Elizabeth Hoover

Elizabeth Hoover (born 1978) is an American social scientist specializing in environmental science, policy, and Indigenous food sovereignty. She is an associate professor at the University of California, Berkeley where her research has focused on environmental health and community-engaged approaches to food justice. In 2022, she faced public controversy after acknowledging that genealogical research did not substantiate her earlier claims of Native American ancestry.

Early life and education Hoover was born in 1978 in Knox, New York. Her mother, Anita, claimed that their family descended from Mohawk and Mi’kmaq ancestry, a narrative based on family lore. These stories shaped Hoover’s upbringing, including participation in cultural practices and powwows.

Hoover graduated from Williams College in 2001 with a B.A. in anthropology and psychology. She completed a M.A. in anthropology and museum studies at Brown University, completing it in 2003.

Selected works