Liliana is an Assistant Professor in American Indian Studies at Arizona State University, a Senior Global Futures Scientist, and a faculty member of the Earth Systems Science for the Anthropocene (ESSA) network. They also direct the Relate Lab, which builds relationality and Indigenous methodologies into academic research and community impact. Their work is rooted in anti-colonial values and focuses on land, story, water, and survivance—building futures that are relational, reparative, and co-created alongside communities leading the way.

Dr. Caughman is a recognized expert in innovative, human-centered, decolonial and community-embedded evaluation—approaches they’ve applied across several initiatives including the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative and the Nisqually Food Sovereignty Assessment. These efforts have supported the knowledge, capacity, and decision-making of local governments, Tribal communities, and researchers as they navigate complex projects.

Additionally, Dr. Caughman is a leader in building and managing effective, values-driven partnerships across disciplines, institutions, and communities. With a focus on attunement, relationality, and shared outcomes, Dr. Caughman supports teams in fostering meaningful collaboration.