Stacey Oberly is a member of the Southern Ute tribe of southwestern Colorado. Stacey recently finished her Ph.D. in linguistics at the University of Arizona. Stacey has an M.A. in bilingual/multicultural education from the College of Santa Fe, an M.A. in linguistics from the University of Arizona, a Colorado teaching certificate and a Montessori teaching certificate. She has taught the Southern Ute language in public and private school settings for ten years.

"During AILDI each summer, indigenous language warriors from all over the US and Canada gather to learn, share and prepare to fight to keep our indigenous languages alive. These warriors renew and strengthen their spirit as they learn how governmental language policies and planning threaten our indigenous languages. They develop their teaching, planning and researching skills from renowned experts in language revitalization, planning and immersion. After AILDI, they return to their communities with renewed strength, energy and skills to continue to protect our indigenous languages."