Brooke Gondara

Brookney Claire Boston Gondara is an American academic administrator, activist, and advocate for women and minorities in higher education. She is associate dean of professional studies and education at Santa Fe Community College. Gondara served as president of Iḷisaġvik College from 2010 to 2011 and the dean of student affairs at Chief Dull Knife College from 2000 to 2003.

Brooke Gondara
President of Iḷisaġvik College
In office
2010–2011
Preceded byBeverly Patkotak Grinage
Succeeded byPearl Kiyawn Nageak Brower
Personal details
Born
Brookney Claire Boston
Children2
Alma materMontana State University Billings (B.A., M.Ed.)
Oregon State University (Ed.D.)
OccupationAcademic administrator, activist

Early life and education

Brookney Claire Boston was born to Tana Streeter of Billings, Montana and Monte Boston of Anchorage, Alaska.[1] She is enrolled in the Northern Cheyenne tribe. She dropped out of high school before earning a GED in Montana in 1990. Gondara earned a bachelor's degree (1995) in sociology and Native American studies and a master of education (1996) in curriculum and instruction at Montana State University Billings.[2] Her undergraduate degree was funded by her tribe.[3] She taught sociology and worked as a museum education director at the Western Heritage Center.[3][4] From 2000 to 2003, she served as an dean of student affairs at Chief Dull Knife College.[3][5] Her suspension spurred a student walkout and community protest.[5] Gondara became the first woman from the Northern Cheyenne Nation to earn a doctoral degree when she completed a doctor of education with an emphasis in community college leadership at Oregon State University in 2005.[2][3] Her doctoral studies focused on the experiences of Northern Cheyenne women in education.[3] Her dissertation was titled Testimonio: Ne`aahtove—Listen to me! Voices from the edge. Educational stories of Northern Cheyenne women. Gondara's doctoral advisor was Betty Duvall.[6] She completed post-doctoral studies in presidential leadership at Harvard University.[7]

Career

Gondara became dean of the social sciences division at the Portland Community College (PCC) Sylvania Campus c. 2004.[3] At PCC, she worked in program implementation and development and student advisement. Gondara succeeded Beverly Patkotak Grinage as president of Iḷisaġvik College in 2010. In 2011, she was succeeded by Pearl Kiyawn Nageak Brower.[8] Gondara is an associate dean of trades, advanced technologies and sustainability, business, and professional studies and education at Santa Fe Community College.[7]

Activism

In April 1997, she wrote an article opposing parental notification in cases of abortion, calling it "punitive control of our young women's sexual activity."[9] She is supportive of LGBT rights and participated in a counter protest against the Westboro Baptist Church at Southridge High School regarding The Laramie Project. Gondara took the afternoon off from work to hold a sign reading, "God loves gays."[10]

Awards and honors

In 2006, the Montana State University at Billings Alumni Association honored Gondara with a recognition for exceptional contribution award.[2]

Personal life

Gondara has two daughters.[6][10] She married Robbie Gondara in January 1997 in Billings, Montana.[1] In 2005, she was a resident of Beaverton, Oregon.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Brookney and Robbie Gondara". The Billings Gazette. 1997-01-19. Retrieved 2019-08-08 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "MSU-B recognizes stellar alumni". The Billings Gazette. 2006-03-15. Retrieved 2019-08-08 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Hill, James (2005-05-17). "From dropout to dean, Gondara takes the right path". Portland Community College. Retrieved 2019-08-08.
  4. "Heritage Center has Family Day". The Billings Gazette. 1998-05-22. Retrieved 2019-08-08 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Shay, Becky (2003-10-30). "College dean's suspension leads to protest". The Billings Gazette. Retrieved 2019-08-08 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Gondara, Brookney C. (2005). Testimonio: ne ̀aahtove - listen to me! voices from the edge: educational stories of Northern Cheyenne women (Thesis).
  7. "Welcome the new Associate Deans". Santa Fe Community College. 2018-02-15. Retrieved 2019-08-08.
  8. Minthorn, Robin Starr; Shotton, Heather J. (2018-02-27). Reclaiming Indigenous Research in Higher Education. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 9780813588728.
  9. Billings, Brooke Boston (1997-04-24). "Parental notification is punitive". The Billings Gazette. Retrieved 2019-08-08 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Hundreds of students protest play protesters". Longview Daily News. 2005-10-02. Retrieved 2019-08-08 – via Newspapers.com.
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