Michael Lerma, Ph.D. (P’urhépecha) was born and raised on the Central Coast of California. He is Dean of the School of Business and Social Science at Diné College. His recent research explores the efficacy of traditional Diné institutions of governance. His current projects involve the launch of a virtual business incubator and the creation of a data base to locate Missing and Murdered Diné Relatives within Diné Bikéyah. Lerma received a Bachelor of Arts in History from UCLA, a Master of Arts in Political Science and a Doctorate in American Indian Studies from the University of Arizona. His background in American Indian Studies and International Relations has benefited his work within academic institutions, where his research advocates for future Native Nation building via consolidation of Indigenous interests and the expansion of Native Nation control of norms within the international political economy. He is author of Indigenous Sovereignty in the 21st Century and Guided by the Mountains. He spends his leisure time with his best friend and spouse Adrian.
