About me
Yá’át’ééh! My name is April Brannon Yazza. I am of the Red Running into the Water People clan, born for the A:shiwi people, and I am originally from Tsayatoh, New Mexico on the Navajo Nation. Today I serve communities across Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
I am a doctoral candidate in the Native Americans in Educational Leadership program at the University of New Mexico, where our work centers Indigenous pedagogy, community-rooted research, and leadership grounded in cultural values. I am also a proud NACA-Inspired Schools Network / NACA AmeriCorps alumni. During my year serving in the Out-of-School Time program at the Native American Community Academy, I worked closely with students and families in Albuquerque. That experience strengthened my understanding of how mentorship, responsibility, and even children’s perceptions of “auntie” figures shape learning in Indigenous communities.
Professionally, my work spans AmeriCorps service, Native-serving education initiatives, higher ed and state government. My research explores how Indigenous professionals navigate leadership and professional growth while honoring cultural values, mentorship, and community relationships.
