Tiffany Johnson, Board President/CEO, RYT200, served honorably in the United States Marine Corps and is a graduate of ASU and California State University San Marcos. Active in her community with a passion for travel, she has explored every corner of Arizona. She has worked with indigenous peoples in Malaysia and in Arizona in varying capacities (business development and health/wellness in coordination with insurance). Tiffany currently runs a for profit wellness consulting business, Data Driven Wellness Consulting, LLC.
Jeffrey Lazos-Ferns, Cultural Consultant, has over 30 years of experience lending to his extensive knowledge of working with Arizona Native American communities and nonprofit organizations. He has tribal alliances with the Pascua Yaqui and Cora. Jeffrey is a Master Gardener from University of Arizona and is an avid desert forager—taking groups out to the Sonoran Desert and educating on desert abundance. Jeffrey is currently the interim Executive Director at the Great Arizona Puppet Theater and works in a public relations capacity with the Arizona American Indian Tourism Association.
Raja Karim, Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer, has BS in finance from California State University Northridge. He has over 20 years in public service, currently serving as a public safety officer at the Paradise Valley Police Department. Raja was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and lived and worked in Thousand Oaks, California and Gallup, New Mexico prior to coming to Arizona in 2001.
Hello Friends,
This special organization came about after one of my many journeys to the breathtaking native lands of the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona. When we travel to different cities throughout the country or around the world, we travel with a purpose of experiencing another's culture, but we do still like our creature comforts. While on my last trip up to Navajo Nation in December 2021, I was craving a yoga studio to stretch out my weary legs from my 30 mile hike, to clear my head of external distractions, and to meet the locals. All I could find was a closed fitness center at my corporate hotel. I wondered:
I realized that after the COVID-19 pandemic wanned in February of 2022, people saw the need for more holistic wellness and meditation to care for not just their physical health, but their mental and emotional health, too. With the return to travel, the idea of the Indigenous Wellness Initiative of Arizona (IWIAZ) was born.
This initiative connects our communities, encourages healthy habits, creates meaningful employment, and continues the legacy of language, art, and culture for future generations.
Tiffany Johnson, Board President/CEO, IWIAZ
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and create long-lasting change. Your generous donation will fund our mission.
For the most current copy of our bylaws or annual meeting reports, please email us at info@iwiaz.org
Copyright © 2022 Indigenous Wellness Initiative of Arizona - All Rights Reserved.
Federal Tax I.D. 88-1400779
P.O. Box 4273
Scottsdale, AZ 85261
IWIAZ is a 501(c)3 and 509(a)(2) public charity
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