Introducing the 2024 Mo’s Policy Scholars!!
Nine U of A undergrads were selected to work directly with expert researchers for this mentorship program named after Arizona Congressman Morris "Mo" Udall.
The 2024 cohort of Mo's Policy Scholars met at the Udall Center on Tuesday, August 26, 2024.
Nine undergraduate juniors and seniors at the University of Arizona have been selected as members of the second-ever cohort of Mo’s Policy Scholars.
Over the course of 14 weeks, each of these students will work closely with one of the Udall Center’s expert researchers and/or faculty members supporting a real research project currently in process.
This paid mentorship program – named for Congressman Morris “Mo” Udall, who served as a representative of the state of Arizona for 30 years – is an incredible opportunity for the selected students to get professional experience in environmental policy and Indigenous governance research.
Read on to meet the students that make up this year's cohort!
Jordyn Leith Bailess
Junior, Political Science & Global Studies (Double Major). Minor in Chinese Language.
Academic Interests: Collective action, collaboration with Indigenous governance, global cultural diversity and inclusivity.
“My dream is to find a profession in international diplomacy, where I can advocate for social and environmental issues worldwide.”
Mentor: Riley Taitingfong (Chamoru)
Jordyn Leith-Bailess and mentor Riley Taitingfong.
As a 2024 Mo’s Policy Scholar, Jordyn Leith Bailess will assist Native Nations Institute (NNI) Luce Foundation Postdoctoral Researcher Riley Taitingfong on a project intended to Field Test the CARE Criteria Assessment Tool for Indigenous Data Governance.
The CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance, published by the Global Indigenous Data Alliance in 2019, are a set of high-level guidelines that call on researchers and other data actors to ensure that all data collected concerning the knowledges, lands, cultures, and other information about Indigenous Peoples provide Collective benefit to the Peoples they concern, that those Peoples retain the Authority to control their own data, and that such data is gathered and managed Responsibly and Ethically.
Taitingfong has been developing actionable implementation strategies for the CARE Principles in her work with NNI, which Bailess will support during her tenure as a Mo’s Policy Scholar.
Leith-Bailess intends to work in international diplomacy in the future, focusing mainly on maintaining environmental sustainability and Indigenous Peoples’ rights through legislation. She says she is elated to be a Mo’s Scholar and is looking forward to the “real-world experience working on active research projects with professionals in the field.”
Caitlin Brady
Senior, Natural Resources Management.
Academic Interests: Water and climate change policy, science communication.
“I believe that I can bring advocacy and change to my state and others in water rights while prioritizing environmental justice.”
Mentor: Gina Gilson
Caitlin Brady and mentor Gina Gilson.
Caitlin Brady will assist Udall Center Research Scientist Gina Gilson on research related to decision-making in the Colorado River Basin. This will include projects that explore science-policy forums as well as the Drought Contingency Plans.
Growing up in Arizona, Brady saw first-hand the effect of climate change in her state, which she says sparked her passion for environmental law. She is specifically drawn to water policy and advocating for water-use change in arid and semi-arid areas like the desert in which she grew up.
Brady says she is excited to experience a mentorship program that allows her to work with real research professionals in her chosen field of study. She anticipates that this opportunity will allow her to gain valuable experience during her last year in college before heading to a graduate program.
“Problems are made together,” says Brady of her approach to this project, “but it is together that they are dissolved.”
Cara Buchanan
Senior, Environmental Studies.
Academic Interests: Non-extractive research for Indigenous cultural sovereignty, land rights protection, environmental justice.
“I believe that Indigenous sovereignty is key to the protection of vital land and human rights for Indigenous Peoples and all people.”
Mentor: Stephanie Russo Carroll (Ahtna) and Jewel Cummins
Jewel Cummins, Cara Buchanan and Stephanie Russo Carroll.
Cara Buchanan says that they are interested in Landback and Indigenous rights work “because of the way that colonialism harms people, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous.”
