About Kiara Tanta-Quidgeon
Kiara Marie "Sunrise" Tanta-Quidgeon, citizen of the Mohegan Tribe, is an early-career, community-engaged Indigenous health researcher and consultant who supports numerous projects in partnership with Tribal Nations and Indigenous-serving organizations across what is now known as the United States of America. She is also the founder and director of the Sunrise Healing Community, a nonprofit that connects Indigenous youth and young adults to culturally grounded healing resources, as well as co-founder and lead coordinator of the annual Dancing in the Shadow of Sleeping Giant Powwow at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. Through her work, Kiara is committed to advancing Indigenous mental and behavioral health through strengths-based, culturally grounded, and community-tailored approaches that honor Indigenous knowledge and support Tribal sovereignty and self-determination.
In her free time, Kiara is a figure skating coach with nearly fifteen years of experience, a writer, and a sewist. Keep reading to learn more about Kiara's story, educational background, and more.
Kiara's Story
Kiara Marie Tanta-Quidgeon (she/her/hers) is an enrolled citizen of the Mohegan Tribe of mixed Native and White heritage, born and raised in close connection to her Mohegan kin and culture. Kiara grew up spending weekends with her great-grandparents and her grandfather, and her summers at a camp for Tribal youth on the Mohegan Reservation, where she began learning about the Tribe’s history, engaging with Mohegan traditions, and cultivating a strong commitment to giving back to her community and Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island (North America) and the world.
Education
2014-2018
Norwich Free Academy
High School
Kiara graduated from Norwich Free Academy (NFA) as a member of the National Honor Society and the recipient of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Norwich Award, a scholarship established to recognize a member of NFA’s senior class who embraces diversity and promotes acceptance of all differences and tolerances.
2018-2022
Quinnipiac University
BSc in Health Science Studies
Kiara studied in Quinnipiac University's (QU) School of Health Sciences as a recipient of the Dean's Scholarship. During her time at QU, she established and led the Indigenous Student Union, and she was recognized as the 2020-2021 Multicultural Student Leader of the Year. She graduated Cum Laude with the first-ever university-approved Independent Minor in Indigenous Cultures/Diversity Studies.
2022-2024
Columbia University
MPH in Sociomedical Sciences
Kiara studied in the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (CUMSPH) as a recipient of the Community Scholars Institutional Fellowship. During her time at CUMSPH, she completed a Pre-Doctoral Research Fellowship at Harvard Medical School. She graduated with a 3.9 GPA and also earned a Certificate in Social Determinants of Health.
In the past, Kiara served as the Vice Chairwoman of the Mohegan Tribal Youth Council (2020-2022) and a CNAY Democracy is Indigenous Organizer (2024), and she was honored with the UNITY 25 Under 25 Award (2024-2025). During the Biden-Harris Administration, she was invited to represent Indigenous Youth at the 2024 White House Tribal Youth Forum and the national Tribal Nations Summit. As the Founder and former President of the QU Indigenous Student Union, Kiara currently serves as an Alumni Advisor and Powwow Coordinator for the organization. She is also a Data Tech in the Critical and Culturally Focused Research to Advance Mental Health Equity (FRAME) Lab at Duke University School of Medicine, a Research Collaborator (Lead Youth Research Council Consultant) at the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, a Research Assistant with the Gone Indigenous Well-Being Collaboratory at Harvard University, and a Curriculum Consultant/Trainer for PROSPER® Together: Suicide Prevention, Intervention & Postvention.