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     I am motivated to help people of all ages and backgrounds to develop healthier lifestyles. I want to provide physical/nutritional services and education in various types of settings from individuals to communities, based on their specific needs and goals.

     I am currently the Student/Family Cultural & Wellness Advocate for the Mandan Public School System. The main objective of my position is to help the Native American students and families feel welcome and connected to the school district and Bismarck/Mandan community. My position also focuses on addressing cultural diversity and awareness, along with nutrition and physical activity education.

Cole Allick, MHA, is a Practice Based Research Network (PBRN) Coordinator and Tribal Liaison at Washington State University's Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health (IREACH). His primary role is developing, planning, and leading research engagement and outreach activities focused on urban and rural American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations, locally, regionally, and nationally. He provides direction to Research Coordinators, Faculty and Partnerships for Native Health (P4NH) staff, in implementing outreach strategy and engages in strategic planning with tribal and urban clinics and community organizations in Washington State. He is also responsible for managing the operations, research projects, and outreach for the PBRN in coordination with the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and the Native American Health Sciences Program Director. Cole is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. 

     Jeri Ann Azure, PhD, is an enrolled member of Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.  She began her education at the Turtle Mountain Community College and went on to attend Minot State University and the University of North Dakota where she earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2011.

     Dr. Azure completed internship at the Indian Health Care Resource Center in Tulsa, OK.  Since graduating, Dr. Azure worked with the Turtle Mountain Vocational Rehabilitation Project, Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP), The Village Family Service Center, The Turtle Mountain Community High School, and most recently began employment with Indian Health Service as a Mental Health Specialist in April 2014. 

     Dr. Jeri Ann Azure provides therapy to all age groups through individual, family, and group therapy at the Quentin N. Burdick Memorial Health Care Facility.  Her area of specialty includes depression, defiant behavior, anxiety, anger, learning disabilities, suicidal ideation, self-injurious behaviors, and psychological assessment.  Dr. Azure is privileged to be able to provide psychological services (individual therapy, group therapy, assessment, consultation, etc.) to Natives across the lifespan.

     Stacie Blue has worked for Turtle Mountain Community College for a combined 16 years. She started her experience at TMCC as a summer research technician, then becoming employed as an administrative assistance, gaining experience to become a grant director, and after years of higher education instructor.

     Stacie has been teaching science courses full-time since 2009, she continues to develop her knowledge and skills to be an effective instructor, adviser, grant writer, and researcher. Stacie is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.

     Her professional interests include learning about the natural environment, and how to engage students in an outdoor education-throughout all seasons.

     BS in fisheries and wildlife Biology-University of North Dakota-Grand Forks; MS in Science Education-Montana State University-Bozeman. Currently PhD student in Natural Resources Management-North Dakota State University-Fargo.

     I have primarily worked with and researched Native American student success in college. I am also interested in critical race theory, anti-racism, and social justice and how each of these topics effect Native Americans. My latest publication: Brown, D.L., Hall, R.E., & Branden, K. (2018), Native American Colorism: From Historical Manifestations to the Current Era. American Behavioral Scientist, 62(14): 2023-2036.

     I am an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Tribe. I graduated from Turtle Mountain High, Sitting Bull College, and have bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees from the University of North Dakota. I worked at American Indian Student Services at UND for 15 years assisting students attending the university. I served as the Campus Diversity Officer for Minnesota State University Moorhead for ten years.

     I am currently assistant professor in the Department of Leadership & Learning in the graduate school of Minnesota State University Moorhead. I currently live in Fargo with my husband Pat. We have four daughters and three granddaughters.

     Dr. Duane Champagne is an enrolled Citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Belcourt, North Dakota. He is Professor of Sociology and American Indian Studies, a co-chair for the UCLA Native Nations Law and Policy Center, Senior Editor for Indian Country Today, and a member of the TLCEE (Tribal Learning Community and Educational Exchange) Working Group, and education report contributor to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues State of the World's Indigenous Peoples Report.

     Professor Champagne was Director of the UCLA American Indian Studies Center from 1991 through 2002 and editor of the American Indian Culture and Research Journal from 1986 through 2003, and in 2013. He authored or edited over one hundred thirty-five publications including

• Native America: Portraits of the Peoples,
• The Native North American Almanac,
• Social Order and Political Change: Constitutional Governments Among the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Creek,
• Social Change and Cultural Continuity Among Native Nations,
• Notes From the Center of Turtle Island,
• Captured Justice: Native Nations Under Public Law 280, and Indigenous Nations within Nations States: Integration and Autonomy. 

Champagne’s research focuses primarily on issues of social and cultural change in both historical and contemporary Native American communities. He writes about social change in a variety Indian communities including: Cherokee, Tlingit, Iroquois, Delaware, Choctaw, Northern Cheyenne, Creek, California Indians, and others.

Specialize in Behavioral Health

• Depression A
• Anxiety
• ADHD
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
• PTSD
• Mood Disorders
• Grief/Bereavement.

Healing Connection Behavioral Health Center PLLC EST. 03/2020 Owned/Operated by Heather Counts Services offered:

• Psychiatric Evaluations
• Psychotropic Medication Management
• Individual Therapy
• Psychotropic Genetic Testing
• Consultation Services
• Educational Events

Call (701)244-9729 for appointment Heathercounts82@gmail.com

Jacob is an active member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians located in Belcourt, North Dakota. Currently, he works as the Tribal Programming Director for Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota. Jacob has over ten years of American Indian health research experience on a local, regional, and national level. This experience includes: Native American health disparity research, compilation/analysis of data sets, grant writing/management, and program evaluation. He is serving as a board member for the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, has served as a board member for the North Dakota Cancer Coalition, and has held professional memberships within various organizations. Jacob has given professional presentations at various conferences over the years that have included the Pathways into Health Conference, the National Indian Council on Aging conference, the Native Health Research Conference for Native American Elder Abuse, and the Native Women’s and Men’s Wellness Conference.

Summary of professional interests
Based on my background and my current aspirations, I feel that the next logical step in my professional development is creating a network of health professionals that aspire to resolve the issues regarding health equity in American Indian populations. Achieving this will provide the framework needed to address the numerous discrepancies between the general population and American Indian population. I believe that all of my efforts in serving Indian Country through research have led me to reach this point and I am ready to excel in this endeavor if provided the opportunity to learn and grow through this organization.