During their time as a Mo’s Policy Scholar, Buchanan will work with Udall Center Associate Research Professor and Associate Professor in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health (MEZCOPH) Stephanie Russo Carroll and Collaboratory for Indigenous Governance Graduate Research Assistant Jewel Cummins on their project titled, Revitalization of American Indian Food Systems: Enhancing Indigenous Climate-Smart Seed Biodiversity, Native Food Ways Preservation, and Indigenous Data Governance Repository Hub.
Buchanan says they are “excited to build relationships with community members and researchers, improve [their] understanding of Indigenous Governance, and support the production of a useful project.”
As they continue on their journey toward a career in environmental protection and education, Buchanan hopes that their work with Dr. Carroll and Ms. Cummins will inform and support their current work as an organizer for Indigenous rights.
Ellie Claw (Diné)
Senior, Criminal Justice Studies.
Academic Interests: Native American government systems to achieve sovereignty and cultural preservation.
“I want to inspire those around me to learn about Indigenous governance and learn more about what they can do to contribute to their government.”
Mentor: Ibrahim Garba (Karai-Karai)
Ellie Claw and mentor Ibrahim Garba.
As a 2024 Mo’s Policy Scholar, Claw will assist NNI Senior Researcher and MEZCOPH Assistant Research Professor Ibrahim Garba in his current project, Reconnect Data to Communities, which aims to ensure that Indigenous data remains connected, responsive and beneficial to Indigenous Peoples.
After graduation, she intends to work on preventing and reducing crime to make communities safer.
She hopes that her experience as a Mo’s Policy Scholar will provide her with valuable experience in Indigenous governance.
Trisha Jean Lane (Diné)
Senior, Environmental Engineering. Minor in Sustainable Built Environments.
Academic Interests: Public policy, Indigenous governance, the environment.
“It is vital to acknowledge the crucial role of environmental laws in safeguarding and promoting human health.”
Mentor: Gemma Smith
Trisha Jean Lane and mentor Gemma Smith.
Trisha Jean Lane is a first-generation college student from the Navajo Nation.
Her tenure as a 2024 Mo’s Policy Scholar will involve supporting Assistant Professor in the U of A School of Government and Public Policy and Udall Center Assistant Research Professor Gemma Smith on her project titled, Support Cities to Protect Human and Environmental Health.
The project takes a critical look at the presence of PFAs – or “forever chemicals” – in urban water supplies, and examines how local governments across the U.S. are addressing the regulation and governance of these chemicals.
Lane says that her family lacked access to “basic amenities” while she was growing up, which, she says, “inspired [her] to bridge environmental policies with Indigenous governance and advocate for sustainable and fair policies.”
After completing her undergraduate degree in May 2025, Lane intends to pursue a Ph.D. in environmental engineering so that she can build a career dedicated to “providing accessible, clean water to low-income, rural communities.”
Jack Miller
Junior, Public Management and Policy & Environmental and Water Resource Economics (Double Major).
Academic Interests: Water rights, immigration law.
“So much of our society is affected by the environment in which we live. In helping to shape environmental policy, I also hope to help everyone affected by environmental issues.”
Mentor: Adriana Zuniga-Teran
Jack Miller and mentor Adriana Zuniga-Teran.
Jack Miller hopes to one day become a lawmaker or litigator. He says that his experience working with Udall Center and Geography, Development and Environment Assistant Professor Adriana Zuniga-Teran will help him elevate his research skills and support his career path toward the legal profession.
Miller will assist Zuniga-Teran and Assistant Professor Gemma Smith in the project titled, Support Cities to Protect Human and Environmental Health, which aims to evaluate the regulation and governance strategies officials across the U.S. are employing in response to the increasing prevalence of PFAs (or “forever chemicals”) in municipal water supplies.
Miller believes that environmental issues should be at the forefront of policy change. He is excited to work hands-on with policy throughout his time as a Mo’s Policy Scholar, and to build on his previous knowledge of the legislative process and policy creation.
