Anita is Cherokee (paternal grandmother) and Choctaw (paternal grandfather) Native American descent and is a registered member of the Choctaw tribe. She is a Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) alumnus and after graduating from the SRJC Nursing program, she spent 30+ years caring for women, infants, and their families in Sonoma County.  

Anita obtained her Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Colorado Denver, and her Master's in nursing education from Jacksonville University, in Jacksonville, Florida. Prior to coming back to Santa Rosa Junior College as the Maternal Child Coordinator in the Nursing Department, she was an assistant professor at Samuel Merritt University, Oakland campus. She has a passion for supporting equitable maternity care for the underserved as well as supporting and promoting Natives entering the medical field.