Education
Portland State University
Portland, Oregon
– Master’s in Writing (Completed second year interning with The Fulbright Commission in London, England)
– Bachelor’s in English Literature
Residencies
Kimmel Harding Nelson Center, Nebraska City, Nebraska (2018) – Writer-in-residence
Hosking Houses Trust, Stratford-Upon-Avon, England (2017) – Fellow and writer-in-residence
Paris Lit Up, Paris, France (2017) – Poet-in-residence
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-Upon-Avon, England (2017) – Poet-in-residence
WISC (Women’s International Study Center), Santa Fe, New Mexico (2017) – Fellow and writer-in-residence at the Acequia Madre House
Literary Arts, Portland, Oregon (2016) – Writer in the schools (WITS) teaching artist and writer-in-residence
Fellowships
The Poetry Foundation’s Poetry Incubator, Chicago, Illinois
Fellow
Halcyon Arts Lab, Washington DC
Fellow
Teaching
Chemeketa Community College, Portland, Oregon
Visiting poet
The Loft Literary Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Poetry instructor, “Poetry Inspired By the True North”
Literary Arts, Portland, Oregon
Writers in the Schools (WITS) resident teaching artist
International Women’s Writing Guild Summer Conference, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Workshop teacher for “Crafting a Lucrative Writing Career”
Oregon Writing Festival, Portland, Oregon
Taught a workshop titled “Business Writing”
Politecnico, San Jose, Costa Rica
Writing Instructor
Sogang University, Seoul, South Korea
Writing Instructor
The Fulbright Commission, London, England
Led a year-long mentorship for students preparing to study writing abroad
Portland State University, Portland, Oregon
Graduate Assistant (taught writing courses)
Awards & Nominations
Peter K. Hixson Memorial Award for Creative Writers (2018) – First place
Regional Arts & Culture Council (2018) – Grant recipient
Willamette Writers Kay Snow Award for Fiction (2018) – First place
Potlatch Fund for Native Arts (2017 and 2018) – Grant recipient
Barbara Deming Memorial Fund Award for Poetry (2017) – Poetry recipient
National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) 40 Under 40 Awards (2017) – 40 Under 40 Awardee
Portland Story Theater Top Ten Pick of the Year (2016) – Selected as one of the top ten stories told of 2016 for “Indian Burns”
Pushcart Prize (2016) – Nominated by Smooth Stones Press for the poem “What the Body Remembers”
Oregon Art’s Commission Career Opportunity Grant (2016) – Recipient
Best of the Net Nomination (2016 ) – Nominated by Pidgeonholes Journal for the poem “Kenny, In Breeding”
Best of the Net Nomination (2016) – Nominated by Midway Journal for the poem “Full (and Upright)”
The American Business Awards (2015) – Startup of the Year, Bronze
The Golden Bridge Awards (2015) – Startup of the Year, Bronze
Eric Hoffer Book Awards (2015) – Honorable mention, poetry
Best of the Net Nomination (2013) – Nominated by Midway Journal for the poem “Speleology”
Pushcart Prize Nomination (2012) – Nominated by Ray’s Road Review for the poem “Speleology”
Nina Mae Kellogg Award (2005) – Award recipient
Editing Positions
Exclamat!ion: An Interdisciplinary Peer-Reviewed Journal, Exeter, UK (2017 – Present)—Creative Writing Editor
Airlie Press: A non-profit poetry publisher, Portland, OR (2017 – Present)—Poetry Editor
Bending Genres Literary Journal, (2017 – Present) – Associate Poetry Editor
Foreword Reviews (2016 – Present) – Poetry reviewer
Readings, Performances, Workshops & Speaking Engagements
Crazy Horse Memorial Summer Arts and Culture Program
Crazy Horse Memorial, Crazy Horse, South Dakota (2018) – Talking Circle Lecturer
Mother Foucault Bookstore
Point Circle Literary Journal, Portland, Oregon (2018) – Featured Poet
Potlatch Convening
Bi-annual Potlatch convening, Darby, Montana (2018) – Lecturer on current SEO best practices for indigenous artists
KBOO “Poetry and Everything” segment
Portland, Oregon (2018)—Featured poetry author
Association of Writers and Publishers (AWP) Conference
AWP Annual Conference, Tampa, Florida (2018) – Panelist on “Heads in the Cloud: A Consideration of Poetics and Technology, hosted by Submittable”
International Poetry Festival: Crossing Borders
Poet’s Arbour, Stratford-Upon-Avon, England (2017) – Workshop leader on Native American poetics
Plonk Reading Series
Corkscrew Wine Bar, Portland, Oregon (2017) – Featured novelist
Rhubarb Poetry Reading
Jade Lounge, Portland, Oregon (2017) – Reading from poetry collections
Many Voices of Women’s Fiction Book Club
Women’s Fiction Writer’s Association, virtual (2017) – Featured novelist for Q&A session with readers
PSA: Providing Service Through Art
Ford Gallery, Portland, Oregon (2017) – Reading from poetry collections
Writers of Color Literary Arts Reading
