07/13/2026
🌟Cobell Scholar Spotlight🌟
Tinesha Smith is of the Kinyaa'áanii (Towering House Clan), born for the Bit'ahnii (Folded Arm People). Her maternal grandfather is Kinłichíi'nii (Red House Clan), and her paternal grandfather is Tł'ízíłání (Many Goats Clan). This is what makes her a Diné (Navajo) woman.
Her journey to becoming an Indigenous social worker began in Tucson, Arizona, at Pima Community College, where she took her first steps toward higher education. After completing her prerequisite and general education courses, she transferred to Arizona State University to pursue her bachelor's degree. In 2025, she earned her Master of Social Work from Arizona State University, completing her graduate degree through the university's Tucson program.
What began as a four-year plan became a five-year journey filled with growth, perseverance, and purpose. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Tinesha worked in a variety of roles within her community, gaining firsthand experience serving Indigenous and immigrant families and youth. These opportunities deepened her understanding of the challenges many communities face and strengthened her commitment to social work. They also shaped her belief that helping others requires cultural humility, authenticity, and compassion.
The knowledge and skills she gained through her education—including trauma-informed care, advocacy, and community-based interventions—became tools she was determined to bring home to her people. For Tinesha, earning a degree was never solely about personal achievement; it was about returning to her community equipped to make a meaningful difference.
Today, she serves as a school social worker on the Navajo Nation, supporting students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. In this role, she helps children navigate grief, trauma, family instability, and questions of identity while promoting their academic success, emotional well-being, and social development. She strives to bridge evidence-based social work practices with Diné values, Indigenous healing, and the strength of community traditions.
Beyond her professional work, Tinesha is in the process of becoming a licensed foster and adoptive parent on the Navajo Nation. She is already the proud parent of two successful kinship adoptions and lives on the Navajo Nation with her blended family. Her dedication to caring for children extends far beyond her career and reflects her lifelong commitment to strengthening families and communities.
Tinesha is currently pursuing her Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) credential and plans to continue toward becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). These credentials will expand her ability to provide clinical services while advocating for systemic improvements that better serve Indigenous youth and families.
Her five-year journey—from Pima Community College to earning a master's degree and serving as a school social worker on the Navajo Nation—represents more than academic success. It reflects her unwavering commitment to bringing education, knowledge, and professional expertise back to her community. Through her example, she hopes to inspire Indigenous students, her children, her family, and all her relations to see higher education as an attainable pathway to creating lasting, positive change.
Tinesha extends her heartfelt gratitude to the Cobell Scholarship for supporting her educational journey and helping make her dream of earning a Master of Social Work degree a reality. She is honored to carry that investment forward by serving the Navajo Nation and the next generation of Indigenous youth.
