Women Are Sacred Conference

We Are Born from Her: Protecting Earth Mother, Her Women, and Her Children

This speaks to our Indigenous understanding of the sacredness, strength, and power of the feminine spirit that flows through Earth Mother, women, and children.

It is also a call out to name, acknowledge and act on the reality that violence against the Earth, as witnessed by climate change, violence against women, as witnessed by horrific violence against women and children is interconnected. It’s about relationships. Violence requires the breaking of relationships and denial of spirit. Protecting Earth Mother, women, and children requires rebuilding, nurturing, and honoring our relationships. Reclaiming and uplifting the feminine spirit is at the heart of the survival of women, as Indigenous People, and our four-legged, rooted, winged, and water relatives.

The Women Are Sacred Conference represents the strength and resilience of our people and the tools and knowledge we have to make positive change. This conference is an opportunity to gather and build relationships, mourn our losses together, and also celebrate and honor the resilience, power, and spirit of the feminine, together. This is an opportunity to take action, to bring to life our shared vision for the future to end the violence and recreate peaceful, respectful relationships.

Full Agenda | WAS Covid Community Guidelines

As we pause to reflect on Tillie’s life, the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center honors Tillie’s legacy through a biennial award to recognize outstanding grassroots advocates that exemplify the teachings and dedication that Tillie instilled in our movement to restore safety for Native women.

Please consider nominating an Indigenous relative in the movement that advocates from a woman- and survivor-centered, culturally grounded approach, is known for leadership in social change initiatives and uplifts our connections as relatives, and also pro-actively works to strengthen the capacity within a Tribal Nation or a Native community (including Native Hawaiians and off Tribal/Indigenous homelands) to end violence against Indigenous women, their children and families.

Nomination Form

For more information, please visit the official Tillie Black Bear 'Women Are Sacred' Award page.

MAIN HOTEL

Isleta Resort and Casino | Booking Link
877-746-5382 or 505 848-1999 | Group code WAS0623
Deadline is Friday, May 26, 2023
Hotel special group rate: $121 USD

Book with this link for the group rate for Women Are Sacred Conference: https://res.windsurfercrs.com/ibe/details.aspx?hotelID=9679&lang=en-us&group=WAS0623&hgID=0&currID=1&dt1=8575&rooms=1&adults=1

METHOD OF RESERVATIONS

• Guest room reservations will be made by individual attendees directly with Hotel reservations at (877) 747-5382 or (505) 848-1999, please have attendees mention the Meeting Group name, or the group code of WAS0623 to receive special rate. All reservations must be before Friday, May 26, 2023. No-shows or early departures will be charged one night's room and tax. All reservations must be guaranteed by a valid credit card. Individual cancellations must be made 72 hours prior to the arrival date, to avoid no-show charges. Rates cannot be changed at check-in or check-out for guests who fail to identify their affiliation at the time the reservation is made.

CUT-OFF DATE

• The cut-off date is the last day that Hotel will accept guest room reservations for Meeting Group's program. The cut-off date is Friday, May 26, 2023 (the "Cut-Off Date"). Reservation requests received after the Cut-Off Date will be accepted by Hotel at its discretion if applicable guest rooms and rates are available. Guest room reservations made after the Cut-Off Date that exceed Meeting Group's guest room allocation as set forth above will be accepted only at Hotel's discretion. If the group room rate is not available after the Cut-Off Date, the current hotel retail guest room rates will apply. All surplus guest rooms will revert back to Hotel for general sales after the Cut-Off Date.
   