Summary of areas of expertise
I have nine years of American Indian health research experience on a local, regional, and national level. This experience includes: ϖ Native American health disparity research ϖ Compilation/analysis of data sets ϖ Grant writing/management ϖ Program evaluation

Professional Memberships/Involvements:

• Member, American Indigenous Research Association 2015 – Present Member
• North Dakota Diabetes Cancer Coalition 2015 - Present Resource Person
• USDHHS Office of Minority Health Resource Center 2013 – Present Member 
• National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse 2013 - 2014 Advisor
• University of North Dakota Indian Association 2009 – 2014 Advisor
• University of North Dakota Native Research Team 2009 - 2014 Member
• Dakota Diabetes Coalition 2009 – 2014 Member
• Native Research Network 2009 – 2014 Member 
• North Dakota Academy of Science 2007 – 2010 Member
• American Indian Health and Education Consortium 2007 – 2009

Research and Research Publications:

• Best, L.G., Nadeau, M., Davis, J., Gourneau, L., Vallie, J. (2007). Factor v leiden genetic variant in an American Indian population. Proceedings of the North Dakota Academy of Science.
• Best, L.G., Bercier, S., Davis, J., Davis, K., Poitra, S., Anderson, C.M. (2009). Characteristics of two measures of endothelial function among American Indian participants in a case-control study of pre-eclampsia. Proceedings of the North Dakota Academy of Science.
• Best, L.G., Nadeau, M., Bercier, S., Dauphinais, S., Davis, J., Davis, K., Anderson, C.M. (2012). Genetic variants, endothelial function, and risk of preeclampsia among American Indians. Hypertens Pregnancy, 31(1), 1-10. doi:10.3109/110641955.2010.525276 
• Davis, J. (2013). Elder abuse in American Indian and Alaska native communities. National Resource Center on Native American Aging factsheet. http://www.nrcnaa.org/pdf/elder-abuse-in-native-communities-2013.pdf
• Davis, J. (2013). Wilson Wewa elder abuse public service announcement. National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative. http://www.nieji.org/ 
• Davis, J. (2014). Civil model tribal elder protection code. National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative. http://www.nieji.org/products/ 

Jerilyn Decoteau is a Juris Doctor who currently resides in Eldorado Springs, Colorado. She is a self-employed, enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. Her professional interests include Indian Law and Policy, Human Rights, Tribal Courts, and boarding schools. Her areas of expertise are in the areas of Indian Law, federal Indian water law, teaching Indian law and policy, tribal courts, anti-racism work focused on the effects of colonialism on Native Americans in the US and on the effects of boarding school policy.

Professional Memberships/Involvements:
Colorado Supreme Court Attorney Bar Colorado Indian Bar Association National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, President of the Board Toward Right Relationship Project - Co Director Committee to establish Indigenous Day in Boulder, Colorado Community Involvement Awards: Multicultural Award for Government 2002, Boulder County Community Action Programs Service: National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition President of the Board Eldorado Springs Sewer Local Improvement District Committee 2011-2015 Volunteer Ranger for U.S. Forest Service, Indian Peaks Wilderness Area Reading to End Racism Boulder Council-literacy based K-8, since 2002. Anti-Racism trainer for Reading to End Racism and the YWCA of Boulder County Boulder Valley Schools, Indian Ed. Parent Comm., 1985-2005. American Indian Youth Leadership Institute, Planning Committee/presenter Women’s Studies Advisory Board, University of Colorado, 2004-2006. YWCA of Boulder County Bd of Dir. 1998-2004 Sec’y: Natural Res. Law Ctr Univ. of Colo. School of Law, Bd of Dir., 1991-94, 2000. Indian Child Welfare Act Task Force–Denver Indian Family Res. Ctr, 2000-2001. Denver Indian Health and Family Services, Bd of Dir., 1985-88. Women's Foundation of Colorado, Board Member, 1986-87. School Board member, Turtle Mountain Comm. Sch., Belcourt, ND 1976-78.

Past Research/Research Publications:

• Essay, “Why I Opted Out of the Cobell Settlement”, http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/ict_sbc/why-i-opted-out-of-the- cobell-settlement 
• Essay, The New Money Changers: Predatory Lending in Indian Country http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/ictarchives/2008/04/28/decoteau- the-new-money-changers-79600 Native American Asset Watch: Rethinking Asset-Building in Indian Country, First Nations Development Institute 2009, available at www.firstnations.org. 
• Turtle Mountain Tribal Appellate Court Opinion –opinions available on request Essay, “Effects of Non-Indian Development on Indian Water Rights,” Tribal Water Rights, 
• Essays in Contemp. Law, Policy, and Economics, eds John E. Thorson, Sarah Britton, and Bonnie B. Colby 2006, U .of AZ Press. 
• Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Constitution Convention and Revision Process - 2001-2002, Project Peacemaker, Turtle Mountain Comm. College. Review of Indian Law Cases in the Supreme Court, Nat’l Clearinghouse Rev., 1991. 
• Access of Urban Indians to Health Care, Nat’l Clearinghouse Rev., Sum. 1986
• Tribal Taxation: Issues Left Open After Merrion v. Jicarilla, Indian Law Support Ctr. Rptr, Winter 1985. 

Professional Presentations:

• since 2000 Native Asset-Building Coalitions: organized a national conference in June 2009.
• Predatory Lending in Indian Country: presentations on at national meetings, including NCAI and the Native American Indian Housing Council and testimony before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in June 2008.
• Law Professors of Color Conference April, 2008, University of Denver Law School: Topic: Indian Law: the Asset-Stripping Effects of Indian Law and Policy.
• Training for Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Judicial Branch: 2days, January 2007. Co-planner, presenter on several topics.
• Indian Law Summit: Strengthening our Tribal Government Systems,
• Project Peacemaker Turtle Mountain Community College, August 1-2, 2005 Co Planner, Presenter.
• Ethical Issues in Representing Tribes, University of Wisconsin Annual Indian Law Conference, April 2005
• Tribal Government Reform, University of Washington Indian Law Conference, September, 2003.
• Tribal Sovereignty Discussion, Colorado Indian Bar Semi Annual Meeting, May, 2002
• Ethical Issues in Representing Indian Tribes: A Federal Perspective – Federal Bar Ass’n Indian Law Conf. Albuquerque, April 2001.
• Effects of Development on Indian Water Rights, Nat. Res. Law Ctr. Univ. of Colo. School of Law, June 2000. 

