Cornelia "Connie" Jessen, MA, has worked in the Alaska Tribal Health System to address health disparities among Alaska Native and American Indian people for the past 17 years. Ms. Jessen has been involved in several community-based participatory research and programmatic projects ranging from sexual and reproductive health, adolescent health, HIV stigma and discrimination to harm reduction, substance misuse and intergenerational trauma. Her research focuses on understanding the intersections between culture and health, the role of resilience and protective factors and translating cultural knowledge and practice into interventions that promote health and wellness. She also oversees cross-cultural research education and training efforts to decolonize health research and promote culturally responsive and respectful research