Dine (Navajo Nation)
Caroline is Dine (Navajo) and an Arizona native. She is Tahneeszahnii, born for German people, her maternal grandfather was Tachiiini and her paternal grandfather was Irish. Caroline was born and raised in Tuba City, Arizona on the Navajo Nation.
Caroline received her Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Northern Arizona University in 2007 and her Masters of Public Health from New Mexico State University in 2013. Since graduating from NMSU Caroline has worked in a variety of settings and capacities within the field of public health. She has gained experience and expertise in Native American health, chronic health condition management, infant/child/adolescent development, healthcare capacity building, and health equity. She is experienced in program planning and implementation, strategic planning, program evaluation, and data analysis.
Her passion for infant and maternal health came from her own personal experience. After having an unnecessary c-section in 2009 to give birth to her son she looked into the possibility of a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) for any future children she might decide to have. She became very involved in being an advocate for breastfeeding and improved environmental factors to support breastfeeding success. Very passionate about her baby’s health, her interest in public health was born as well. In 2016, Caroline was blessed with a second pregnancy and continued her research in being able to have a VBAC. Under the care of a midwife in Flagstaff, Arizona in October of 2016 Caroline and her husband Kenny welcomed their daughter, Eliana, after a successful unmedicated VBAC birth. Following the collective experience of giving birth to both her children she has become a strong advocate for maternal rights and safety in giving birth.