Joely Proudfit is an American academic and Native American studies professor who also works as an executive consultant for Hollywood media and films. The first of her family to complete high school and obtain a college degree, she went on to obtain a Ph.D. in political science and American Indian studies before becoming a multi-tenured professor in the California State University system.
In addition to organizing and promoting California’s American Indian & Indigenous Film Festival (CAIIFF), she was also appointed to several state and national committees for women and Native Americans. She also has assisted in positive and accurate representations of Native Americans in films like Hostiles and shows like Stumptown.