Her traditional name, anqati təmtəm tənas siyaxus, translates to old soul young eyes. She’s a seventh generation traditional basket weaver, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and lifeways practitioner, culture keeper and bearer. She uses TEK methods, ancestral knowledge, traditional plants such as western red cedar, wild willow, wild hazel, spruce and pine roots, ferns and many other plant fibers to create, revive and awaken centuries old art and way of life, basketry. Her third and fourth great-grandmothers were renowned master basket weavers. Stephanie is inspired by them and other weavers; even though they were forced from their way of life into an unknown colonized new world, they continued their traditional lifeways that the settlers purchased as collectible art. Stephanie’s motivation comes from her children, her tribe and her community.

Stephanie’s mother’s maternal people are Santiam and Yoncalla Kalapuya, Takelma Rogue River, and Cow Creek Umpqua tribes from southern Oregon and the Willamette Valley. Stephanie’s maternal grandmother’s paternal people were Wakanasisi Lower Chinook, Clackamas Chinook, Wasco, Chehalis, Mohawk and Metis from northwestern and Columbia River Plateau in Oregon, western Washington and Canada. Stephanie’s father’s people are Bostons, or American.