     I am have been the diabetes nurse at the Quentin N. Burdick Memorial Health Care Facility Indian Health Service since 2014 and have been a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist since 2016. I am also a member of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists. My current passion is diabetes prevention and self management education and support for tribal members and their families as well as childhood obesity prevention and treatment for tribal youth.

     I received my Bachelor's of Science in Nursing in 2005 and Master's in Nursing- Education in 2009 both from the University of North Dakota. I have worked as an both an operating room and public health nurse within tribal communities. In addition, I have worked as a clinical and didactic instructor with the tribal college nursing LPN program. I have been the diabetes nurse at the QNBMHCF since 2014 working with both prevention and management education with patients of all ages. I am a 2nd year PhD student at the University of Arizona planning to conduct dissertation work on food insecurity and diabetes management among the Turtle Mountain tribal adults.

     My place of birth, the Turtle Mountains is considered to be in the geographic center of North America. Turtle Mountain Chippewa believe we are at the center of creation. Imagine that, this belief that I am of the first people, born in the center of the world, into a race of people that have endured thousands of years; withstood genocide, the taking of our land, the subjugation of our language, culture, way of life and who show up statistics as less than 1% in any study. Imagine that and you can, because only human beings are given the gift of dream, of imagination, of intellect articulated.

     This way of thinking, of believing is addressed by Vine Deloria in the introduction of his book, Meta-Physics of Modern Existence, when he states, "No matter how well educated  an Indian may become, he or she always suspects that Western Culture is not an adequate representation of reality. Life therefore becomes a schizophrenic balancing act wherein one holds that the creation, migration and ceremonial stories of the tribe are true and that the Western European view of the world is also true. Obviously this situation is impossible although just how it becomes impossible remains a mystery to most Indians. The trick is somehow to relate what one feels to what one is taught to think."

     My nation has an enrollment of over 30 thousand members. Our reservation homeland is a stretch of land six by twelve miles with other bits of land located along the northern part of Minnesota. North Dakota and Montana as well as in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. My people are teachers, lawyers, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, artists, writers, singers, dancers, architects, judges, and also represent a population of people that are 60% unemployed, live in poverty and struggle daily to survive. I come from a family of twelve children who my parents raised by working very hard, through teaching about the relationship to life and all that was sacred, and togetherness exemplified by maintaining circles of support that never went away. My father trapped and hunted to feed and support us while my mother gathered food from the woods and garden to see us through times when the only monetary support was welfare assistance. My father attended school to the 5th grade and my mother attended to the 7th grade. Early on in life, before we enrolled in school, we were taught to read and later, required to do well in school even though my parents did no complete their formal education. We didn't have electricity or plumbing in the two-room house in the bush, that we called home, but it was a place of warmth, and joy, where learning always took place.

     Much of the teaching was done through stories, songs, dances and role modeling. My teachers were my parents, grandparents, and extended family. The way I was taught prior to formal schooling was validated by Jerome Bruner and B.F. Skinner, noted educators and researchers who teach the concept that the culture of a people is reflected in and passed on through their educational system. The way a people choose to educate their children is most important. Serious attention to methods and content of education insures that special customs, values, and life-styles of the culture are passed on to the children. That was the manner in which Native children were taught in the beginning and as I was taught in the home as I was growing up. The history of formal education for Native children was contrary to ideals researchers and educators stated should occur, rather the opposite happened and education of Native children has been, as a whole, dismal. Our education has its roots in creation with traditional systems of knowledge culturally specific to our tribe. Legal and historical evidence demonstrates that Native tribes can rightfully control the institutionalized educational processes of their children althogh those attempts in formal education.

     Bernice Delorme has an L.L.M. (Master's in Law) in Taxation; a Juris Doctorate with an Indian Law Certification and 18 years as General Counsel for 3 tribes; an M.S.W. with 30 years of child welfare experience; a B.S. in Business Administration and 20 years of Management and Personnel experience. She has as much volunteer experience as she has paid experience.

     She is currently the State Chaplain for the North Dakota Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary. She believes in giving back to her community.  Bernice is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.

     Her interests include, tribal taxation authority, tribal government functioning, tribal governing documents and their use (or lack thereof), how people in the community can learn how tribal government should work, protection of tribal lakes and watersheds, the effect of the Catholic Church on tribal member identity and their vision of traditional teachings and practices, the effect of acculturation on male and female roles in Turtle Mountain society, rediscovering the Plains Ojibway history of Turtle Mountain, rediscovering the Treaties to which Turtle Mountain is a signatory, determining how the Pembina Band of Chippewa legally became the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, the Mide heritage of Turtle Mountain, the effect of off reservation appraisal on Turtle Mountain reservation land values.

     Kade is an enrolled Citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Belcourt, North Dakota. He is an anthropologist/archaeologist with over 20 years of experience working with tribal communities to develop cultural resource self-determination plans and innovative methods of cultural resource management.

     Over the past years he has worked with over a dozen tribes to develop their Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPO) and provided training for those working in these offices. Over his career he has served as THPO and Director of Natural Resources for the Turtle Mountain Tribe, Tribal Archaeologist for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and am presently THPO and Tribal Archaeologist for the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians.

     Much of his recent work has been in creating innovative approaches to cultural resource management in Indian Country, using GIS and spatial technology to identify and maintain cultural inventories and sites. Some of the Tribes he has worked with include the Lower Sioux Indian Community, Three Affiliated Tribes, Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Yankton Sioux Tribe, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska, Omaha Tribe, Winnebago Tribe, Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, Northern Arapaho Tribe, and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

     Dr. Donna Grandbois is an Associate Professor with a dual appointment in the School of Nursing and the Department of Public Health, NDSU. She is a Master's prepared psychiatric nurse (Clinical Nurse Specialist program, UND) and has her PhD in gerontology. She teaches in the Master of Public Health graduate program in the American Indian Public Health Track and in the BSN -RN nursing degree program in the School of Nursing. She strives as a Team Member, Community Transformation Grant (CTG), State Leadership, Community Engagement, Tribal Community Pilot Projects Implementation Stage Hampton Faculty Fellow, and Spirit of Eagles American Indian Alaska Native Leadership Initiative on Cancer Research; Requires successful completion of coursework in (1) Cancer Health Disparities in AIAN, (2) Cancer and Co-morbid Conditions, (3) CBPR, (4) CBPR Evaluation, and (5) Grantsmanship.

