ABOUT ME

Jord is a member of the Seneca Nation of Indians, with Mohawk and Irish ancestry, and Whit is a member of the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma, with German, Cherokee, and Cayuga ancestry. We're so thankful to live in the community that we do, here in Cattaraugus Territory of the Seneca Nation in Western New York State, with such close-knit family, offering a wealth of opportunities to continuously explore our cultures and family history. We really value the diversity in our upbringings and can't wait to share all that we've learned from past generations with our someday kids.

While we're new to married life, we've been together a solid five years, and seem to have been awaiting this common path for decades in the making. We have just one baby so far- a rescued "pit-mix" who might as well have a Ph.D. in dog obedience and agility. With some of our more formal education complete, we're now prioritizing learning more of our shared indigenous language, Onondowa'ga'... an ambitious but very necessary undertaking in our lives.

Right now we put a lot of time and energy into our passions at work- me in my graduate studies in business, and Whitney as a school counselor and cultural educator in the local school district. We're hoping to spend our careers in these or similar fields, and many years of meaningful contributions to others' lives and the well-being of our Native communities.

Amidst the busy lives that work creates, we love to travel. Meeting new people and venturing off into new places has really taught us so much about ourselves and our purpose in life. When we were together for just a year, we took off to France and Italy, and over the course of 6 weeks we were able to meet so many warm and curious people. Around dinner tables, picnics, and morning cups of coffee we exchanged powerful experiences and tales of culture. More than anything, these earlier travels really instilled in us an irrevocable sense of connectivity and drive to keep seeking out these common stories of origin and cultural change.

Interests

Our home life is super tranquil, which is what we cherish and truly need for a kind of daily rejuvenation, at least most of the time. During the few warm months here, we are constantly outdoors. We go for lots of runs and bike rides on the trails all around our house, we love creek walks and spontaneous treks through the woods. We do a lot of landscaping and gardening on our family's plot of land, but also love spending whole days on the Lake Erie beaches... all with our dog, of course. During the Fall and Spring, Whitney also coaches Track and Cross Country for middle and high school students. During the Winter we admit, we get a bit reclusive amidst the average 2-4 feet of snow, but we do still try to get outside for trail runs, snow-shoeing, and even some cross country skiing. We also bundle up and binge on books and TV shows like Game of Thrones, House of Cards, etc.

• dogs
• culture
• books
• education
• coffee
• gardening
• tv
• traveling
• knitting
• music
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• skiing
• track and field
• business
• teaching
• genealogy
• history
• law
• beaches
• mountains

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

We were recently visiting family in Cherokee, NC and went for a tubing trip down the Oconoluftee River... which was nearly the coolest experience this summer as is, but about one hour in, we actually floated right toward two huge elk bulls, whose racks spanned about 4-5 feet. Not being from the Smokey Mountains, we very quietly panicked and crouched in the water as they ate from tree limbs just 40 feet downstream. We finally got up the courage to float on behind them, since they seemed fairly unfazed by our presence. Don't try that on your next vacation...

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Italy, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay

Countries I’ve Lived In

Brazil, United States