A member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Audrey finds joy in serving as an advocate and guide for community-based organizations working toward equity and justice. Since joining the Emergence team in February of 2020, Audrey has helped a range of diverse organizations leverage effective, community-centered fundraising and grant writing strategies to gain the visibility and resources needed to grow their work. She loves the process of coaching organizational leaders to discover the confidence to pursue their vision toward systemic change.
Inspired by her deep belief in the wisdom and insight of community members, Audrey also serves as Emergence’s in-house evaluation expert. She provides organizations with a foundational understanding of the power of community-grounded evaluation practices to gather essential information from those they serve. Audrey focuses on making evaluation accessible to any organization, regardless of size or budget. She partners with organizations to co-design culturally-relevant data collection and analysis strategies that align with the needs of organizational leaders, staff, and community members. Currently pursuing a masters in Evaluation and Applied Research at Claremont Graduate University, Audrey is excited to help more organizations recognize how evaluation can inform their work and deepen their community impact.
Audrey’s background in and passion for community-based social work directly informs the way she guides organizations in increasing their capacity to address critical community needs. After completing her bachelor's degree, Audrey provided direct community support to community members across all walks of life. Her experience includes working on a research project aimed at reducing the prevalence of SIDS within the Indigenous population, serving as a case manager for Child Protective Services, working within the tribal school system as a counselor/social worker, and finally in the healthcare arena as a social worker in a dialysis unit and a nursing home. Through all these experiences, Audrey gained a profound understanding of the importance of listening closely to the stories of community members–allowing them to be heard and, most critically, to guide the development of community-based solutions.
Audrey currently resides on the Crow Creek Reservation in Central South Dakota. She enjoys spending time with her husband and children at their home along the Missouri River.