     Dr. Grandbois areas of expertise includes resilience and empowerment at the individual and community level Gerontology and Native Americans/elders Vulnerable populations Health disparities related to trauma Aging and mental health issues Equitable distribution of comprehensive healthcare, educational, and economic resources.

Dr. Grandois’ past research and research publications include:

• Grandbois, D. M. & Sanders, G.F. (2009). The resilience of Native American Elders. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 30 (9), 569-580.
• Selzler, B. & Grandbois, D. M. (2011). Best practices for psychological support of communities after a disaster, International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering, (ISSN:1743-3509):Disaster Management and Human Health Risk II,www.witpress.com/journals.html.
• Grandbois, D. M. & Sanders, G. F. (2012). Resilience and stereotyping: The experience of Native American Elders. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 23 (4) Guest Editorial:
• Grandbois, D. M., Warne, D. & Ischiti, V. (2012). Impact of History and Culture on Nursing Care of Native American Elders, Journal of Gerontological Nursing,38 (10) 3-5
• Grandbois, D. M., Madison-Jacobs, R.C. & Sanders, G.F. (2009). A perspective of American Indian and Alaska Native Nurses. In H. Bessent (Ed.). Monograph: Minority Nurses in the New Century, Sponsored by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, 101-109
• Grandbois, D. M. & Moss, M. (2015). Northern Great Plains in American Indian Health and Nursing, M Moss (Ed.), 1st Edition, Springer Publishing Co. 

Dr. Grandbois professional presentations include:

• Grandbois, D. M. (2011). Resilience & Stereotyping: The Experience of Native American Elders, Peace, Good Mind, & Strength: Indigenous Principles of Health Disparities Research and Training for the Seven Generations, 23rd Annual Native Research Network Conference, Niagara Falls, New York, June 27-30, 2011
• Grandbois, D. M. (2013). An indigenous community's journey to access culturally appropriate healthcare. 141st Annual Meeting and Exposition, American Public Health Association, Boston, Mass. November 3, 2013
• Grandbois, D.M., & Danielson, R. (2014). Engaging Stakeholders of Research: American Indian Community- Health Needs Assessments. “Making Relatives for Community- Based Research. Collaborative Research Center for American Indian Health (CRCAIH) Summit 2014, June 11 & 12, Bemidji, MN
• Grandbois, D.M., Danielson, R.; Yellowbird, W., Wallette, J., Alexander, C. & Cobb, S. (2014). A Native American Communities Journey to achieve culturally appropriate care. Resiliency, the Science of Strength, Native Research Network, 25th Anniversary Native Health Research Conference, June 1-5, 2014, Phoenix, AZ
• Danielson, R. & Grandbois, D. M. (2014). Demonstrating the Need for Culturally Appropriate Health Care: Results of an Urban American Indian Community Health Needs Assessment. Resiliency, the Science of Strength, Native Research Network, 25th Anniversary Native Health Research Conference, June 1-5, 2014, Phoenix, AZ
• Grandbois, D. M. (2015). Oral Presentation, Equipping Public Health Leaders Who Can Address the Health Issues in American Indian Communities through Culturally Congruent Approaches. American Public Health Association Meeting, Chicago, Ill. November 1-4

     I am currently an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. I currently work as the information specialist for the Indians into Medicine program and I am also the career coordinator for the Native Educator University Research Opportunity at the University of North Dakota. I am looking forward to completing my doctoral degree in Practice & Leadership and getting involved with a variety of research opportunities in the future. I hope to give back to my community located in Belcourt, ND. I have three beautiful children that I am so proud of and love very much!

     Honor Society recipient McNair Recipient Indians into Psychology Recipient Indians into Medicine Summer Counselor Upward Bound Summer Counselor Resident Teacher Doctoral Scholar Scholarly writing in the areas of: Education Programming Community based research Grant writing.

     ​I am currently an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. I currently work as the information specialist for the Indians into Medicine program and I am also the career coordinator for the Native Educator University Research Opportunity at the University of North Dakota. I am looking forward to completing my doctoral degree in Practice & Leadership and getting involved with a variety of research opportunities in the future. I hope to give back to my community located in Belcourt, ND. I have three beautiful children that I am so proud of and love very much!

     My professional interests include Organizational Development including strategic planning, leadership and professional development, research, policy and handbook creation or reform, community rebuilding, food sovereignty, and native nation rebuilding.

     Dr. Daniel Henry is an enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. Dr. Henry is married to Corrilyn Henry and together they raise their children Brooklynn, Cody, Torance, and Connor.

     Dr. Henry has been involved in tribal education for over 20 years. He currently holds a B.S in Secondary Science from Turtle Mountain Community College (2012), a Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University (2014) and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Concordia University (2019).

     Dr. Henry is currently the Program Director of the Turtle Mountain Miikanaake Fatherhood program and was previously the Vice-President of Campus Services at United Tribes Technical College. Dr. Henry presently sits on various community and tribal committees and is committed to strengthening the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and is a member of Native Nation Rebuilders Cohort #11.

Mr. William Houle currently is employed full-time at Turtle Mountain Transportation in Belcourt, N.D. He is enrolled member in the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. William Houle's professional interests include water quality and non-point source pollution. William's past research includes water quality data on streams, lakes, and ground water. 

     Dr. Tami Jollie-Trottier is an enrolled Citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Belcourt, North Dakota. She is a clinical psychologist currently working on her hometown reservation located in Belcourt, ND. She received her BA in Psychology from Minot State University in 1999 and received her PhD in 2005 from the University of North Dakota. Dr. Jollie-Trottier then completed a 2-year fellowship in Health Psychology at UND School of Medicine and one-year of specialty training at the Eating Disorder and Neuropsychiatric Research Institutes in Fargo, ND.