Literary Arts, Portland, Oregon (2017) – Reading from poetry collections
Unchaste Readers Series
Literary Arts, Portland, Oregon (2017) – Reading from poetry collections with other female writers
Yellow Dog Bookstore Reading
Yellow Dog Bookstore, Columbia, Missouri (2017) – Reading from poetry collections and novel
BooksOrBooks Reading
BooksOrBooks Bookstore, Las Vegas, Nevada (2017) – Reading from poetry collections and novel
Another Read Through Reading and Launch Party
Another Read Through Bookstore, Portland, Oregon (2017) – Launch party for The Wrong Kind of Indian
Hillsboro First Tuesday Art Walk
Balance 365 Fitness, Hillsboro, Oregon (2016) – Featured (literary) artist at city event
Lunch and Learn with Jessica Mehta: Native American Heritage Month
Metro regional government offices, Portland, Oregon (2016) – Keynote speaker
Night Circus, Lit Crawl
The Sentinel Hotel, Portland, Oregon (2016) – Closing performer reading poetry
Sauvignon Tongued Devils Spoken Word Night
Devil’s Den Wine Bar, Portland, Oregon (2016 – 2017) – Host for monthly event
Transmit Cultures Monthly Speaker Series
Portland State University, Portland, Oregon (2017) – Featured speaker discussing Native Americans in publishing
Ooligan Press’ Write to Publish Conference
Portland State University, Portland, Oregon (2017) – Panelist discussing diversity in the publishing world
Urban Teller’s Wordstock Edition Performance
The Fremont Theater, Portland, Oregon (2016) – Spoken word urban story telling performer
Berl’s Poetry Bookshop Reading
Brooklyn, New York (2016) – Featured poet with Ananda Lima and Emily Pryor
Wordstock
Portland Art Museum, Portland, Oregon (2015 and 2016) – Featured poet and novelist at the Northwest’s largest literary festival
JenningsWire Podcast
United States, (2015) – Featured author discussing “Make 6 Figures with Your Writing Degree”
World Outsourcing Solutions Podcast
United Kingdom (2015) – Featured author on “Work at Home Success”
Poetry Brothel
Dante’s, Portland, Oregon (2016) – “Poetry whore” for an international show offering an immersive, interactive poetry experience in a “bordello” environment where poets provide one-on-one intimate readings
Portland State University MFA in Poetry Spring Colloquium
Portland State University, Portland, Oregon (2016) – Featured speaker discussing how to make a living as a writer with an advanced writing degree
Mt. Hood Cherokee Summit
Portland, Oregon (2015) – Keynote speaker on what it means to be a Native American writer
Wilson High School’s Literary Event Festival
Portland, Oregon (2015) – Keynote speaker on being a Native American female writer
Unknown Words with Matthew Anderson Podcast
United States (2014) – Featured poet
University of Maryland Baltimore (UMBC) Symposium on Learning Strategies McNair Scholars Presentations
Baltimore, Maryland (2005) – Featured McNair Scholar presenting my dissertation on “Poetry as Therapy”
Volunteer & Community Engagement
Poetry Foundation Poetry Incubator
Poetry Foundation, Chicago, Illinois (2018) – Cohort member
VoiceCatcher Journal and Non-Profit
(2016 – 2017) – President of the Board of Directors
Grant Poetry Slam
(2017) – Judge for Grant High School’s annual Poetry Slam Competition
Eric Hoffer Book Awards Judging Panel
(2017) – Poetry judge for the 2017 awards
Small Business Philanthropy
(2013 – present) – As part of my business model, I offer complimentary writing and editing services to Native Americans and non-profits based in the Northwest
The Jessica Tyner Scholarship Fund
(2013 – present) – Founder of the sole scholarship in the US providing funding to Native American graduate students pursuing an advanced degree in writing or a related field
Get it Ohm!
(2013 – present) – Founder of a karmic yoga movement in Portland offering free yoga classes to groups that otherwise face obstacles practicing yoga in traditional studios
Contemporary Literary Review India
(2015 – present) – Poetry editor
Oregon Literary Council’s Writers of Color Panel
Literary Arts Council, Portland, Oregon (2015 – present) – Founding member of the panel, which helps direct the diversity initiative of the Council
Certifications
TESOL/TEFL (teaching English as a second/foreign language): Center for Teacher Development in San Jose, Costa Rica
E-RYT® (experienced registered yoga teacher): Peak Beings in Limón, Costa Rica with Yoga Alliance accreditation
RCYT® (registered children’s yoga teacher): The Lotus Seed in Portland, Oregon with Yoga Alliance accreditation
YACEP® (Yoga Alliance continuing education provider): Yoga Alliance in Arlington, Virginia
CPT (certified personal trainer): National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) in Chandler, Arizona
CPR/AED (cardiopulmonary resuscitation/automated external defibrillator): CPR Lifeline in Portland, Oregon