BACKUP HOTELS

Courtyard Albuquerque Airport | Booking Link
Last Day to Book: Sunday, June 4, 2023
Hotel special group rate: $121 USD
Book with this link for the group rate for Women Are Sacred Conference: https://www.marriott.com/events/start.mi?id=1680824446125&key=GRP

Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel | Booking Link
Last Day to Book: Thursday, May 25, 2023
Hotel special group rate: $121 USD
Book with this link for the group rate for Women Are Sacred Conference: https://www.marriott.com/events/start.mi?id=1681844056387&key=GRP

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1. Advocacy Isn’t Perfection, It Is Improving with Lived Experiences
    Presenter: Valura Imus-Nasonhoya
Advocacy is a learning process that applies skills, experiences, and partnership with survivors. The speaker will engage participants through activity and discussion, by using lived experiences of grassroots advocacy that is embedded with cultural awareness, respect, and practical approaches that survivor response requires. This workshop will also cover how advocacy responses differ in domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, MMIP, and the collaborative relationship building required with justices’ systems. to conclude this session, participants will focus on advocacy skill building, identifying advocate safety concerns, and the utilization of a safety planning model for advocates and their families. This workshop will encourage participant discussion, engagement, and exercises.

2. Advocates: Warrior/ Life Doula/ Sister - Plenary
    Panelists: Jolene Engelking, Nicole Matthews, Carmen O’Leary
Advocates have always been a part of our communities. They traditionally were and currently are the healers, protectors, aunties, the folks who stood up for individuals and for lasting change. As advocacy has been more formalized and funded, the distinct and transformative role of the advocate can at times feel muddled. This plenary session will explore the unique and layered responsibilities advocates hold in communities and in the anti-violence movement. Presenters will navigate how to respect and anchor our relatives that came before us while being attune to the complexities of our changing world.

3. Advocating for Advocates: Strengthening our Programs Through Indigenous Values
    Presenters: Jolene Engelking, Nicole Matthews
Advocates are essential to supporting survivors of violence, yet often are under appreciated, and under respected both by systems professionals and within their own organizations. This leads to high turnover, high burnout, and advocacy being seen by some as a stepping-stone or entry level position. This interactive session will focus on strategies that individuals and programs can take to shift that dynamic. Grounded in Indigenous values and a love of advocacy, attention will be given to increasing organizational capacity and sustainability, strengthening relationships with partners, and restoring the unique role advocates play in the anti-violence movement. Participants will leave with practical tips and ideas for implementing within their programs as well as a renewed excitement about advocate identity.

4. “Alaska Native Women: Ending the Violence, Reclaiming a Sacred Status” Key Points from a New Book to Understand Violence Against Alaska Native Women
    Presenter: Tami Truett Jerue
This session explores the new AKNWRC book, the first written text written from the perspective of Alaska Natives, which brings a new voice providing an Indigenous understanding of violence against Alaska Native women. Violence is not traditional, and women were respected in their nations. The safety and well-being of women were safeguarded by their status and today our culture continues, despite colonization, to be protective factors. The title of the book is a political statement and provides direction to our movement in making the legal and policy reforms needed. We see ending the violence against Alaska Native Women organically linked to restoring the sacred status of women held within sovereign Indigenous nations. This book is written to support tribal leaders, advocates, and survivors in understanding the path forward to create the changes needed to end domestic and sexual violence. The book is dedicated to Shirley Moses, Inupiaq, a founding mother of the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center. The principal authors of the book are AKNWRC staff members Michelle Demmert, Debra O’Gara, Tami Truett Jerue, and Jacqueline Agtuca.

5. America's History and Legacy of Violence
    Presenter: Christina Love
We know that trauma is the underlying cause of many experiences of mental health and substance use concerns. These topics help us to better understand the prevalence of individual, historical, generational, and community trauma and the connection that trauma has with health disparities like mental health and substance use experiences.  Why are women abused more than men? Why are Native American, and our LGBTQ2S relatives physically and sexually assaulted at much higher rates than any other demographic? This training answers our biggest questions by exploring the roots of violence that have led to a culture of abuse and violence.

6. ARP Covid19 Resource Database and IT Tech Best Practices Bundles
    Presenter: Cassandra Roy
This workshop will go over the ARP-funded Covid-19 resource database and how to use/find resources. As well as the IT Tech bundles, showing the best practices to working hybrid or remote during the time of COVID-19.

