Lani Tsinnajinnie

Photo: Assistant Professor, Community & Regional Planning College of Architecture and Planning, University of New Mexico

Lani Tsinnajinnie
Assistant Professor, Community & Regional Planning College of Architecture and Planning, University of New Mexico

Diné and Filipino scholar Lani Tsinnajinnie partners with Indigenous and rural communities across New Mexico to strengthen watershed planning, climate resilience, and environmental justice. Her work centers on reciprocity and respect-recognizing that local and Indigenous knowledge is essential for understanding and protecting water resources.

Diné and Filipino scholar Lani Tsinnajinnie partners with Indigenous and rural communities across New Mexico to strengthen watershed planning, climate resilience, and environmental justice. Her work centers on reciprocity and respect-recognizing that local and Indigenous knowledge is essential for understanding and protecting water resources.

Through her research and teaching, Lani helps students see how science and community are deeply connected. She integrates fieldwork, education, and collaboration to empower future leaders and equip communities with the tools to plan for their own sustainable futures.

“Water is life-it’s not just a saying. When we engage with communities, we realize water issues connect to economics, policy, history, and culture. Solving them takes all of us working together