[1] In 1983, she received a bachelor's degree in Community Development from the Native American Education Service College in Fort Peck.

She also studied at the University of Missouri School of Journalism from 1987 to 1990 where she was a co-founder of the Native American Student Association.

She co-founded the Wolf Point Traditional Women's Society and edited two magazines: Native Peoples and Aboriginal Voices.

She worked with the Wotanin Wowapi at Fort Peck as a writer and columnist for Red Road Home.

As a journalist, she wrote about water rights, air quality, the environment, oil, gas and economic development.