7. Building Your Village: Creating a Survivor-Centered Network to Support Adult Native Victims of Human Trafficking
    Presenters: Mitzi Pope, Samantha Samuel-Nakka, and LaBretia White
Walking the healing path with a survivor of human trafficking can feel like an overwhelming journey. Identifying someone who is experiencing human trafficking may be challenging without knowing what signs to look out for and which trauma-informed questions to ask. Supporting adult survivors of human trafficking starts with educating staff about the issue, followed by adapting existing screening tools to be culturally applicable, and then identifying needed survivor services, from crisis response to long-term healing. This workshop will address these areas while highlighting how to build your village using survivor-centered advocacy and community collaboration. Learn strategies for identifying human trafficking, creating partnerships, and utilizing culture as a means of healing and a protective factor for survivors.

8. Circles of Strength: Cultural Healing In Urban Environments
    Presenter: Alaina Hanks and Tanya Scheidegger
The Circles of Strength (COS) program at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center (GLIIHC) addresses violence amongst urban Indians across the lifespan with services focused on sexual assault, human trafficking and domestic violence. This presentation will explore dynamics of how violence presents in urban settings and highlight cultural approaches we use with survivors of violence in our community. Our programming is developed using a culturally centered lens and includes core components of trauma treatment. Some of the practices we will share include our Survivors Healing Retreat, the integration of equine therapy and the development of our peer leadership program.  

9. Culture and Healing - Responding to Violence Against Indigenous Survivors
    Presenters: Sandra Pilgrim-Lewis, Rachel Carr-Shunk, Casey Kasper-Welles, Andrea (Andy) Jackson
It is key to acknowledge that each Tribal Nation is separate and different as sovereign entities. It is equally important to acknowledge our shared historical trauma, similar cultural practices and our shared ideology that recognizes the sacredness of women and caring for our first Mother, Mother Earth and all of creation. Our worldview is rooted in our ancestral knowledge and traditional cultural practices that are foundational across our nations. It is through interaction and dialog with women from diverse tribal nations that Uniting Three Fires Against Violence set upon a journey to bring together the voices of women to create resources that connect healing from the violence against our native sisters, mothers, aunties, daughters, two spirit, and all of our relatives with the support of cultural practices, traditions, and medicines.  UTFAV has developed a series of cultural videos connecting healing from the violence against our women and children with cultural traditions and practices. The workshop will inspire participants to replicate the process in their home Tribal communities, meeting survivors where they are, while better understanding the different ways historical trauma has impacted many of us similarly and/or differently.

10. Elevating the Voices of Male Survivors
    Presenter: Brandon Nasonhoya
During this session, the presenter will use their experiences, cultural knowledge, and their work with healing. This session will cover the challenges Indigenous men face in telling their story as survivors, and the paths to healing they confront in recovery, accountability, and recognizing the need for change. There will be a sharing of how the presenter has overcome victimization using self-assessment and healing that is culturally specific, and how that journey is now being used to help other men heal and gain emotional and spiritual strength. Lastly, his session will discuss and recognize the importance of cultural identity, healing, and recovery in achieving a healthier life for self, children, and family.

11. Envisioning Our Futures" Gender Violence Prevention Strategies
    Presenter: Tai Simpson
The Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence, alongside the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections, seeks to build individual and community resilience to prevent gender-based violence through the development of the Lupine Circle Project, a model program to re-imagine a future free of violence for girls who are incarcerated through the juvenile criminal system. This program builds effective system-level prevention programming centering and building on input from youth most likely to experience gender violence. Girls in the juvenile criminal system are impacted by sexual violence at alarming rates before, during, and after incarceration. Furthermore, girls who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, or LGBTQ are disproportionately impacted by sexual violence and the criminal legal system. By centering the voices and lived experiences of girls who are incarcerated, Lupine Circle will co-create a replicable model of prevention programming that is developed through the lens and lived experiences by one of the groups of people most impacted by gender violence.

12. Evolution of Safe Housing Workgroup: Building the Bridge Between GBV and Safe Housing
    Presenter: Caroline LaPorte
This session will highlight lessons learned from the National Workgroup on Safe Housing for Indigenous Survivors of Gender-Based Violence. Participants will hear from three national TA providers on their effort to create an intersectional space for domestic violence advocates and homelessness/housing insecurity advocates. This session will have an additional focus of housing as an integral part of the response to global pandemics and as a preventative factor in addressing violence.

