Petra Harmon One Hawk, MPH

Director of the Title VI: Nutrition for the Elderly/Caregiver Support
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

Background

I am an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. I grew up on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation and it is where I now work. I have B.S. in Biology from the University of North Dakota. I have a strong educational background in health, education, and science.

MPH Specialization at NDSU

My specialization was in American Indian Health

How did the NDSU MPH prepare you for the workforce?

The MPH program especially prepared me to network and collaborate with other programs to try to meet the needs of our communities here on the reservation.

Current position

I am currently the Director of the Title VI: Nutrition for the Elderly/Caregiver Support for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. My program provides nutrition and supportive services for the aging population with a primary focus on the elderly.

How are you impacting the health of North Dakotans?

I am focusing on increasing access to healthy foods through my program by revamping the menu and foods of my program. We use mynativeplate.gov and the DASH diet to guide our menus. I am also working with a number of programs and people on the reservation on food sovereignty. Our program is also developing a Traditional Foods Pathway Program to increase access to our cultural foods. Lastly, we are working with Money Follows the Person-Tribal Initiative (a partnership between the ND State government, CMS and NDSU) to create a home and community based service agency.