit’ahnii y1shch77n, Kin Yaa’1anii dabicheii d00 Naakaii Dine’4 dabin1l7. He is orginially from Ts4 Nitsaa Deez’1h7d66’(Rock Point, AZ). He hasbeen employed with Rock Point Community School for 34 years. As an educator, he has held different positions, including NavajoLanguage and CultureTeacher, Navajo ScienceTeacher, Navajo Curriculum Specialist, and being a Navajo Language and Culture Director. He started his employment with Dine College in the Center for Dine Studies in the Fall of 2012. He has taught NAV 101, NAV 102, NAV 201, NAV 202, NAV 211 and NAV 212. He received his BA in Elementary Education from Prescott College. He earned his M.A. degree in Leadership and Curriculum Instructions from Doane College, Nebraska.

Thomas P. Benally’s clans are Kin {ich7i’nii nil9, Bit’ahnii y1shch77n, Kin Yaa’1anii dabicheii d00 Naakaii Dine’4 dabin1l7. He is orginially from Ts4 NitsaaDeez’1h7d66’(Rock Point, AZ). He has worked at Rock Point Community School for twenty-eight years. He started out as a Reading Tutor back in the 1970’s. After that, he held various positions, to name a few: Navajo Literacy Teacher, Navajo Language Evaluator/Specialist, Navajo Language and Culture Specialist, Elementary Principal, and 4th Grade Navajo Language Teacher. Currently, he is the Diné Teacher Education faculty member. He has taught education coursesfor both the A.A. and B.A. programs.He has worked at Diné College for thirteen years now. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from Northern Arizona University, and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from Doane College, in Crete, Nebraska. He has been in education for over forty-three years.

Dr. Herman Cody is Tsi’naajinii, born for Naakai Dine’é. His maternal grandparent is Kinyaa’1anii, and his paternal grandparent is T0d7ch’7i’nii. He isfrom the Leupp area of the Navajo Nation at a place called Grand Falls. Dr. Cody is a former student of Diné College. He received his Associate of Arts degree in Recreational Leadership from the University of New Mexico, his Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and Master’s in Multicultural Education from Northern Arizona University, and his Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Supervision from Arizona State University. Dr. Cody is a military veteran having served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam era and has 30-years of experience as an elementary school teacher and administrator. He is an avid advocate for the revitalization of Diné Bizaad (Navajo language).

Dr. Denny’s clans are T0 dík=zh7 nil9, T0tsohnnii y1shch77n,, Ta’neeszahnii dabicheii, dóó Ts4n7jíkiní dabin1l7. He is originally from Hooshdódiitóó (Whippoorwill, AZ). He resides in Lukachukai, Arizona as a member of the Navajo Nation.

Navajo Traditional Educational background:

Hataalii, a Singer of the Blessing way/ Hózhóój7, Protection way/ Naayée’eejí, and T[’44j7 Hat11l, The Night Chant. A Hataalii holds the highest standard in the community practicing the Navajo Traditional Healing Ceremonies. These ceremonies last two, five and nine nights, Hat11lor Nahaghá.This skill as a healer is equivalent of being a Physician and Psychologist.

In promotion and preservation, the Navajo Language and the Navajo Culture Dr. Denny teaches a Diné k’ehjí Nahaghá Bínáhoo’aah over at the north Hogan. Learners are seated on the dirt floor singing and doing prayers of the NavajoCeremonial songs. This is a developmental course opened to the publicand the students for a certificate program.

He has also taught DEP 294 and 295 courses while employed with the Diné Policy Institute and has been involved with faculty development for new faculty. These courses also requireda field trip tosacred sites as an educational historical visit to Bears Ears Monument, Dinetah, and Canyon De Chelly. He has students organize their Nightway dancing and Fire dance group and go to local winter ceremonies and do their medicine.They would be announced and recognized as students from Diné College performing their dances. As member of Diné Hataalii Association. Inc. and as a President of DHA he has been teaching for over 40 years in the area of Diné Culture and Oral History.

