Dr. Amanda Boyd is an Associate Professor in the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University (WSU) and affiliated with the WSU Initiative for Research and Education to Advance Community Health. Dr. Boyd responded to the following questions about her education profile, research and training support from NIA.
What is your professional/educational background?
I have an interdisciplinary education including a Master’s degree in Rural Sociology, a Ph.D. in Communication, and a post-doctoral fellowship in Indigenous Studies. Before entering academia, I worked for 8 years in the public relations industry.
How were you drawn to Tribal Health research?
I come from a rural family of farmers and ranchers that homesteaded in northern Alberta, Canada 105 years ago. We are both First Nations and Métis. This background has strongly influenced my professional path and fueled my passion to improve the health and well-being of Native and rural populations. My ultimate goal is to develop the theory and tools needed to effectively communicate health risks to Native populations, particularly Native elders.