     She currently works in the Behavioral Health Clinic and is honored to be providing health psychology services to her community members. As a psychologist, Dr. Jollie-Trottier has the opportunity to blend her passion for living a healthy lifestyle in her approach to therapy and wellness with her educational, cultural, and spiritual knowledge. She serves as a Community Advisor and IRB member for the Tribal Nations Research Group. Dr. Jollie-Trottier is an IHS Community Wellness Champion and is Alumni of the American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Program. She is one of the founders of Belcourt’s Medicine Moon Run, a 1/2 Marathon, which on its 7th year. The Medicine Moon Run focuses on challenging Indian Country to aspire to achieve wellness and balance through daily exercise.

     Joan LaFrance, Ed.D., is owner of Mekinak Consulting, a management and evaluation service in Seattle, Washington specializing in educational program evaluation, research, and management studies. She is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.  Joan received her doctorate Harvard University, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington.

     Mekinak Consulting has a long history of evaluation of programs in Tribal Colleges and Universities, tribal and indigenous communities, and for non-profit organizations.  With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through a grant to the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), she conducted the research and co-authored the book Indigenous Evaluation Framework: Telling Our Story in Our Place and Time. Currently, she is conducting research on the application of the Indigenous Evaluation Framework in three tribal college communities.  She was a founding member of the Indigenous Peoples in Evaluation Topical Interest Group in the American Evaluation Association.  She believes that traditional Indigenous voices and values will make significant contributions to evaluation theory and practice.

     In addition to her ongoing work in American Indian tribal communities, she is working projects in the United States Affiliated Pacific Islands to assess culturally relevant mathematics curriculum and climate change education projects.  She was the lead evaluator for CEMELA, a NSF funded four university consortia dedicated to research in mathematics learning among Latino populations. 

     Joan has taught research and evaluation methods in graduate programs for the University of Mary, Sitting Bull College, and University of Washington.  She has done municipal budgeting, program development and management, and curriculum development.  She has also worked as an internal consultant in the City of Seattle’s Performance Resource Group where she was involved in government improvement efforts such as performance measures, surveys of city residents and businesses, organizational research and organizational development. 

     Dr. Denise Lajimodere is an enrolled Citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Belcourt, North Dakota. She has been involved in education for 37 years as an Elementary teacher and Principal, earning her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees from University of North Dakota.

     Dr. Lajimodere currently works as an assistant professor in the Educational Leadership program, North Dakota State University, Fargo. She is the current President of the National Native America Board School Healing Coalition (N-NABS-HC). Denise is also a traditional Jingle Dress dancer; poet – Dragonfly Dance, Michigan State University Press, and a Birch Bark Biting artist

     Yvonne Larocque is BIA Superintendent at Fort Totten Agency, Fort Totten, ND. Yvonne has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the University of North Dakota and a Master’s Degree in General Administration from Central Michigan University.

     Yvonne was previously employed as the Self Determination Officer in Aberdeen, SD and was a Level II Awarding Official. Duties included administering PL 93-638 Contracts and Grants, including construction contracts, for all Tribes and Tribal Organizations in North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.

     Yvonne is married to Delbert "Pepper" LaRocque and together they have 3 children and 7 grandchildren. Yvonne's interests/hobbies include watching sports of all kinds, Netflix and working on crafts and DIY projects.

     Dr. Shane Martin is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI) Tribe. He lives in Belcourt, N.D. and works at the local high school, Turtle Mountain Community High School on the TMBCI reservation. Dr. Martin received his Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of North Dakota.

     Dr. Martin’s professional interests include helping children become successful citizens. He does this with leadership and mentoring and serves as a volunteer. He enjoys helping the local community grow through infrastructure and programming.

     His areas of expertise are in community development and youth programming. He has assisted in many endeavors across the reservation in construction and programming and he feels that is his biggest asset.

     Dr. Martin professional memberships and involvements include but are not limited to a current member of the Tribal Health Board, North Dakota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, Tribal Research Review Board, Turtle Mountain Middle School Parent Action Committee, Byron Dorgan Youth Wellness Center Board-President, National Strength and Conditioning Association, Certified Strength and Conditioning Association, Department of Public Instruction Certified Administrator and Educator, and was a past Board Member of the North Dakota High School Athletic Association.

     Past Research: Exploring The Impact and Benefits of a Health Education Program at Turtle Mountain National Institute of Health and Turtle Mountain Community College-"National Youth Sports Program" diabetes prevention research initiative.

     Past Presentations: Aberdeen Area Youth Wellness Champion presentation in Aberdeen Glazier Sports Presentation in Minneapolis Byron Dorgan Youth Wellness Summit NDHSAA Presentation on Native American Sport Programs and Capacity Building 

     I enjoy the opportunity to continue research and teaching as I am currently an Instructor of Marketing and Management at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. I've been teaching a variety of business courses in higher education for the past eight years, including time with University of Mary and United Tribes Technical College. I began my professional career as a bank operations manager before later working as a regulatory analyst for a diversified U.S. energy company.

     I'm interested in the continuation of diversity topics in management education, including the research of managerial and economic issues within Native Nations. My doctoral dissertation study focused on the "Perception of the Effect of Leadership Styles on Organizational Commitment at Tribal Colleges and Universities."

     Native Nation Rebuilder Fellow (Cohort 8) Christian Business Faculty Association (CBFA) Native American Student Association Faculty Advisor (NSU) Business Club Faculty Co-Advisor (NSU) NSU School of Business Recruitment and Retention Committee Member Crazy Horse Memorial Scholarship Committee Member (NSU) American Indian Advisory Committee Member (NSU).

     Mathern, A. (2016). (Doctoral Dissertation). Perception of the Effect of Leadership Styles on Organizational Commitment at Tribal Colleges and Universities. Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana. Dulaney, E., Bates, M.O., Berg, P.E., Forbes, B., Gunn, R.M., Mathern, A.M., …Thomas, B. J. (2015). Faith integration in the classroom: A plural view. Christian Business Faculty Review. (Spring 2015), 55-62. Mathern, A. M. (2014). Research cited in June, 2014 Campus Technology article by Emmett Dulaney and Tim States “How to make the most of an introduction video to an online course.” Mathern, A. M. (2013). Theoretical framework of group decision making used to identify alleviation strategies of groupthink. Mustang Journal of Management and Marketing (Volume 2). May 2013.

