Bridging Culture and Curriculum: Teaching with a Native Lens for Stronger Communities

Hi! I am Dr. Casie Wise, the Education Specialist for the National Indian Education Association. I have over 20 years of classroom, leadership, and consulting experience. My specialty is in culture-based curriculum and pedagogy, professional development for educators, best practices in assessment, and educational research.  Including twelve years of teaching middle and high school ELA in the United States and abroad, I have also served as a K-12 school support director, instructional coach, core advocate for Tennessee, literacy advisor, and education consultant.  My current role includes managing grants for developing curriculum and instructional resources, cultivating partnerships with other education organizations, and providing professional development and oversight for our Educator Initiative.  

I live in my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, with my husband, who is a retired Navy veteran, and my son and daughter.  I have a BSE in Secondary English Education from John Brown University in Arkansas, an MA in Teaching English as a Second Language, and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instructional Leadership both from the University of Memphis. 

Helen Thomas is a Hunkpapa Lakota educator, professional learning expert, and writer originally from North Dakota. An enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, she currently serves as Professional Learning Manager for the National Indian Education Association. Helen has worked as a classroom teacher, Native American student achievement specialist, and most recently as the Professional Learning Coordinator for the Office of Indian Education at the Arizona Department of Education. Helen has a bachelor's degree in economics and public policy from Dartmouth College, a master's in Elementary Education from the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, and a master's in Indigenous Education from the School of Social Transformation at ASU. Helen is passionate about creating learning opportunities that center the strengths of Native students and nations and has led workshops for national audiences on this topic.