Lee Vasquez-Ilaoa serves as an American Indian Studies and English Professor and earned her PhD from the University of Oklahoma. A Mescalero Apache/Lower Brule Lakota descendant, she has special interest in environmentally-sustainable programming, community empowerment and increasing awareness of the sovereignty and resilience of indigenous women and Tribes.
As a Tribal Program Specialist, Lee collaborates with Tribal communities to identify goals and strategize ways to address present and future needs. Lee is also a Board Member of Gollapalli Charitable Foundation that focuses on alleviating poverty through education, clean water programs and economic development in underserved areas.