13. Family Violence Prevention Services Act (FVPSA) Legislative Update – Plenary
    Presenters: Paula Julian, Kerri Colfer
Since the 1970s, advocates, including survivors of domestic violence (mostly women), their advocates, shelters, and domestic violence programs have organized at the grassroots level to effect social change to protect survivors better and hold those who abuse and cause women harm accountable. In 1984 one of these herstoric changes was the FVPSA becoming federal law. Survivors and advocates shifted our nation’s culture with the passage of FVPSA, which provides resources to support programs and projects to prevent domestic violence and provide shelter and supportive services. This shift helped to pave the way for the passage of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994. Advocates have been the nexus of this social change and continue to lead ongoing grassroots organizing, including FVPSA reauthorization. FVPSA authorization expired in 2015, and a coalition of Tribal and non-Tribal organizations have worked since then to educate our federal policymakers about key Tribal and other enhancements that must be included in any FVPSA reauthorization, including the following:
    1. Increase the Tribal government set aside from 10% to 12.5%
    2. Authorize permanent funding for the AKNWRC to serve as the Alaska Native Tribal Resource Center on Domestic Violence
    3. Authorize permanent funding of the StrongHearts Native Helpline to serve as the National Indian Domestic Violence Helpline
    4. Authorize formula funding for the Tribal Domestic Violence Coalitions to provide training and technical assistance (TTA) similarly to what the State Domestic Violence Coalitions provide through a separate set aside
    5. Authorize permanent funding for the Native Hawaiian Resource Center on Domestic Violence

14. From Hotels to Housing: Creating Safe Living Space
    Presenter: Rick Giron and Monica Montoya
We are experiencing a severe crisis across the housing spectrum. There simply are not enough housing units to accommodate the existing and future demand for housing. How can we address our current housing stock, how can we create shelter, how can we insure safe housing? One key strategy is by converting Hotel/Motel Properties to Housing. This workshop is designed to help us learn what one community is doing to increase the availability of safe housing in our communities.

15. Gentle Action Theory and Traditional Ways in Bringing Hope and Healing to Women’s Experience of Incarceration and the Intersection of Experiences of Abuse
    Presenter: Carma Corcoran
The workshop applies Gentle Action Theory alongside Traditional Ways of Knowing and Being to bring hope and healing to women’s experience of incarceration and the societal ills that they have experienced that are not traditional. The majority of Native American women who experience incarceration have suffered abuse from childhood abuse to sexual abuse to domestic violence. The traumas they have experienced are only heightened by being incarcerated. Prison is not a place of hope or healing. Instead, we need to build on their resilience by first addressing their trauma and then assisting them in using the cultural knowledge and tools they need for healing and a better future.

16. Growing Our Own Advocates
    Presenters: Janelle Chapin and Tami Truett Jerue
We will talk about how AKNWRC created a program to best meet the needs of our tribal communities. We will talk about how we developed a 40-hour advocates training and how to continue to grow to meet tribal needs.

17. Healing Our Nations through Respect, Responsibility, Relationship and Reciprocity
    Presenters: Kelly R. Vallo, Anissa McKenna, Melodie Lopez, Virjinya Torrez, Ruthy Ross
As an inter-tribal Indigenous community, we create “real Sovereignty moves”, by implementing, maintaining and upholding our Four Rs, to create more support and love for one another. We address and educate the negative impacts of lateral violence amongst one another to instead build relationship through the strengths of our community. Our main focus is not to re-traumatize but re-    establish a sense of self-worth and determination. We provide healing by incorporating Indigenous art and storytelling which support cultural and traditional values with respect to each Indigenous tribe, village and community and their beliefs.

