A lifelong public servant, mentor, and advocate for Indigenous communities, Dr. Carol Vallee Crouch passed away on July 10, 2025, in Norman, Okla., at the age of 74. A proud member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation in Pablo, Mont., Dr. Crouch served on the AISES Board of Directors in the early 2000s and was inducted as an AISES Sequoyah Fellow in 2007.
She was deeply committed to the idea that empowering Native youth through STEM education is essential to the resilience of Native communities, and her dedication to AISES was unwavering. Dr. Crouch could be found at countless AISES events—College and Career Fairs, workshops, leadership seminars, and outreach initiatives. She served as a speaker at AISES Leadership Conferences for 11 years, attended and presented at 11 Region 4 Conferences, and served as a NAISEF (National American Indian Science and Engineering Fair) judge for nine years. She was an AISES scholarship reviewer for eight years and coordinated USDA NRCS funding for the AISES Full Circle of Support program for 16 years. As a charter member and officer of the AISES Professional Chapter in Oklahoma, she helped lay the foundation for long-lasting support networks.
Dr. Crouch dedicated multi-decades of service to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Tribal Liaison in Oklahoma, she became the key connector between AISES and USDA NRCS programs, working tirelessly to guide AISES students toward careers in agriculture and natural resources. Over her distinguished career, Dr. Crouch collaborated with the 39 federally recognized tribes across Oklahoma, facilitating nation-to-nation consultations and building lasting relationships with Indigenous communities.
Through her extensive STEM-based networks, Dr. Crouch helped deliver critical USDA resources to tribal nations—supporting infrastructure for housing, water systems, health care facilities, schools, emergency services, and more. She coordinated the development of American Indian Heritage Month posters for the USDA for 19 years. Other achievements include serving as president of the American Indian–Alaska Native Employees Association, where she was a lifetime member. Dr. Crouch was an instructor with the USDA’s Working Effectively with American Indians initiative for 19 years, helping to train more than 10,000 federal employees to promote, enhance, and support partnerships between NRCS and federally recognized tribes as well as individual Native American farmers, ranchers, and producers. Other training objectives for NRCS staff encompassed understanding tribal ecological knowledge and best practices to enhance cultural awareness, knowledge, and understanding.
Her leadership was recognized nationally. In 2013, she received the NRCS National Workforce Diversity Civil Rights Award, honoring her work as a mentor and motivator for agency recruits. In 2017, she received an Honorable Mention for the USDA NRCS Unsung Hero Award for her extraordinary devotion to public service.
At Oklahoma State University, Dr. Crouch earned a PhD in environmental science and management in 2004. Other academic achievements include an MPH (2002) and an MS in environmental science with a water quality specialization (2001), both from the University of Oklahoma, and a BS in environmental science from East Central Oklahoma University (1999).
Dr. Crouch lives on through her immediate and extended family, as well as a wide network of colleagues, mentees, and friends. The AISES family mourns her passing and celebrates her life, leadership, and legacy. She will be deeply missed.