Dezi Lynn, Diné (Navajo)

Educator Initiative Manager, National Indian Education Association

Dezi Lynn is originally from Coppermine, Arizona and a member of the Diné Nation. Dezi started teaching Special Education in an elementary school in her hometown of Page, Arizona after graduating with her B.A. in Spanish/English Literature. This teaching position in a district serving a large population of Diné students motivated Dezi to obtain a Master of Education in Mild/Moderate Special Education focusing on Indigenous Epistemologies. After teaching in Arizona and Alaska, Dezi relocated to Utah and began teaching as an adjunct instructor at Utah Valley University in the English and History departments. She also obtained experience as a Project Manager with statewide educational technology implementations in Idaho and Utah. She is currently working on a doctoral degree at Fielding Graduate University focusing on reconciling the social injustices of the education system and empowering indigenous educators.

Dezi joins NIEA to support the Educator Initiative. In this role she will help lead our efforts to develop innovative strategies to recruit, train, and retain teachers to empower Native students. Dezi believes in the importance of having our epistemologies recognized and implemented for our children by the teachers that serve them. We also need those same epistemologies respected by the institutions that train and license these educators. Her work will encourage this in districts and institutions. She currently resides in Utah with her five children.

Dezi Lynn