The Virginia G. Piper
Center for Creative Writing

Patricia K. Hibbeler (Salish and Kootenai), ABD, MA is the Chief Executive Officer of the Phoenix Indian Center, Inc. - an organization with a 69-year history.  The Center’s core services are prevention, workforce development, youth and language/cultural revitalization services.  Ms. Hibbeler has a strong background in organizational culture and operations, partnership development, program and organizational evaluation and board development.  Ms. Hibbeler’s past positions include Field Research Director of a NIDA funded grant entitled the American Indian Multi-sector Health Inventory (AIM-HI) study initiated by Washington University; Assistant Director of Arizona State University’s Arizona Prevention Resource Center; Nebraska Department of Education Drug Free Schools Coordinator; Business Education Instructor for Spencer School of Business; Bilingual Education Program Director for St. Francis Indian School; Teacher Aid for Two Eagle River School.

Ms. Hibbeler was born and grew up on the Flathead reservation and also, during her elementary school years, in Missoula, Montana near the University of Montana.  Her mother, Sherry Saddler, served as the first Director of the Missoula Indian Center.  She has always had a passion for supporting American Indian people, especially for youth. 

Patti is a Trustee for the Heard Museum, Board Secretary for the American Indian Policy Institute at ASU,   Board President of the National Urban Indian Families Coalition, , Vice Chair of the  ASU Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center’s Community Advisory Committee member of the Society for Prevention Research,  American Educational Research Association, Maricopa Community College President’s Advisory Committee and Phoenix College President’s Advisory Committee, amongst others.  She has made a number of conference presentations related to research and evaluation both locally and nationally.  She is the proud daughter of two children and one grandchild.