Kathryn England-Aytes, a lecturer in psychology at Cal State Monterey Bay, will travel to Oklahoma in June to participate in a conference on tribal issues.

The annual Sovereignty Symposium features tribal leaders and cultural and legal experts from across the country. Sponsored by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, it provides a forum where ideas concerning Indian law can be exchanged in a scholarly, non-adversarial environment.

This is the first year she has been invited. "It is my privilege to participate in the symposium this year with so many of my heroes – extraordinary men and women who work tirelessly to address the unique and complex issues facing Indian Country today,” she said. Dr. England-Aytes will join the Truth and Reconciliation panel’s discussion on historical/generational trauma healing. The topic fits with her research interests on historical trauma and links with contemporary behavior, particularly in educational settings, in Indian Country. Her work in Native communities is extensive and longstanding and involves the academic and the practical. She has collaborated with nationally recognized experts in the field including Dr. Dee BigFoot of the Indian Country Child Trauma Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, and Dr. Patti Jo King of the Division of American Indian Studies at Bacone College in Oklahoma. Dr. England-Aytes works with the Native American Children’s Alliance (NACA), an inter-tribal nonprofit that works on child abuse prevention and intervention, as well as the National Center on Adoption and Permanency, a nonprofit agency which provides information and consultation on adoption, foster care and child welfare.

She has given many presentations on cultural awareness in multidisciplinary team and forensic settings. Her chapter on historical trauma and its prevention in the classroom appeared in “Teaching Truly: A Curriculum to Indigenize Mainstream Education” by Four Arrows.

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Dr. England-Aytes received bachelor of science in psychology and master of science in social science degrees from Southern Oregon University and an Ed.D. from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara.

“As a Native educator, my goal is always to honor and integrate the cultures, values and traditions of Native students with learning opportunities for full participation in the larger community,” she said.