Michelle Hale

Michelle L. Hale is Laguna, Chippewa, Odawa and a citizen of the Navajo Nation from Oak Springs, Arizona. As Teaching Professor of American Indian Studies (AIS), Dr. Hale teaches "Tribal Governance," "Building Sustainable Indigenous Communities," "Federal Indian Policy," the introductory course to AIS and a new course, "Indigenous Arizona," which explores the history and culture of Arizona's tribal communities.

Dr. Hale's research and writing focus on issues of community and economic development, community-based planning, government relations and leadership. At ASU she co-leads the "Environment and Human Well-Being" research team for the Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research (CAP LTER) program and serves as faculty for the Earth Systems Science for the Anthropocene (ESSA) Graduate Scholars Network. She represents AIS on the ASU University Senate and the College Senate for Liberal Arts and Sciences. She also serves as board secretary for the American Indian Studies Association (AISA).

In the community, Dr. Hale serves as board secretary for Native American Connections (NAC), a non-profit that works to provide affordable and transitional housing options and culturally-centered behavioral health services for clients in the Phoenix area.