Meet the Team

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Crystal (She/Her) 

Dr. Crystal A. Cavalier-Keck is an Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation citizen and a passionate advocate for environmental justice and Indigenous rights. She resides in Mebane, North Carolina, is a devoted mother of five children, serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Social Sciences Department at Salem College in Winston-Salem, and is a co-founder of 7 Directions of Service. Crystal is the Chapter Director of the 17 Rivers American Indian Movement (AIM) under the Grand Governing Council, making history as the first woman ever to hold this position in North Carolina.

With extensive expertise in strategic intelligence and cybersecurity, Crystal previously worked as a Counterintelligence Analyst with the Department of Defense, Defense Security Service, Threat Integration Branch, Intelligence Division, Counterintelligence Directorate at Quantico, VA, and as an Analyst with the Department of Homeland Security, Intelligence and Analysis. She earned her Certificate in Intelligence Studies from the National Intelligence University and her Certificate in Legislative Studies from the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, Washington D.C., in December 2014. In 2021, Crystal was selected as one of the 25 finalists for the Unicorn Fund and chosen as part of the Second Dazzle of Unicorns cohort. The Unicorn Fund, an experimental award program managed by MDF, supports under-resourced grassroots leaders in the United States who face attacks for expressing their ideas, telling the truth, and taking a stand on the front lines of narrative change.

Crystal’s early academic achievements, civic engagement, and community advocacy laid the foundation for her lifelong commitment to leadership and justice. In 1991, she won Margaret Lecompte's Math and Science Award at Woodlawn Middle School in Mebane, NC. That same year, her "How Does Caffeine Affect the Water Flea?" project secured third place in the school’s science fair in the Earth Science category. Her passion for scientific inquiry continued. In March 1992, Crystal won first place in the Earth Science category at Woodland Middle School. She then advanced to the Alamance County Schools Science Fair and won first place. With her "How Does Oxygen Affect the Greenhouse Effect?" project, she advanced to the Region 5 Science Fair at Elon University. In 1993, Crystal took a stand for justice by suing her middle school for violating her civil rights and 14th Amendment protections due to discrimination against her academic record. She won her case, settling out of court with punitive damages awarded from both entities involved. Beyond academics, Crystal was actively engaged in civic service and leadership. In 1994, she served as a Senate Page for Senator George Daniels. From 1992 to 1996, she volunteered during election seasons at the Pleasant Grove Precinct, working alongside Gilberta Jeffries Mitchell and Georgia Bradshear to support voter engagement and community participation. Her dedication to community service extended to the Shop with a Cop program in 1993 and 1994, where she collaborated with Ms. Gail Parker, who worked with the State Highway Patrol in Alamance County. As part of this initiative, she participated in ride-a-longs and helped select toys for children ages 7-13 at Walmart, ensuring that families in need received holiday gifts.

From 2000 to 2019, Crystal dedicated her career to serving as a military and veteran consultant, advocating for the military community—especially spouses navigating challenges related to employment, education, PTSD, and voter education. As a Family Readiness Support Assistant, she worked at Fort Bragg with the 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Brigade, and 1st Special Troops Battalion. Additionally, she served under the United States Special Operations Command as a Congressional Liaison, strengthening communication between military families and policymakers. She has served in many roles, from Chapter Director to volunteer with several organizations, including:

• Army Community Service at Fort Bragg, NC
• Blue Star Families
• National Military Family Association
• Army's Army
• NC 4H Harnett County
• Red Cross Disaster Team
• NC Women’s Political Caucus

While at Fort Bragg, Crystal was the Chair of Congressman Kissell's 8th Congressional Military Families Caucus in North Carolina. She also volunteered with Military Families United, served as a Research Administrator for the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation in 2017, and founded:

• M.O.M.S (Mentoring Other Military Spouses) is a group dedicated to helping military spouses achieve their goals.
• Support Our Arthritic Kids, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charity that raises awareness about autoimmune illnesses, particularly within the military community.

In 2021, Crystal was selected as one of the 25 finalists for the Unicorn Fund and chosen as part of the Second Dazzle of Unicorns cohort. The Unicorn Fund, an experimental award program managed by MDF, supports under-resourced grassroots leaders in the United States who face attacks for expressing their ideas, telling the truth, and taking a stand on the front lines of narrative change. Crystal co-founded 7 Directions of Service, an Indigenous grassroots environmental nonprofit focused on preserving the environment and protecting sacred homelands. Over the past five years, she has been a leading voice against the Mountain Valley Pipeline/Southgate Extension, campaigning to bring rights-of-nature laws to North Carolina to safeguard waterways and communities. She co-authored NC House Bills 795 and 923, which focus on the rights of the Haw River and the Dan River and address the impacts on vulnerable communities within the watershed. Crystal’s commitment to environmental stewardship earned her the 2022 FracTracker Community Sentinel Award for Environmental Stewardship. She also serves on the Movement Rights and Haw River Assembly boards, contributing her knowledge and leadership to environmental and community-focused initiatives. She is a Sequoyah Fellow with the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and a lifetime member of the National Congress for American Indians. 

Her academic achievements underscore her dedication to education and social justice. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a Master of Public Administration in Emergency Management from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from the University of Dayton. Her doctoral research centered on the social justice crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) tied to gas and oil pipelines. Crystal is pursuing a Master of Legal Studies in Indigenous Peoples Law at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. In 2024, Crystal joined the Tribal Professional Cohort from the Native Leadership Institute, further enhancing her leadership in Indigenous advocacy and governance. 

In the political realm, Crystal actively engaged in leadership roles within the Democratic Party and national advocacy efforts. 2009, she was elected to the North Carolina Political Women’s Caucus. She served as Treasurer of the Cumberland County Young Democrats in 2010 and was later elected President in 2011. That same year, she was appointed Chair of the YDNC Military/Veterans Caucus, advocating for service members and their families. In 2011, Crystal worked with Operation Free, an initiative by the Truman National Security Project, which emphasizes the national security risks of climate change and the importance of clean energy solutions. In 2019, Dr. Cavalier made history by founding and being elected inaugural Chair of the first-ever North Carolina Democratic Native American Caucus. Her commitment to advocacy and grassroots organizing led her to run for U.S. Congress in North Carolina’s 4th District in 2022.

Crystal has been recognized throughout her career for her unwavering dedication, receiving numerous awards and honors.