I am a citizen of the Navajo Nation and my family is from the Forest Lake area of Black Mesa, Arizona and I also grew up in Farmington, New Mexico. I am of the Bitter Water Clan born for the Anglo clan; my maternal grandfather’s clan is Many Goats and my paternal grandfather’s clan is Anglo.
While attending my tribal high school, Navajo Preparatory, I had the opportunity to attend a boarding school in Massachusetts called Cushing Academy where I ended up graduating from. Attending these two schools shaped my personal and professional outlook on indigenous and western education. My family and tribal school molded me with cultural knowledge shaping my core values and Cushing provided a pre-college preparatory experience. Basketball and volleyball were a big part of my life growing up and I ended up playing on the first Women’s Varsity Volleyball team at Dartmouth College.
HS Teaching: While at Dartmouth I also took several classes in the Education Department under Professors Andrew Garrod and Robert Binswanger. In my junior year I was awarded a Rockefeller Brothers Fellowship which encouraged underrepresented minorities to pursue a career as a teacher and provided a grant to pursue a Master’s in Education. After four years of college life on the east coast, I missed home and returned to New Mexico to begin my teaching career at the newly formed Native American Preparatory School located in Rowe, NM (as an aside, NAPS is where I met Dr. Whitney Laughlin, who was the college counselor and founder of College Horizons at NAPS). After a few years of teaching, my fellowship helped nudge me back into school. I earned a Master’s of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education creating my own individualized program combining courses in Administration, Planning and Social Policy and Teaching and Learning. Following graduate school, I took a position at my high school alma mater, Cushing Academy and returned to the classroom to hone my teaching and get administrative experience.
Higher Ed. Administration: My next career jump was into higher education administration. From 2003-2008, I served as the Executive Director of the Harvard University Native American Program overseeing the operation of a university-wide Interfaculty Initiative which focused on indigenous recruitment and student support services; interdisciplinary teaching and research projects on Native issues; and community outreach. While there, I also served as a member of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Committee on Ethnic Studies, The Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations, Admissions Reader for the Harvard Kennedy School’s Master’s of Public Policy, and a Reader and Site Visitor for the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development’s Honoring Nations Program. While at HUNAP, I reconnected with Dr. Whitney Laughlin; we helped co-host the College Horizons at Harvard Programs in 2005 and 2007.
College Horizons: After spending almost twenty years on the east coast, I longed for home and wanted to raise my children closer to family and to Navajo homelands. In 2009 I assumed the directorship of College Horizons. I felt this was a great professional opportunity that combined my love of teaching high school students with my higher education work in admissions, student services, and teaching and research. I also took to heart the philosophy of Nation Building and wanted to directly serve students, families and Tribal communities.
Volunteer: I volunteer my time at my kids school as a “Band Mom,” and with the Native American Parent Association. I also volunteer with the Native American Visiting Committee at Dartmouth.
Favorite Books: The Scythe series and Unwind Dystology by Neil Schusterman; Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr; Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger; Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis Series, Light in August by William Faulkner; and I now enjoy getting book recommendations from my teenage kids.
Favorite Movies: Star Wars; Hayao Miyazaki’s Mononoke Hime; captivating dramas/mysteries like Endeavour or Agatha Christie’s Poirot Series with David Suchet.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time? I enjoy cheering on my boys at their sports and activities, taking care of my garden, and when I get down time I like to go for walks or read.
Favorite Memory from a College Horizons program: This is hard, I have too many favorite memories! Overall, I love the moment when we come together as one community who care about one another’s well-being. When students and faculty have mutual trust and respect. When friendships blossom and students are smiling, laughing and joking. When students walk around campus confidently claiming spaces. And on the final night, I love when everyone lingers around the common rooms hanging out past midnight just enjoying one another’s company and there I am trying to shoo them back to their rooms at 2 in the morning to pack their luggage!

Bio: Mikaela Crank is from Dennehotso, Arizona, born for the Towering House and Folded Arms clans, with grandfathers of the Salt and Red House clans. As the Scholars Program Director for College Horizons, she brings 18 years of experience building culturally grounded college access and student support systems across Native communities. Drawing on her background as a former Assistant Director of Admission at Stanford University and leadership across public, private, and tribal education sectors, she specializes in demystifying selective admissions and building empowering, culturally aligned university pathways for Indigenous youth. Committed to equity leadership and continuous growth, Mikaela has recently served on the Bates College Counselor Advisory Board and We Are Healers Board of Directors, and completed the NCAN Leading for Equity program.

Favorite Books: Anything by Louise Erdrich!

Favorite Movies/Shows: Legally Blonde, Shrinking, and documentaries 

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Spending time with family in Arizona and New Mexico 

If you could have dinner with any fictional character or celebrity, who would it be? Oprah or Michelle Obama

Favorite Memory from a College Horizons program: Directing three College Horizons programs at Notre Dame, Northwestern, and UC Berkeley has been one of the greatest privileges of my career, but what makes that journey truly special is the full-circle moment unfolding now –  returning to host College Horizons at Stanford University in 2027 after leaving my role at Stanford in 2016 is a powerful testament to our resilience for expanding Native youth pathways.

Bio: Christine Suina is from Cochiti Pueblo, New Mexico, and has been a beloved part of the College Horizons community for more than 25 years. Her College Horizons journey began in 1998 as a volunteer, and in 2004 she officially joined the team as a program assistant and office manager. She proudly jokes that she is the “OG” of College Horizons—and with more than 30 programs under her belt, she has the memories and stories to prove it!

Christine brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to supporting Native students and communities. Before joining College Horizons, she worked with organizations including the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos’ Talent Search Program, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), and the Daniels Fund. Her years of experience have given her a unique perspective on the importance of creating opportunities, building community, and helping students see what is possible for their futures.