He is also an active coachin the “Diné College WarriorHand Game Team” under AIHEC.He’s traveled with teams, teaching to be a spiritual advisor and as a supporter. There are many students who come to him for help with personal problems and as a holistic healer he intervenes and help resolve their problems here at the college.

Courses taught:

1.NIS 111 Foundation of Navajo Culture
2. NIS 220 Navajo Oral History
3. NIS 371 Navajo Philosophy
4. NIS 311 NavajoHolistic Healing
5. NIS 294 Diné Educational Philosophy (DEP)
6. PSY 111 Introduction to (Navajo) Psychology
7. PSY 340 Child and Adolescent Development
8. DNB 100 Ethics Training
9. DNB 101 Diné Spirituality
10. Navajo Herbology

Sharon James’s clans are Táb22h1 nil9 dóó Dzi[t[‘ahnii y1shch77n, Kin[ich’7inii dabicheii dóó Naakai Dine’é dabin1l7. She is from Dennehotso. Mrs. Sharon James, (Diné), is a new faculty member of the School of Diné Studies and Education at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona. She is an instructor of Bilingual Education, Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. She holds an Associates of Arts Degree in Elementary Education with Diné College. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Navajo Culture and Navajo Language with Diné College. She received a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from Arizona State University. She has also received a second Masters of Education Degree in ESL and Bilingual Education with an emphasis in Multicultural Education from Northern Arizona University. She is currently a doctoral student in the Leadership for Change program with Fielding Graduate University.

Mrs. James has a total of 10 years of teaching experience. She started her teaching career with Chinle Unified School District #24, where she enjoyed teaching and tutoring early childhood and elementary education students while serving as a mentor teacher to Diné College’s student teachers. She then ventured into administrative and leadership roles such as an English Language Learner Mentor Teacher with CUSD and eventually as a Dean of Students with Lukachukai Community School. This is her first year as a Faculty in Higher Education with the School of Diné Studies and Education with the Center for Diné Teacher Education and Northwest Teacher Education Program.

Mrs. James is also a hand trembler diagnosis apprentice under the direct supervision and guidance of her father, Dr. Anthony Lee, Sr., a duly certified and licensed medicine man practitioner – Hataalii, of the Dine Traditional Healing Science & Medicine. She is specializing in the preliminary diagnosis

– Deest’ii’ (crystal gazing) of patients who aspire traditional healing and a healthy well-being. She is also a traditional herbalist apprentice under the direct supervision of her mother, Delores Lee, a duly certified and licensed traditional herbalist. She intends to continue to learn traditional ceremonial practices, songs, and prayers to revitalize Navajo teachings, language, and culture. With a balanced integration and continuous learning of Diné and Western education, she aspires to empower, teach, mold, and guide Diné/Indigenous students, youth, and future generations to sustain and attain traditional knowledge, healing, and academic achievement.

Thomas Littleben’s clans are Ma’iideeshgiizhnii nil9. Bit’ahnii yáshchíín. Tábaahí dabicheii. Hashk’aanhadzohí dabinálí. . He is originally from Nikánídéé’ (Round Rock, AZ). He has been with the institution for more than 25 years. He teaches Navajo Language courses for the A.A. Diné Studies and B.A. Navajo language programs. He has been teaching Navajo language for more than 30 years at different levels of education. He has also taught for Tuba City School District for a number of years. He has been in leadership position as a Diné Studies Chair, and membership for Curriculum, General Education, Assessment and Academic Standard Committees.

Billi’ lizhinii Blackhorse Mitchell was born and raised on Palmer Mesa a place known by Diné People as Tse Dildo’ii above Salt Creek Canyon, New Mexico which is near the Colorado state line in Northern New Mexico. He is a Yei’ii Dine’I Tachii’nii born for Naakaii Dine’I. His maternal Grandfather is Hooghan Lani and his paternal Grandfathers are Ashiihi clans. He attended [Ignacio] Boarding School k-1/k-11 in Ignacio High School, Ignacio, Colorado. He received his academic degree from the Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1964. Returned to IAIA and received his FA in Literary Writing in 1966 then continued to attain his Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1978 from University of New Mexico College of Education. After teaching [14] year in Elementary school, middle school, he returned to UNM College of Education and received his Masters of Art in Secondary School minored in Classical Language in the area of Diné Language. To date he has worked in the educational field for 30 years and occasionally worked as Adjunct faculty at Diné College, Shiprock, New Mexico as well as other Colleges and Universities.

