LeCario Benashley

Hello! My name is LeCario Benashley (lee-car-ee-oh; ben-nash-lee), thank you so much for stopping by. I am a first-generation, White Mountain Apache scholar. I graduated from the University of Arizona – Tucson with a degree in Care, Health, and Society and Molecular and Cellular Biology. My past interweaves clinical medicine, public health, and Indigenous Knowledge; 6+ years of public health and 8+ years of research experience. Right now, I proudly serve as the first Native Epidemiologist for my local hospital, where I conduct comprehensive surveillance, data analysis, and program evaluation across many areas key to Native health.

For as long as I can remember, my hope has been to serve my community—to be a conduit for its betterment. I carry that principle through every role I take on, trusting that, in small and large ways, it will help bring about the future Native people deserve.

1. Epidemiologist

   Whiteriver Indian Health Service Unit·Sept 2026 – Present

   • Conducts epidemiologic surveillance and data analysis across infectious diseases, chronic conditions, maternal-child health, and behavioral health for a hospital serving a population of 18,000+ individuals.
   • Identifies local, regional, and national patterns, trends, and disparities in population health data, communicating findings and recommendations to community and hospital leadership.
   • Designs and deploys interactive epidemiological dashboards for real-time review of disease trends across 23+ conditions, cutting the time required for data retrieval and reporting.
   • Pioneers and maintains advanced Excel dashboards with summary reports to monitor key population health indicators for a large, mobile, rural, and underserved community.

2. Public Health Advisor

   Whiteriver Indian Health Service Unit·Dec 2024 – Sept 2026

   • Drove culturally inclusive, outcome-based partnerships with 30+ Tribal, local, regional, and national partners to strengthen preventive health outcomes.
   • Spearheaded "Health Horizons," a first-of-its-kind, culturally based summer health program encouraging local Indigenous high school students to pursue careers in health.
   • Deployed a hospital-wide (300+ employee) SharePoint system through the Electronic Health Record to display public health trends and local epidemiological health alerts.
   • Conducted case management and epidemiologic follow-up for reportable communicable diseases ensuring timely investigation and linkage to care.

3. Clinical Coordinator, IN-STEP

   Cincinnati Children's Hospital & Whiteriver IHS·May 2021 – May 2023

   • Maintained Indian Health clinic integration and White Mountain Apache community engagement for the American Indian Structural Heart Disease Partnership (IN-STEP).
   • Delivered informed consent and enrolled participants in echocardiograms, study surveys, and key informant interviews in compliance with IRB, IHS IRB, and Tribal regulations.
   • Collected and organized multi-site, multi-arm data, and designed extraction and interpretive coding frameworks to analyze it.
   • Prepared and delivered presentations on program scope and impact; mentored study and non-study staff and coordinated with schools, Community Health Representatives, and Tribal leaders to drive adoption of cardiac screening.

4. Head of Tribal Public Health Engagement

   WeHealth Solutions PBC·Jan 2020 – Apr 2022

   • Promoted and drove adoption of WeHealth Arizona, an evidence-based, privacy-preserving exposure notification app, across Arizona communities and 21 of 22 AZ Tribal Nations.
   • Collaborated with Tribal Emergency Operation Centers, Health Boards, and Tribal Councils to secure approval and implementation within interested Tribal Nations.
   • Drafted Memoranda of Agreement/Understanding, Tribal Resolutions, and Tribal Healthboard/IRB approvals for project initiation and data collection.
   • Tracked trends and developments in public health policy—particularly epidemiology and infectious disease—at national, state, federal, and Tribal levels.

LeCario's approach to health is holistic; he has been involved in many aspects of public health and medicine. Below are published articles in cardiac and cancer care.

• Engaging American Indian Tribal Members Using Group-Level Assessment to Identify Needs and Priorities of a Local Heart Disease Program to Improve Cardiac Care.

  Miller M, Vaughn L, Benashley L, Bones B, Buonfiglio S, Lee-Gatewood, Paxon A, Sarnacki R, Walker R, Whitersinger D, Beaton A, Loizaga S.
  Published · 2025

• Insights from one American Indian tribe about heart health.

  Loizaga S, Miller M, Giambra B, Benashley L, Bones B, Buonfiglio S, Gatewood G, Paxon A, Pestian T, Sarnacki R, Walker W, Whitesinger D, Beaton A, Vaughn L.
  Published · 2025

• Deployment of point of care echocardiography to improve cardiac diagnostic access among American Indians.

  Loizaga S, Benashley L, Hoekzema J, Ahmed N, Alexander C, Bolger A, Evers P, Hill G, Nakagaayi D, Nashio J, Nunes M, Sable C, Tacuri L, Danforth K, Beaton A, Close R.
  Published · 2024

• Rheumatic Heart Disease on an Eastern Arizona Reservation, 2007–2022.

  Hoekzema J, Benashley L, Close R, Beaton A, Loizaga S.
  Published · 2024

• Partnering With an American Indian Community to Co-Design a Structural Heart Disease Program to Improve Cardiac Care.

  Miller M, Vaughn L, Benashley L, Bones B, Buonfiglio S, Lee-Gatewood G, Nashio J, Paxson A, Riley A, Rope D, Sarnacki R, Walker R, Whitesinger D, Beaton A, de Loizaga S.
  Published · 2024

• Lifestyle Factors Related to Cancer Incidence and Mortality in American Indian/Alaskan Natives: A Combined Women's Health Initiative and Strong Heart Study Analysis.

  Thuraisingam R, Benashley L, Thomson C, Gachupin F, Howard B, Bea JW.
  In Writing

• Neurofilament light-chain as a biomarker for chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy among breast cancer patients.

  Chalasani P, Schwartz A, Benashley L, Thomson CA, Blew R, Ehsani S, Sao J, Bea JW.
  In Writing

From surveillance to strategy—the data, research, and leadership skills LeCario brings to Indian Country.

Outside of work, LeCario spends his time slowing down and being in the moment.

📚 Reading

Currently at one book a month for 2026

✍️ Writing

Plans to eventually finish his book, at 80,000 words

🧳 Traveling

Collects magnets and memories

🎮 Gaming

Migrated to PC several years ago and has not looked back

🏃 Running

Has one trail on his reservation he always returns to

🔧 Automotive

Will have his project car up and running by the end of 2026 (hopefully)

🍞 Baking

Sweet treats (and the occasional homemade pizza)

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