Annalise Guthrie is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and serves as the Senior Research Officer for Research and Advocacy for Native Economic Justice at First Nations Development Institute. Her work focuses on Indigenous-led research that advances Native data sovereignty, environmental stewardship, and community well-being through collaborative, community-centered approaches. Annalise is currently a Cobell Dissertation Fellow and a Ph.D. candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas, where she is also a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Haskell Indian Nations University before continuing her graduate training through the National Institutes of Health Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program at the University of Kansas. Her interdisciplinary research examines how land management, soil processes, and ecological change influence environmental resilience.
Throughout her career, Annalise has worked across tribal, academic, nonprofit, and federal partnerships, including research and outreach supported by NOAA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the University of Kansas. In addition to her scientific research, she has mentored numerous Indigenous students in STEM, organized national conferences and educational programming, and spoken widely on Indigenous science, environmental stewardship, and pathways to higher education. Since 2016, she has served on the Board of Directors for the Kansas City Cherokee Community and has served as its Treasurer since 2020, supporting community programming.
At First Nations Development Institute, Annalise supports research initiatives that strengthen Native communities through culturally grounded, data-informed approaches. She is passionate about ensuring Indigenous peoples have the tools, resources, and authority to define, interpret, and use their own data in ways that support Tribal sovereignty and community priorities.