Cassandra Manuelito-Kerkvliet

Cassandra Manuelito-Kerkvliet
President of Antioch University Seattle
In office July 2007 – June 30, 2013
Succeeded by	Brian Baird
President of Diné College
In office August 1, 2000 – 2003
Preceded by	Tommy Lewis
Succeeded by	Ferlin Clark
Personal details
Born	Laramie, Wyoming, U.S.
Relations	Manuelito (great-great grandfather)
Alma mater	University of Wyoming (B.S., M.S.W.) University of Oregon (D.Ed.)
Occupation	Academic administrator

Cassandra Manuelito-Kerkvliet is an American academic administrator. She was the president of Antioch University Seattle from 2007 to 2013, where she became the first Native American woman to serve as president of an acccredit university outside of the Tribal College and University System. She was president of Diné College from 2000 to 2003.

Education

Manuelito-Kerkvliet was born and raised in Laramie, Wyoming. Her Navajo family is from Tohatchi and Naschitti, New Mexico. Her parents moved to Wyoming to as part of the Indian Relocation Act of 1956 to work for the Union Pacific Railroad. Manuelito-Kerkvlie was born into the Towering House clan, born for the Salt clan while her maternal and paternal grandfathers were in the Mud and Weaver clans respectively. She is the great-great granddaughter of Navajo Chief Manuelito. She experienced racism and a "redneck mentality" growing up in a predominately white community in the 1960s. She completed a bachelor's degree in social work and a master's degree in counselor education from University of Wyoming. She completed a doctorate in educational policy and management from University of Oregon.

Career

Manuelito-Kerkvliet worked in student services and counseling at University of Oregon, University of Wyoming, New Mexico State University, and University of New Mexico. In March 1992, she worked in the OSU Multicultural Affairs Office. By 1993, she had assisted Native American students earning degrees at OSU for six years. She shared her experience as the only Indian woman her age at OSU's campus, stating "being Navajo and very traditional, I get lonely." In 1993, only 150 out of 2,284 faculty members were black, American Indian, Asian, or Hispanic. Manuelito-Kerkvliet reported similar concerns in 1995 when she coordinator of the OSU Indian Education Office. She worked for 16 years with Native American students at Oregon State University and University of Oregon. At Oregon State University, she founded and directed the Indian Education Office. She became president Diné College on August 1, 2000. She spend half of February 2001 in Washington, D.C. meeting with congressional leaders and presidents of other tribal colleges in the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. On April 1, 2003, R. C. Gorman donated his personal library to Diné College at Manuelito-Kerkvliet's request. She left Diné College in 2003. In April 2006, Manuelito-Kerkvliet was selected as president of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). She was set to succeed Della Warrior on July 1, 2006 but in June 2006, she declined the job with the IAIA without elaborating on the decision. She became president of Antioch University Seattle in July 2007. Her last day was June 30, 2013. She was the first Native American woman to serve as president of an accredited university that was not a Tribal college or university.

Personal life

Manuelito-Kerkvliet enjoys outdoor activities including backpacking, camping, fly fishing, and whitewater rafting. She also knits and is a participant in book clubs.