Abigail Echo-Hawk

Abigail Echo-Hawk is a national leader in public health research and the decolonization of data. She is revolutionizing the integration of Indigenous knowledge within public health systems and reshaping how governments, institutions, and medical professionals approach health for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Echo-Hawk’s groundbreaking research and tireless advocacy around violence against Indigenous women have spurred policy changes across all levels of government. As a leading voice in the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) crisis, she co-authored a report that brought national attention to the data issues and the staggering number of MMIWG cases in 71 urban cities across the U.S.

Echo-Hawk has served on a number of scientific research committees, including for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which oversaw the development of a framework for an equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.

A proud citizen of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, Echo-Hawk is the executive vice president of Seattle Indian Health Board and director of its research division, Urban Indian Health Institute. Through these roles, she continues to champion Indigenous health, using her platform to inspire and drive meaningful change.