Mary Beth Jäger, MSW, an enrolled member of the Citizen Band Potawatomi, recently joined the Native Nourishment Network Research Team as a program manager. Jäger is excited to be part of the Team and work together on the Seeding Sovereignty project. In addition, she serves as a project manager at the Tishman for Social Justice and the Environment in the U-M School of Environment and Sustainability. In that role, Mary Beth manages several research projects focused on Indigenous-led research highlighting topics such as climate mitigation, biodiversity, well-being, and food sovereignty. It has been a pleasure and privilege to work with her colleagues across the globe on these projects. 

Before starting at Michigan, Mary Beth worked for a decade as a research analyst at the Native Nations Institute (NNI) at the University of Arizona. While there, Jäger served as an experienced co-lead for the Fostering Indigenous-led Research Convergence Work Group hosted by the NSF funded Navigating the New Arctic-Community Office. She also served as a co-lead for the Indigenous Foods Knowledges Network, (NSF-OPP Award#1745499), a research coordination network bringing together Indigenous individuals from the Arctic and US Southwest around food sovereignty and resilience. It was an honor to work and laugh with the individuals and communities of these projects. 

Jäger earned her Master's in Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis and her bachelor’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages at Carroll College in Montana. Outside of work, Jäger is a tamale enthusiast, food on the water admirer, sweet on pan dulce, and fangirl of the Three Sisters. Besides being a big fan of food, Jäger believes food is medicine and central to culture.