Natasha Haycock-Chavez, MA
Chicana, Apache/Yaqui, British
Pronouns: she/her
Position(s):
Communications Manager for the Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, Boulder
Natasha (Tash) Haycock-Chavez is the communications lead for ELOKA (Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic). Tash works to facilitate projects and meetings, build relationships and community, and engage both local and scientific communities in the Arctic. Much of this work attempts to center Indigenous Knowledge, voices, and needs by integrating local expertise into school curricula, adopting data sovereignty into data management practices, and supporting cultural knowledge and place names documentation.
Tash is passionate about working at the intersection of Indigenous interests and research, and became interested in working in the Arctic during her undergrad, where she minored in Arctic studies. She also has a master’s degree in Geography where she was invited by the community of Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, to conduct a GIS spatial analysis for their community-lead protected area. Her research pointed to the importance of community-led research, and she is excited to integrate these lessons into her current role at ELOKA and work in general.
Project(s):
Evaluation of ELOKA’s Indigenous data sovereignty practices