David Peter Nez is of the M2’ii Deeshgiizhnii born for T0dich77’nii. His maternal grandfather is Honagháahnii and his paternal grandfather is Kin Yaa’áanii. His mother and his siblings were orphaned as little children. David’s mother and her older brother were adopted by her father’s family and relocated to H1’has’t44l (Tselani-Cottonwood, Arizona, aka, Ts4 ligai deez’aahi) Her older sister was adopted by their maternal grandmother of the Chinle valley M2’ii Deeshgiizhnii clan. His mother’s economic subsistence was agricultural and pastoral in nature which provided him with related life experiences. She and her older brother chose not to attend school. They were traditionally raised by their paternal grandparents whom were medicine people, thereby my Uncle was groomed as a medicine man chanter, he made his living practicing the traditional Windway Ceremony.

They lived in a dirt floor hooghan without indoor plumbing nor electricity and slept on sheepskin bedding. These life experiences marks who he is. My personhood shaped by experiences of hardship and labor provided motivation and stamina, prayers at Dawn enhanced the needed work ethic and integrity to try harder than the day before.

David enlisted in the military service soon after graduation from High School although on the normative, people were going for higher education. He served 3 years of active duty in the U.S. Army in Germany and 3 years at Fort Bragg, NC. He gained the rank of Staff Sergeant, Senior Non- Commissioned Officer (NCO).When it was time for another tenure in the military, his mother heard of a possible re-enlistment, she intervened, stating her concerns according to traditional law. Upon returning in August 1980, David felt the need to search for a meaningful career, therefore he enrolled at Navajo Community College, and the military had only taught me war tactics and military leadership, he needed a real-time life future.

He transferred to the University of New Mexico, and attained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education in 1987. With his college degree, he was hired on with the Navajo Nation as a Management Specialist and made a career in executive management and governmental leadership positions, retiring early in 2014.

In the Fall of 2016, he was accepted to graduate school at the Navajo Technical University to study Diné culture, and language, and graduated in 2018 with a Master’s Degree. During and after graduate school, he taught 200 to 400-level courses related to Dine culture and leadership as an adjunct faculty.

In 2022, he began as full-time faculty for Diné College teaching and developing Navajo Nation Leadership Certificate program courses along with general education courses related to Navajo history, governance, and leadership. This position opened the door for greater research and collaborative learning.

T0hatch8, New Mexico is his home, he married into this community40-plus years ago. He and his wife have two daughters and one son. They are now both retired and taking care of livestock and land on behalf of their growing children who will eventually occupy this territory.

Mrs. Barsine Onyenedo is an enrolled member of the Navajo tribe located on the Navajo Nation, Arizona. Her clans are, Tó’aheedlíinii (Water Flows Together Clan), born for Tótsohnii (Big Water Clan). Her maternal grandfather is of the Áshįįhí (Salt Clan) and her paternal grandfather is of the Tsénjíkiní (Honey

Comb Clan). She serves as Lead Faculty for Early Childhood Education within the Center for Diné Teacher Education at Diné College promoting language and culture within the birth to third grade classrooms. She has also taught Dual Credit courses for high school students, associate of elementary education courses and, bachelor of Elementary Education courses. She is currently the Chair of the School of Diné Studies and Education providing program advisement services to SDSE students, manages faculty onboard monitoring/academic support, and program monitoring from schedules to program assessments. She also serves as the Faculty Association President, working towards strengthening faculty governance and ensuring that faculty voices are heard. She is committed to building internal/external partnerships across the academic realm. She stresses the role of instructional leadership, accountability and data-based decision making in meeting the needs of the Navajo Nation communities, its students and a climate of continuous improvement. Two thousand-twelve embarks her first year at Diné College as a fulltime faculty member. She has served ten years in teaching Higher Education.