“As I see it, there is no better teacher than hands-on experience,” Miller says. “I am excited to work directly and on the ground with an expert in the field to learn more about water rights and how it relates to accessibility and equity issues while developing my research and writing skills.”
Alekzander Ryan
Senior, Sustainable Built Environments. Accelerated Masters Student of Urban Planning.
Academic Interests: Sustainable urban development, equitable access to third/green spaces, urban greening, heat mitigation.
“With my future goal of entering the urban planning and policy field in Tucson, I believe that this mentorship will provide me with a unique set of skills tailored to Tucson's environment that I could not receive elsewhere.”
Mentor: Ladd Keith
Mentor Ladd Keith with Alekzander Ryan.
Alekzander Ryan is passionate about environmental policy and governance. Specifically, he is interested in “connecting the environmental and social concerns related to heat to better understand how to create cooler and more equitable third (green) spaces for communities across Tucson and Arizona.”
As a current student employee of Udall Center Faculty Research Associate and Associate Professor of Planning in the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture Ladd Keith’s Southwest Urban Corridor Integrated Field Laboratory (SW-IFL), it was a natural fit to pair Ryan with Keith’s project, titled Explore Innovations in Heat Planning, Policy and Governance.
Ryan’s work on that project will involve exploring the emerging area of heat policy and governance in the U.S. – a perfect match for his interest in the social and health impacts of heat in southern Arizona.
Ryan believes that Tucson’s unique heat and water challenges, coupled with the demands of local rural, urban and Indigenous populations, make it a crucial place to study urban planning in relation to environmental policy and Indigenous governance.
Alyssa Wood
Senior, History. Minors in Adolescents, Community and Education; Southwest Studies & Business Administration.
Academic Interests: Understanding how current life was shaped by past events.
“I would like to inspire the next generation to care for Arizona and respectfully collaborate with its many communities, including Native Nations.”
Mentor: Caleigh Curley (Diné/Hopi)
Mentor Caleigh Curley and Alyssa Wood.
After graduating, Alyssa Wood plans to become a teacher who will “inspire the next generation to become informed members of the community that have a desire to effect positive change in the world around them.”
She says she specifically designed her degree program with the intention of being able to teach Arizona’s complete and true history. “This story is incomplete without knowledge of environmental policy and Indigenous governance,” says Wood.
As a Mo’s Policy Scholar, Wood will work with Indigenous Data Sovereignty Scholar and MEZCOPH Doctoral Student Caleigh Curley on research related to protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples to steward data pertaining to their citizens, cultures, lands and knowledge.
Wood says that she hopes her time spent as a Mo’s Policy Scholar will help her grow as a researcher, create new connections in the research community and increase her knowledge on environmental and Indigenous topics.
Ariada Woods
Senior, Environmental science.
Academic Interests: Agrivoltaics research.
“Policy is a gateway to making real change and impact in our world. With a passion for the Arizona community and environment I’ve been raised in and educated on, I strive to support work for a just and sustainable future.”
Mentor: Andrea K. Gerlak
Ariada Woods and mentor Andrea K. Gerlak.
Growing up in Arizona as an avid outdoorswoman, Ariada Woods has earned certifications in Wilderness First Aid and Leave No Trace ethics.
Woods says she is extremely interested in agrivoltaics research, which refers to the pairing of agricultural production and solar energy production on the same plot of land. As a former student of Udall Center Director and Geography, Development and Environment Professor Andrea K. Gerlak, Woods was a natural choice to assist Gerlak on her current project, Work on the Cutting Edge of Clean Energy + Agriculture, as a Mo’s Policy Scholar.
Woods is excited to mentor under a professional who can provide guidance, support, and valuable insight on projects that resonate and align with her own passions. She says she hopes her time in the Mo’s Policy Scholars program will help her develop a more comprehensive understanding of governance structures and processes.
Congratulations!
Mo's 2024 mentors and mentees on the Udall Center porch.
Congratulations to the 2024 cohort of Mo’s Policy Scholars! Stay tuned for updates on their professional journeys, and for the call for applications for the 2025 cohort next winter!