     “Modern business education as it relates to current industry needs, demands and trends” SD State CTE Conference, August 2, 2016, Sioux Falls, SD. 

     Meredith McCoy (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa descent) is an Assistant Professor and Andersen Fellow of American Studies and History at Carleton College where she teaches classes about Indigenous activism, Indian education history, and Indigenous research methods. Her research uses Critical Race Theory to shed light on histories of educational violence and Indigenous resistance in K-12 schools in the United States. She has previously worked as a public school teacher, an instructor at Turtle Mountain Community College, an instructor at Freedom University, and a Policy Assistant at the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education. McCoy is a graduate of the Native Leadership Institute, a leadership development program that provides training in strategies to promote tribal sovereignty through governance and finance. She is also the founder of www.nativeninetypercent.com, a creative digital space for Indigenous people writing about diaspora, relocation, and reconnection.

     My research focuses on Indigenous Studies, Native American histories, education policy, education history, K-12 social studies education, and Tribal Critical Race Theory. In my research, I am interested in interdisciplinary work (I often work with scholars in education and in public health) and in collaborations with non-profits and government offices (I have worked on research for both the Native American Rights Fund and the Southern Poverty Law Center). My recently completed doctoral research, which was approved by TNRG, traced a history of federal Indian education policy from 1819-2017 through ethnography, oral histories, financial analysis, discourse tracing, and archival research. I am currently discussing a new research partnership with the Newberry Library, Chicago American Indian Center, and the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative that would be a community-driven history of Native relocation to Chicago in the 1940s-1960s. I am a member of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association, the National Indian Education Association, the American Studies Association, the American Educational Research Association, and the National Council for the Social Studies. My recent publications include:

Peer-reviewed Publications

• McCoy, Meredith L. & Turtle Island Social Studies Collective. “Beyond Pocahontas: Learning from Indigenous Women Changemakers.” Social Studies and the Young Learner 31, no. 3 (2019): 7–13. 
• McCoy, Meredith L. “Preparing Preservice Educators to Teach American Indian Boarding School Histories.” In (Re)Imagining Elementary Social Studies: A Controversial Issues Reader, edited by Sarah B. Shear, Christina M. Tschida, Elizabeth Bellows, Lisa Brown Buchanan, and Elizabeth E. Saylor, 255–79. Charlotte, North Carolina: Information Age Publishing, 2018.
• McCoy, Meredith L. “‘This Is Us’: Powwow and Higher Education in North Carolina.” Southern Cultures 24, no. 4 (2018). Invited Chapters
• RedCorn, Alex, Meredith L. McCoy, and Hollie J. Mackey. “Indian Country: An Introduction to Financial and Bureaucratic Considerations.” In Funding P-12 Schools in the 50 States and Indian Country, edited by David C.
• Thompson, R. C. Wood, S. Neuenswander, J. M. Heim, and R. D. Watson. Gainsville, Florida: National Education Finance Academy, 2019. Government, Non-Profit, and Public Policy Publications
• Shuster, Kate, Hasan K. Jeffries, Meredith L. McCoy, Margaret Newell, Sarah B. Shear, Christina Snyder, and Ebony E. Thomas. Teaching Hard History: A Framework for Teaching American Slavery -- Grades K-5. Montgomery: Southern Poverty Law Center, 2019.
• Shuster, Kate, Renée Gokey, Bethany Jay, Hasan K. Jeffries, Cynthia Lynn Lyerly, Meredith L. McCoy, Sarah B. Shear, and Christina Snyder. Teaching Hard History: A Framework for Teaching American Slavery -- Grades 6-12. Montgomery: Southern Poverty Law Center, 2019.
• Shelton, Brett Lee, Michael Johnson, Danielle R. Gartner, Meredith L. McCoy, and Rachel E. Wilbur. “Trigger Points: Current State of Research on History, Impacts, and Healing Related to the United States’ Indian Industrial/Boarding School Policy.” Boulder: Native American Rights Fund, 2019.

Melissa is an enrolled Citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Belcourt, North Dakota. Her goal is to make an impact on the overwhelming health disparities affecting the population today by preventing the disease. She hopes to accomplish this by identifying who is at risk, education, and empowering the patient to make the right choose by incorporating diet medication, and regular exercise. Her areas of expertise are in health education and chronic health management. She is a member of American Academy Nurse Practitioners, Advance Health Care Network, Milwaukee Advance Practice Nurse Association, Illinois Nursing Association, and she was involved with Concordia University of WI Volunteer American Indian Center of Chicago. She has given professional presentations at American Indian Health Services of Chicago, Minority Health Care conference, American Cancer of Mount Prospect, and she has presented at many community seminars. 

     Dr. Jessica R. Metcalfe is an enrolled Citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Belcourt. North Dakota. Dr. Metcalf is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Arizona. She wrote her doctoral dissertation on Native designers of high fashion, and is in the process of editing her dissertation for a book manuscript.

     She is the main author of the website, Beyond Buckskin, which focuses on all topics related to Native American fashion, and is the owner of the Beyond Buckskin Boutique, which promotes and sells Native-made couture, streetwear, jewelry, and accessories. She has taught courses in American Indian studies, studio art, art history, and literature at tribal colleges and state universities. She has presented at numerous national conferences, lectured at museums, and co-curated exhibitions.

     Her current work focuses on Native American art, clothing, and design from all time periods, with an emphasis on contemporary artists.

     Melvin is an enrolled Citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Belcourt, North Dakota.  Melvin is the Director of Scholarships and Programs for the American Indian Graduate Center, Inc. located in Albuquerque NM. He is President of the National Indian Education Association (2014-2015) and remains active in the legislative and outreach work done by the association.

