I am Evelyn Klimpel an enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes from the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. I am a Hidasta and Crow Indian. I have been an educator for the past 24 years. I taught in the public school sytem for nine years before moving on to higher education.

My focus changed in 1992 when our youngest son was born with a rare bone condition (Olliers Disease). At the time I was working for the North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities. My job was to write grants in response to the prioities and preference of ethnic minorities with disabilities in North Dakota.

Since our son's diagnosis, I have become a parent advocate for children with disabilities. I served on the Federal Interagency Council to change laws and policies regarding services to children and their families. I currently serve on the ND Children's Special Health Services Advisory Board and ND Family Voices Board. Also, I am a parent trainer and parent learning coach for the Hilton Early Head Start SpecialQuest Project (Phrase I & II).

My day job is Coordinator of Disability Services for Minot State University. I coordinate accommodations for college students with disabilities. My undergraduate and graduate degrees are in Elementary education.

Finally, my husband Gaylon and I have three sons ranging from 12 years of age to 29 years of age. We have a grandson and granddaughter who keep us quite busy when they come over to our home. We have made Minot, ND our home for the past 28 years.