Presented by:
Dr. Harold Foster & Erica Ficklin

About the Presenters

Dr. Chuck Foster

Dr. Chuck Foster was born and raised on the Navajo Reservation in northern Arizona. He has over 40 years of education experience, both as a teacher and a school administrator. He was also a former collegiate athlete and a former high school cross-country and track & field coach.

He received his Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree from the University of Arizona and his Master of Education (MEd) and Doctorate Degrees from Brigham Young University. His experience in teaching at the high school and being a school administrator was met with outstanding achievement awards. He presently serves as the American Indian Education Specialist at the Utah State Board of Education.

He has 4 adult children and 5 grandchildren, and his wife Marie of 48 years reside in Orem, Utah. Chuck’s father was also a Navajo Code Talker where most of his inspiration and desire originated to become an educator.

Erica Ficklin

Erica Ficklin is a member of the Tlingit and Oglala Lakota tribes. She is currently a doctoral student in the Combined Clinical & Counseling Psychology Program at Utah State University. She graduated with her bachelor's degree from the University of South Alabama and is a recipient of the American Psychological Association's Minority Fellowship Program. Erica currently plans to pursue a clinically-focused career serving marginalized communities. She is passionate about equity in mental health care and supporting resilience through cultural strengths. Erica's research primarily focuses on Native culture and mental health, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and cultural competence.