     As a tribal college student, Melvin worked with the TMCC Rural Systemic Initiative giving support to the professional staff. Melvin attended the University of North Dakota where he earned a BS in Education and MS in Educational Leadership. During his pursuit of a Master's, Melvin worked as the Native American student recruiter, program coordinator for American Indian Student Services and a grant coordinator for a federal Dep't of Education teacher training grant. From UND, Melvin managed both the Success for the Future grant and Minnesota Indian Scholarship programs for the Minnesota Department of Education Office of Indian Education. He was briefly the Director of Recruitment and Student Diversity for the University of Minnesota School of Public Health prior to his current position at AIGC. Melvin enjoyed working with AIGC, first as a scholarship reviewer, then as a read trainer, for the Gates Millennium Scholars program and pursued full-time employment with the organization. Melvin has worked to bring the scholarship program to the Internet, made minor changes to the processing of applications and spends time interacting with students, institutions, family members, community programs, tribes and donors to provide comprehensive services beyond a scholarship check.

     As a professional member of ACPA (College Student Educators International) Melvin strives to bring the voice of our community to the academy and to the Centralized Accreditation Standards process. He lives in Albuquerque, NM with his husband, John and their 3 dogs; however, he is available to travel upon request.

Melanie is an enrolled Citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa; Belcourt, North Dakota.  Melanie received her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of North Dakota and a Masters in Public Health in community health education with a concentration in health disparities from the University of Minnesota. This fall Melanie will be entering her 5th year in the PhD in Epidemiology social behavioral track program at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health as a doctoral candidate. Melanie is a community engaged scholar and has worked 10 years on various research projects within the American Indian community. Melanie is also trained in community based participatory research and mixed (quantitative and qualitative) research methods.  Currently Melanie is the Operational Director at the American Indian Public Health Resource Center housed at North Dakota State University. Melanie is prepared to serve American Indian people utilizing her knowledge, skills, and abilities which she has acquired through her education and experience working with Native communities. Melanie has a wealth of experience working in community health education and research and is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Native communities. 

     Jona Peltier “Migizi Ode’ Ikwe” Eagle Heart Woman (Chippewa), Co-Owner of Seven Stone Center For Behavioral Health and Healing, is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW). She is currently licensed through the state of North Dakota. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of North Dakota. She received her undergraduate degree from Minot State University in 2006. In 2004, she graduated from the Turtle Mountain Community College with an Associate of Arts degree. She worked the last eight years at Indian Health Service in the Department of Behavioral Health as Clinical Social Worker. Previous to working at IHS, Jona worked for Healthy Marriage Initiative as a therapist. Jona is married to Evan Peltier and they have two boys Easton (7) & Chase (6). Jona enjoys watching and playing sports especially watching the Minnesota Vikings! Jona enjoys CrossFit, weight-training, interior design and decorating, traveling, cooking, canning, and spending time with family and friends.

     Jona has nearly ten years of experience in behavioral health and counseling. Jona also works at the Turtle Mountain Community College as an adjunct faculty teaching social work and psychology classes. She serves as a mentor to many young students and professionals in the area. She has wealth of knowledge and experience working with preschool, young children, adolescents, young adults, and older adults in the area of Anxiety, Depression, Suicide Ideation, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism, Juvenile Delinquency, Attachment disorders, Anger, Stress Management, and Personality disorders. Jona specializes in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is certified in Thought Field Therapy and utilizes Positive Psychology daily in her practice. Jona is also trained in Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS). Jona has served as the Mental Health Consultant for the surrounding area Head Start programs, providing mental health evaluation, intensive behavior intervention and modification for past eight years. She is serving as a liaison for the Turtle Mountain Tribe and the North Dakota Centers for Persons with Disabilities to coordinate care for early identification and intervention of developmental disorders in tribal preschool programs. Jona serves as the Coordinator for The Nurturing Parenting Program of the Turtle Mountains, providing family based services to parents and children of the Turtle Mountains. She coordinates and works closely with local Tribal Child Welfare programs to provide Mental Health Services to high risks families.

     Jona is a coalition member of Tribal Nations Research Group of TMBCI, in which, they are currently working on a community health assessment for the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Indian Reservation. Jona is currently enrolled in a program to become a Certified Autism Specialist (CAS). Jona is an active member for the Annual Wellness Committee the puts on an annual Wellness Conference for the past ten years. Jona wants to continue to learn and develop knowledge and skills in the area of Behavioral Health to provide the best practices to the people she serves.

Barbara is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Belcourt North Dakota. She currently owns and operates Schmitt Strategies, a Native-owned consulting firm that specializes in Community and Economic Development. With almost 30 years of experience in Community and Economic Development, Dr. Schmitt is committed to assisting tribal communities in planning and implementing economic endeavors on the reservations in the upper Midwest. Both as a team player and as an independent worker, she has been successful in contributing to projects throughout Indian Country in areas such as education, community and economic development, and research and development. Dr. Schmitt has a PhD in Education from North Dakota State University, Fargo, N.D., a MBA and a Master’s Degree in Management from the University of Mary, Bismarck, ND. 

     Janie Schroeder, Juris Doctor, is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. Janie resides in Grand Forks, ND and is currently employed full-time.  Janie has a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration and Indian Studies and a Juris Doctorate and an Indian Law Certificate. She has an interest in data collection among reservations to analyze and create policy based on that data analysis to improve socioeconomic conditions. Janie has a large interest in policy and administration. 

     Janie is a affiliated with the Native American Bar Association, and National Native American Law Student Association Alumni. Janie published Elder Abuse in Indian Country and is currently writing a chapter on the Native American Cultural Perspective on Elder Abuse. Janie has also presented an Overview of Elder Abuse in Indian Country.  

     Courtney Davis Souvannasacd is an outreach coordinator with the National Resource Center on Native American Aging with the Center for Rural Health (CRH) at the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Grand Forks. Among her responsibilities in this position, Courtney serves as a communications liaison between grant project leadership, researchers, funders, partners, and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian (AI/AN/NH) urban centers and tribal stakeholders. She is responsible for outreach, engagement and recruitment of AI/AN/NH urban centers and tribal Title VI programs and serves as a resource person for AI/AN/NH aging issues for both tribal and urban populations.

     Prior to joining the CRH, Courtney was a program coordinator for American Indian Student Services and the Native American Program liaison for the Grand Forks Public School District. She serves on the UND Indians into Medicine Tribal Advisory Board, High Plains Fair Housing Board, and the North Dakota Superintendent's Family Engagement Cabinet. She was a UND Grand Challenges Helping Rural Communities-Solving Health and Social Problems see grant awardee, and was involved in the city of Grand Forks Indigenous Peoples Day resolution.

