Marla Yazzie was born and raised in Fort Defiance, Arizona. At an early age she was fascinated with caring for young babies and children. Marla received a BA in Anthropology from Dartmouth College in 2004. She then did pre-med courses at the University of New Mexico while working as an EMT and a research program assistant for the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health. In 2012, she received her MD from University of Arizona College of Medicine. Afterward, she went back to the New England area to complete her Pediatric Residency at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA in 2015. Her dream of being a Navajo pediatrician came true when she accepted a position at her hometown hospital after residency. She is passionate about American Indian healthcare. Her hope is to care for and encourage a generation of American Indian children that will be not only be successful in the modern world but carry on the traditions of their ancestors. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, watching movies, and running. Marla was a fellow at Tséhootsooí Medical Center in Fort Defiance, Arizona.