Michaela Paulette Shirley (Diné), MCRP, identifies with the Water Edge and Bitter Water clans, with her maternal grandfather from the Salt clan and her paternal grandfather from the Coyote Pass clan. She was raised in Kin Dah Lichii in northeastern Arizona on the Navajo reservation. With over ten years of experience in Indigenous planning, community development, community engagement, qualitative research, conference planning, and technical assistance training and workshops, she is now serving as the KSU Tribal TAB Program Manager. Currently, Michaela is pursuing a PhD in the UNM American Studies Department. She has a bachelor’s in urban planning from Arizona State University and a master’s in community and regional planning from the University of New Mexico. Her research interests include community development, youth engagement, community-school relationships, and Indigenous planning, particularly within Navajo studies.