IHAWC


Indigenous Health And Wellness Connections

IHAWC's mission is to improve the lives of Indigenous people by providing service, strengthening community, and promoting health and wellness

About Us

Service

We recognize the importance of taking care of our relatives and believe that the act of service collectively benefits everyone involved. Service outwardly manifests the love that we have within and is the true heart of our culture.

Community

As a Native-led organization, we focus on strengthening community within Indian Country so that we can thrive together. Indigenous culture teaches us that we are all connected and that the success of the tribe/community and that of the individual reflect each other.

Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness is a key aspect of Indigenous life; physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional wellness are all key components when talking about health for Indigenous people. These elements of wellness are interwoven and thus must all be considered when approaching health and wellness in Indigenous cultures.

Our Mission and Our Purpose

IHAWC's mission is to improve the lives of Indigenous people by providing service, strengthening community, and promoting health and wellness

  • VISION for the future

    IHAWC aims to provide a channel through which medical devices and health and wellness systems might be made more available to Indigenous communities, clinics, and persons in order to augment the quality of life of Indigenous people. To provide service for a public interest in which health and healthcare may be improved, communities may be strengthened, and overall wellness is cared for.

  • IHAWC will be operated exclusively for charitable purposes of providing services to indigenous communities by improving healthcare, promoting health and wellness, and strengthening community. IHAWC will focus on Indigenous peoples, communities, and clinics in order to alleviate financial stress, provide means for alternative treatment, and care for the needs of our communities.

    • Wood Initiative
    • Food Drives
    • Washoe
    • Prayer Run

 

Our Allies

Board of Directors

Chase Hobson

Executive Director

Chase is Yurok, Hupa, Modoc and Klamath and is an enrolled member of Elk Valley Rancheria in Northern California. He attended Utah Valley University where he majored in Integrated Studies of American Indian Studies and Peace and Justice Studies with a minor in French. Chase is passionate about all things Indigenous and wellness, and believes that traditional values are key to achieving holistic wellness for our communities.

Jacob Crane

Chairman

You can find Jacob managing an online series called The Arrow’s Journey, which features young successful Indigenous people in hopes of inspiring the next generation through digital storytelling. Jacob is also an active board member for the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake and is the Executive Director for the SLC Air Protectors, two nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving Indigenous peoples in the state of Utah.

Meredith Little

Secretary

Meredith Little grew up in Page and Prescott, Arizona. She is a proud member of the Diné (Navajo) tribe. Meredith has 3 children and has resided in Provo for 14 years. She has a Bachelors degree from BYU in English and two minors in History and American Indian Studies. Meredith currently serves as the Coordinator for American Indian/Alaska Native Education for Provo City School District. As the American Indian Education Coordinator, she is in charge of overseeing the education and cultural preservation of over 200 American Indian/Alaska Native students in the Provo area (grades Kindergarten through 12th). Meredith and her family are happy to reside in Provo and she loves working at the school district level because it allows her to serve and highlight the voices of her Provo Native American community to the state of Utah.

Jeffrey Ping

Treasurer

He grew up in Hawaii and Georgia. He graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a Bachelor’s of Science in exercise physiology with an emphasis in program design. He then attended a Doctorate of Chiropractic program at the University of Western States in Portland. He worked in two chiropractic facilities in Portland as part of his training

Dustin Jansen

Board Member

Dustin Jansen is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. He currently works as an Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies at Utah Valley University, and is serving as the Director for the Utah Division of Indian Affairs. For nearly 13 years, Dustin has served in a judicial capacity for different tribal communities. Dustin has served as a tribal court Judge for the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, a Pro Tem Judge for Zuni Pueblo, and as a Hearing Officer for the Navajo Nation Office of Hearings and Appeals. Dustin received his Associates of Science from Utah Valley University, Bachelors in History from Brigham Young University, and his Juris Doctorate from University of Utah's SJ Quinney College of Law. Dustin currently lives in Provo, Utah with his wife of 19 years and their four children.