A graduate of Colorado College with a B.A. in Anthropology and a minor in Southwest Studies, Christine has always been passionate about culture, education, and community. At College Horizons, she has played an important role in creating the welcoming, energetic, and supportive environment that makes our programs so special.

Outside of work, Christine enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, baking, and crafting with her daughter and sister. She is also a proud mom whose daughter recently graduated from college—a milestone that makes her especially proud. Christine is also an elected school board member for Bernalillo Public Schools.

Favorite Books: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Favorite Movies: Whale Rider, Pump up the Volume, To Sir, with Love

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Spending time with my family, cooking, baking and crafting with my daughter and sister.

If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be? Ted Lasso

Favorite Memory from a College Horizons program: With decades of College Horizons memories, Christine still finds new reasons to celebrate the creativity and talent of students and faculty. One favorite memory is the 2018 UPenn program, where students and faculty came together to create the unforgettable “Flawless (Remix)” video. For Christine, it perfectly captures the magic of College Horizons: bring talented people together, give them space to create, and something remarkable happens.

WATCH VIDEO on Facebook.

College Horizons, Ooww!

Bio: Amelia is from Acoma and Santo Domingo Pueblo, New Mexico. She is a 2008 and 2009 College Horizons and 2014 Graduate Horizons alumna. Amelia started working for College Horizons as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in 2014 before she joined the staff full-time in 2016. She heads application processing for College Horizons and she currently sits on the College Advisory Board for Colorado College. 

Favorite Movies/Shows: Mean Girls, Alice in Borderland, The King Eternal Monarch, Gilmore Girls, This is Us and many k-dramas!

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Spending time with my family and being a “dog sister” to our Pomeranian-Maltese mix! Music is my passion and getaway in life, so I enjoy traveling for concerts, collecting albums and dancing to choreographies. I also like to run and train for 5K races, and my guilty pleasure is binge watching Netflix shows!

If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be? Sung Deok Mi from Her Private Life or Jack Pearson from This is Us. 

Favorite Memory from a College Horizons program: I will always remember my first College Horizons program as both CH staff and a faculty member (counselor). It was very different from when I participated as a student, so seeing the program from behind the scenes and how it all comes together was a great experience for me! I was assigned to Small Group #4, and I will never forget our amazing small group leader, faculty and students I worked with at that program. It was my first glimpse into the current journey I’m in now and I couldn’t ask for a better group to start it off!

Bio: Yá’át’ééh shik’éí dóó shidiné’é! Kendall Harvey yinishyé. Tódich’íi’nii nishłį́. Áshįįhí bashishchiin. Kinyaa’áanii dashicheii áádóó Tó’aheedlíinii dashinalí. Ákót’éego diné nishłį́. Dziłná’oodiłiidéé’ naashá, ndi Bee’eldíídahsinildi kééhasht’į́. Ahéhee tʼáá ánółtso. Baa ahééh nisin.

Kendall is a 2013 College Horizons and 2019 Graduate Horizons alumnus. After completing three internships with College Horizons, he joined the staff full-time in 2020. Having experienced firsthand the impact that College Horizons can have on Native students, he is passionate about giving back to the program and helping create those same opportunities for the next cohort of CH students.

In his current role, Kendall leads national recruitment and outreach efforts, building relationships with high school counselors, tribal education departments and Native-serving programs to connect Native students with College Horizons. He also supports the planning and implementation of College Horizons and mentors the program interns.  Kendall is committed to uplifting INDIGENOUS EXCELLENCE and expanding pathways to higher education for Native students.

Kendall is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Native American Studies at the University of New Mexico. His graduate studies deepen his understanding of Indigenous communities, nation building, and the educational journeys of Native students–knowledge that he brings back to his work with CH.

He also hosts the College Horizons podcast, interviewing CH/GH alumni about their college and career pathways.

Favorite Artists: Missy Elliott, Beyoncé & Omar Apollo

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Playing volleyball, reading, and creating playlists. Above all, I love spending time with family and close friends.

If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be? Raven Baxter from my #1 childhood show, That’s So Raven!

Favorite Memory from a College Horizons program: I attended the 2013 College Horizons program at New York University. My favorite memory was walking the New York City streets between sessions. It was my first time in NYC and on the east coast. I was feeling my indie coming-of-age film fantasy walking around downtown Manhattan as the group walked from the dorms to Bobst Library to our small group room on Waverly Place. The whole experience provided me with the assurance that I, as a kid from the rez, could make it in the Big Apple.

Bio: Taneya Garcia is from Santa Ana and Acoma Pueblo. She received her
undergraduate degrees in Anthropology and Ethnic Studies from Lawrence University in 2022. Taneya is a 2017 College Horizons alumna and she interned with CH during 2020 and 2021. She is the 2022-2023 Institute for Policy Studies New Mexico Fellow and completing her fellowship rotation with College Horizons focusing on advocacy and policy.

Favorite books: Wish You Were Here, Jodi Picoult

Favorite movies/shows: One Day at a Time, 

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? I am a weightlifter, so I spend a lot of my free time lifting heavy circles above my head and recovering from it. I also love running, hiking, long walks, cuddles with my dog Lola, and shopping.

If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be? 

Favorite Memory from a College Horizons program: When I attended College Horizons in 2017 at my alma mater, Lawrence University, one day at lunch time my small group and I were playing the game “what are the odds”. The “odd dare” I had to do was scratch my back like a bear on one of the pillars in the dining hall while everyone was having lunch. It was such an embarrassing, yet funny memory and every time I passed that particular pillar in the dining hall during my undergraduate years, I thought about that moment.