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Elisha Oliver

Elisha Oliver Profile Photo

Executive Director/Anthropologist

Elisha self-identifies as a Texas Girl with Oklahoma roots. She is the Executive Director at Texas Folklife, a statewide nonprofit organization with a 40-year history dedicated to helping preserve and promote the cultural mosaic of the Lone Star State.
Elisha is a Biocultural Anthropologist and Ethnographic Folklorist. She earned her Ph.D. in anthropology, with specializations in Health and Human Biology and Sociocultural Anthropology from the University of Oklahoma. On occasion, you can find her teaching anthropology or women’s and gender studies course at the University of North Texas.
Elisha is a multidisciplinary mixed-media artist, ceramicist, photographer, and a fierce library advocate. She enjoys spending time with family, museum hopping, and road trips that provide opportunities to hike and explore rural communities.

Sept. 15, 2025

#040: Elisha Oliver is Breaking Free From Generational Patterns: How Art Creates Possibility

Elisha Oliver's path from classroom teacher to Executive Director of Texas Folklife offers a masterclass in following creative curiosity. When standardized testing drained her passion for education after nearly twenty years, Elisha found herself at a crossroads that many creatives face: continue th…
Guest: Elisha Oliver