18. Healing Through Ancestral Teachings
    Presenter: Amanda Takes War Bonnett and Carmen O'Leary
From a traditional and cultural perspective group work has always had a place in traditional Native life.  When doing group work for sexual assault and domestic violence survivors, cultural activities and crafts are help reinforce cultural concepts that have always assisted women in finding some identity and connection to their culture.   Women can gain healing, strengthen identity, wisdom and philosophy using culturally specific knowledge through fun and challenging activities.  These cultural concepts can empowered women and promote healing. This workshop will provide facilitation skills and activities.

19. Herstory of Indigenous Me, a Grassroots Movement in OK
    Presenters: Carmen Harvie  M.S.-Not Invisible Act Commission Member Taskforce; Vice President Cindy Famero; Secretary-Henrietta Nelson; Legal- Darcie Parton Scoon- Private Investigator
In this session we will tell our story of the beginning Indigenous Me- creating support and organizing for grassroots work of increasing safety of NW in Oklahoma.

20. Historical Overview of Tribal Housing
    Presenter: Theodore Jojola
Community planning practices in Indigenous communities primarily consist of ill-suited western approaches, mostly derived from colonial and neo-colonial traditions. Planning outcomes have failed to reflect the rights and interests of Indigenous people, and as a result attempts to reclaim planning have become a priority for many Indigenous nations throughout the world.

There is a critical need for Indigenous communities to reclaim control of the political, socio-    economic and cultural systems at work in order to improve outcomes. This presentation on reclaiming Indigenous planning will examine the impacts of western housing practices on culture and community and speaks to why we must incorporate Indigenous concepts that promote traditional knowledge, cultural identity, and stewardship over land and resources.

21. Honoring Consent - Protecting Indigenous Peoples' Right to Autonomy for our Land and Bodies
    Presenter: Nicole Begay and Jolene Holgate
This training will provide an overview and definition of consent and Indigenous considerations, how consent is applied, Free, Prior and Informed Consent relating to sexual violence in Indian Country and resources available to students & our community members.

22. How to Use International Advocacy to Restore Safety for Indigenous Women
    Presenters: Chris Foley and Jana Walker
The extreme and disparate rate of violence against indigenous women in the United States is a violation of international human rights law. Advocacy at the international level can complement and strengthen domestic efforts to end this violence. This session will review some of the work indigenous women, tribes, and indigenous organizations have done in the past decade to advance indigenous women’s rights and to hold the United States accountable. We will look at recent work with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the UN Human Rights Council, and the UN Commission on the Status of Women, and more. In addition to discussion of the history of specific advocacy efforts at these international bodies, we will offer practical information about what these international bodies are, what they can do, how we can engage with them, and we will share information about upcoming international meetings and events.

23. Housing and The Violence Against Women Act: Policy Update
    Presenter: Caroline LaPorte
This session will provide a law and policy update regarding Violence Against Women Act, the McKinney-Vento Act, and the intersection of housing, homelessness and gender-based violence in on and off reservation communities. This session will also provide an overview to tribal codes and ordinances that impact this intersection and will highlight promising practices by Tribes. The voices of survivors, their needs and lived experiences, will be central to this discussion in order to address necessary change in tribal and federal policy.

24. INVITATION ONLY: Housing Listening Session for Survivors of DV/SA
    Presenters: Gwendolyn Packard and Caroline LaPorte
The Indigenous Safe Housing Center is conducting this “Listening Session” with AI/AN Survivors of DV/SA Dating Violence and Trafficking. The purpose of this “Listening Session” is to advocate for and increase or create safe housing options for survivors of domestic and sexual violence across Tribal Nations, Alaska Native Villages, and Hawaiian and Tribal Communities. This “Listening Session” will help gather critical input toward shaping needed change at the tribal, state and national levels. Space is limited and all participants will be compensated.

25. Human Rights—Indigenous Rights—Women’s Rights: How international law addresses gender-based violence.
    Presenters: Rick A. Garcia, Esquire and Kendra Kloster
The session will discuss the international human rights framework that is relevant for work related to domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence committed against indigenous women. It  will provide an overview of the human rights systems of both the United Nations and the Organization of American States and explain how each can be used by Indian Nations and Indigenous women’s organizations. We will discuss key human rights treaties and instruments, focusing on the UN and American Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and consider how women’s rights are recognized and protected by this legal framework. Rights affirmed in these Declarations include the right of self-determination, rights to lands and resources, right of indigenous women and children to be protected against violence, and many others.

