College of Education Office of Community College Research and Leadership

Oliver Tapaha

Assistant Professor, Department of Education Policy, Organization & Leadership at Illinois

Dr. Oliver Tapaha is a citizen of the Diné/Navajo Nation from northeastern Arizona. His maternal clan is Naakai Diné’e (the Mexican People Clan), and his paternal clan is Hónágháahnii (The-One-Who-Walks Around Clan). Dr. Tapaha assists OCCRL by providing insights about tribal colleges and universities and tribal institutional review boards.

Dr. Tapaha has over 12 years of K-12 teaching experience in a locally controlled tribal school and two public school districts on the Navajo reservation. He also held director-level positions in student affairs and academic affairs at Diné College, and served on the President’s Executive Team and the Provost’s Council. Additionally, Tapaha served a four-year term as a governing council member for Six Directions Indigenous School in Gallup, N.M. During the last two years he was an elementary school principal in his home community.

Education

  • Ph.D., Education, Oregon State University
  • Ed.M., Education, Oregon State University
  • M.A., School Administration, University of North Carolina at Pembroke
  • B.A., Sociology, Elementary Education, Arizona State University

Research Areas

  • Indigenous knowledge systems
  • Indigenous leadership
  • Indigenous education sovereignty

Projects

  • Returning Adults

Professional Associations

  • Collaborative for Harmony, Empowerment, and Innovation Inc.
  • Diné Studies Conference Inc.
  • National Indian Education Association
College of Education Office of Community College Research and Leadership
2202 Kirk Drive, MC-672
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: 217-244-9390
Email: occrl@illinois.edu

Chicago Office

Illini Center
200 S. Wacker Drive, 19th Floor
MC-200
Chicago, IL 60606
Illini Center Website