     Originally from Belcourt, N.D., Courtney is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, she attended Turtle Mountain Community College and UND. She earned an associate of arts degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in business administration-management. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in educational studies at the University of North Dakota.

Dr. Wayne Stein is an enrolled Citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa; Belcourt, North Dakota. Wayne works closely with the seven tribal colleges (TCU) of Montana and several others around the country.  He has also consulted with several tribes interested in starting their own TCU.  Teaching responsibilities in the College of Letters and science focused on undergrad Native American Studies in Literature and contemporary issues of American Indians; while his focus in the Native American Studies (NAS) masters graduate studies program were TCU’s, minorities in higher education, and publishing has focused primarily on TCU’s, but has done some research and writing in the areas of Indian gaming and faculty of color in higher education.

Wayne J. Stein is Professor of Native American Studies & Higher Education Studies at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana.

April E. Walker P.E., C.F.M. is a North Dakota native who graduated from Turtle Mountain Community High School. She went on to North Dakota State University and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. She currently resides in West Fargo ND and works as a private consultant. She began her career as a highway designer for the state of California but moved to Fargo in 2002 where she worked for the City of Fargo as a Traffic Engineer. In 2006 she became a registered Professional Engineer and was hired to serve as the City’s Storm Sewer Utility Engineer which put her at the forefront of a tumultuous time with regard to floodplain management, emergency flood fighting, flood risk reduction, and mitigation issues. The Red River experienced major flooding in all but one of her 6 years in this position, including the flood of record, which peaked at 22.8 feet above flood stage. In 2012 she became the City Engineer and her scope of responsibility grew. She managed a Capital improvement plan that expanded from a total investment of $40.8 Million in 2012 to a record breaking $263 Million in 2014. Following 2014 it consistently exceeded $100 Million per year. This increased investment in infrastructure helped the City address the needs of existing neighborhoods and expand the City. During her tenure April helped to develop and began the implementation of a flood protection plan that has resulted in the construction of 20 miles of permanent Levees and Floodwalls within the City. In her new role as a consultant April is seeking to bring the skills she has acquired to benefit a broader population. April also serves as an Adjunct Professor for NDSU, she is a member of the City of West Fargo’s Planning Commission and serves on the Board of Directors for the FM Area Foundation.

I am a licensed professional engineer in ND and SD. I am a Certified Floodplain Manager and a member of the Association of State Floodplain Managers. In addition I have experience in the fields of Water Resources, Transportation Engineering, and in local government administration and planning.

     Misty Wilkie-Condiff, PhD, is an enrolled member of Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians Tribe. Dr. Wilkie-Condiff's professional interests are higher education, American Indian Education, providing quality education to nursing students, and minority organ donation and transplantation. Dr. Wilkie-Condiff's areas expertise include nursing, organ donation and transplantation, nursing research, and higher education. She is currently employed full-time at Bemidji State University.

Professional Memberships/Involvements:
Sigma Theta Tau American Indian Science and Engineering Society President- National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association Board of Director- Association for Multicultural Affairs In Transplantation 

Past research and research publications:

• Thesis research: Beliefs and Attitudes of American Indians Towards Organ Donation- 2001
• Dissertation research: The Lived Experience of American Indians with Organ Donation and Transplantation- 2009
• Research project with American Indian nursing students- consult with NDSU in 2014
• Research project with American Indian nurses- consult with NDSU 2015
• Current project (awaiting IRB approval): Quality of Life/Health After Organ Donation and Transplantation in American Indians Currently working on publication. 

Professional Presentations:

• 2015 “American Indians and the Organ Donation Process” presented At the 23rd Annual Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation conference in Detroit, Michigan
• 2015 “The Lived Experience of American Indian Organ Donors and Recipients: Stories of Cultural, Physical and Spiritual Triumph” Keynote Speaker at the Aotearoa Indigenous Nurses Conference, Auckland, New Zealand
• 2014 “American Indian Lived Experience with Organ Transplantation” presented at 22nd Annual Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation conference, Houston, Texas.
• 2014 “Journey of a Nurse Educator” presented at 3rd Annual Pathways to Nursing: Sharing Our Journeys Conference, Bismarck, North Dakota.
• 2014 “American Indian Organ Donation and Transplantation: The Lived Experience” presented at 13th Native Women & Men’s Wellness Conference, San Diego, California
• 2010 Keynote Speaker, “From Poverty to Prestige: A Native's Journey in Nursing “ presented at St. Cloud State University Phi Theta Kappa Induction Ceremony, St. Cloud, Minnesota.
• 2010 “The Experience of American Indians with Organ Donation and Transplantation” presented at 16th Annual Turtle Mountain Wellness Conference, Belcourt, North Dakota.
• 2010 “The Lived Experience of American Indians and the Organ Donation and Transplantation Process” presented at Bois Forte Diabetes Conference, Tower, Minnesota.
• 2007 Keynote Speaker, “Research trajectory from an indigenous perspective” presented at St. Cloud State University Sigma Theta Tau Induction Ceremony, St. Cloud, Minnesota.
• 2005 “Overcoming Barriers in Graduate Education” presented at the National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurses Association 1st Annual Conference, Washington, D.C.
• 2005 “Mentorship and Role Modeling for Native Nursing Students” National Alaskan Native American Indian Nurses Association Conference, Washington D.C.
• 2004 “Minority Graduate Student Perspective” presented at Research Day, University of Minnesota, School of Nursing, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
• 2003 Presented “Beliefs and Attitudes of a northern Minnesota American Indian Tribe Towards Organ Donation” at the National Alaska Native American Indian Nursing Association Summit IX, Park City, Utah
• 2003 Accepted for poster presentation at Midwest Nursing Research Society (peer reviewed). “Beliefs and Attitudes of a northern Minnesota American Indian Tribe Towards Organ Donation” in April 2003
• 2002 “Beliefs and Attitudes of a northern Minnesota American Indian Tribe Toward Organ Donation” To faculty of University of Minnesota and University of North Dakota and community members, 2nd Annual Bridge Retreat, White Earth Indian Reservation, Mahnomen, Minnesota.