Areas of expertise
- Social Justice Education
- Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
- English Education
- Whiteness in Teacher Education
- Educational Leadership
Education
- B.A.: English Education, Fort Lewis College (2004)
- M.Ed: Educational Leadership: special focus on Leadership in Native Communities, Pennsylvania State University (2010)
- Ph.D.: Higher Education Leadership, Colorado State University (2026)
About Kari Deswood
Kari Deswood (Diné) is an Assistant Professor in the Teacher Education Department at Fort Lewis College, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in teacher education, educational research, and equity.
Kari holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Education from Fort Lewis College, a Master of Education in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Leadership in Native Communities from Pennsylvania State University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Colorado State University.
Her research centers on Indigenous teacher education, Community Cultural Wealth, survivance, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and Native American student success in higher education. Her dissertation, From Community to Classroom: A Portraiture Study of Survivance and Community Cultural Wealth Among Native American and Alaska Native Preservice Teachers at a Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution, examined how Indigenous preservice teachers draw on their strengths and cultural wealth as they prepare to serve Tribal communities.
With more than 20 years in education across K–12 and higher education, including 16 years teaching high school and community college, Kari is dedicated to preparing culturally responsive educators and expanding opportunities that strengthen Indigenous communities.