Her educational journey includes earning her Associates of Arts Degree in Bilingual/Bicultural Elementary Education and Navajo Language through Diné College. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education with emphasis on Multi-lingual and Multicultural Elementary Education with Arizona State University. She received her Masters of Education Degree in Educational Leadership with Doane College and is currently working on her Graduates Degree in Educational Leadership for Change with Fielding Graduate University where she is at All but Dissertation.

Prior to her appointment at Diné College, she served as a kindergarten to 8th grade Navajo Immersion Certified Teacher, teaching eight years in the Navajo language medium for Tsehootsooi Diné Bi’olta’, a Navajo Immersion School in Fort Defiance, Arizona. She has taught Navajo language courses at Middlebury Institute of International Studies, has been a youth Navajo language instructor for Phoenix Indian Center, External ECE Reviewer for Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, private consultant for Navajo Transcriptions Inc, and Navajo Language Test Administrator for ALTA Language Services to mention a few. Her professional endeavors include being a AdvancEd/Cognia Team Reiewer to Navajo Nation and national schools, Fellow of Yale National Teacher Initiative, Fellow of Linguistic Society of America, Fellow of 4 Directions Leadership, President of the Navajo Language Academy, Board of Director for CoLang and a private consultant to Immersion/Bilingual Schools across the nation. Mrs. Onyenedo is a strong advocate for indigenous language and culture education.

Lawrence Sam (Diné) is a new faculty member of the School of Diné Studies and Education at Diné College’s main campus in Tsaile, Arizona. He is Honágháahnii born for Tó’áhaní. His maternal grandfather is Kinya’áanii and his paternal grandfathers are Kinya’áanii. He is from K’eełtsoitahdéé’ (Cornfields) Arizona. He is an instructor of Bilingual Education, Elementary Education and am a College Supervisor for Full-time Student Teachers. He holds an Associates of Arts Degree in Elementary Education from Diné College. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with an emphasis on Multilingual and Multicultural Education from Arizona State University. He then received his Master of Education Degree in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Principalship from Northern Arizona University.

Lawrence has a total of 15 years of teaching experience. He started his teaching career with Ganado Unified School District, where he taught middle school mathematics for five years. He then taught at Greasewood Springs Community School for another four years as he wanted to gain experience within the Navajo Nation Grant/Contract schools. In 2013, he began working with Window Rock Unified School District at the middle grades level. He then transitioned into administrative capacities by becoming the Director of Diné Culture and Language and eventually serving as primary school Principal. He is a first-year Faculty of Higher Education with the School of Diné Studies and Education with the Center for Diné Teacher Education and Northwest Teacher Education Program.

Vecenti de Gene Ortizio Juanajillo Alitizar – comes from the community of Lukachukai. AZ. Has been employed at Navajo Community College, and now Diné College for 34 total years.Became a Center for Diné Studies Faculty in 1995 and has taught as an Adjunct Faculty in English, Math and Physical Education throughout the years. Academic education includes: Master of Education – Bilingual Multicultural Education – Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ; Bachelor of Arts – Education – Fort Lewis College, Durango CO; Associate of Arts – Diné Studies, Bi-Cultural Specialist, Navajo Language, and Liberal Arts – Diné College, Tsaile AZ.

Credentialed to teach Navajo (Diné) Culture, Language, History, Nation’s Government, Traditional Knowledge, Applied Linguistics, Linguistics, Language Methodology, Language Acquisition, Morphology, Phonology, Syntax, Semantics/Pragmatics, and Discourse. Worked and provided assistance to the Navajo Community College, and Diné College to at-least 5 accreditation processes. Completed the Project Siih Hasin for the 2008 Higher Learning Commission Accreditation.

Provided Leadership and membership to the Student Learning Academic Assessment for more than 20 years. Been in the membership and leadership role for the Academic Standing Committee: Academic Standards, Curriculum, Distance Education, and the Arizona Languages Articulation Task Force (AzLATF).