26. Implementation of VAWA 2022
    Presenters: Jerry Gardner and Kelly Gaines Stoner
This plenary session will provide an overview of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022) including jurisdiction over nine “covered crimes”: assault of Tribal justice personnel; child violence; dating violence; domestic violence; obstruction of justice; sexual violence; sex trafficking; stalking; and a violation of a protection order. In addition, the Alaska Pilot Program for Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction will be discussed. The session will provide an overview of the issues tribes need to address if they are interested in exercising the Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction provisions under VAWA 2022. The session will also discuss the assistance, guidance and benefits from the Intertribal Technical Assistance Working Group (ITWG) on VAWA and the tribal provisions.

27. Imposter Syndrome
    Presenter: Lori Jump
Imposter syndrome is the condition of feeling anxious and not experiencing success internally, despite being high performing in external, objective ways. This will be an interactive discussion on imposter syndrome, what it is and why so many within our field suffer from it.

28. Formative Evaluation of the Demonstration Grants to Strengthen the Response to Victims of Human Trafficking in Native Communities (VHT-NC) Program
    Presenters: Christina Melander, Elizabeth Tibaguiza, and Rita Martinez
A case study of participatory and Indigenous evaluation approaches incorporated into a formative evaluation of the Administration for Children and Families’ Demonstration Grants to Strengthen the Response to Victims of Human Trafficking in Native Communities Program, which provides services to people who have experienced human trafficking in six Native communities.

29. Indian Country Counts! Domestic Violence Services in Indian Country
    Presenter: Dawn Stover
A key component of the Alliance of Tribal Coalitions to End Violence’s (ATCEV) strategy to enhance the response to violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women is supporting research that will identify existing gaps, inform victim services programming, and enhance access to essential services to domestic and sexual violence victims in Indian Country. Join the ATCEV and the tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions as we recognize the importance of supporting critical victim-related research and kick off a new research project in and for Indian Country entitled Indian Country Counts. Note that ATCEV includes Alaska in the definition of Indian Country.

30. Indigenizing Harm Reduction at The Intersections Of Domestic Violence, Mental Health, And Substance Use
    Presenter:  Victoria Wynecoop-Abrahamson
Indigenous communities of Turtle Island are grounded in cultural teachings that center the strength of the feminine spirit, the sacredness of medicinal plants, and our innate connections with the spirit world and one another. Today, these teachings are often labeled as harm reduction, a modern term used to overcome genocidal and oppressive practices imposed by settler-colonial governments. These interconnected teachings have diminished over the centuries due to these oppressive practices stigmatizing Indigenous survivors experiencing the intersections of domestic violence, substance use, and mental health.  Through these teachings advocates and service providers, must continue to utilize to support Indigenous survivors. In this workshop, we will center survivors' experiences and reconnect with Indigenous teachings that uplift harm reduction values and disrupt genocidal practices at the individual, community, and institutional levels. By reconnecting and identifying these harm reduction values, it provides an opportunity for participants to collaborate and discuss the variety of ways we can reclaim and uplift the experiences of Indigenous women, children, and two-spirit relatives that have or are experiencing the intersections of domestic violence, substance use, and mental health.

31. BY INVITATION ONLY Indigenous Intersections on Gender-Based and Land Violence: Voices from the Field.
    Presenters: Heather Bruegl, Kendra Root  
This Conversation With the Field (CWTF) is in collaboration with NIWRC Research and Policy Teams as part 1 of a 2-part research conversation with the field series. This closed key informant CWTF will lead our discussions to understand the intersectionality of colonial violence for Native American womxn and biodiversity. Indigenous pedagogies center the importance of kinship, honoring the kinship among womxn as women, girls, Two-Spirit, Queer, Trans, Non-binary, and variations of gender, and our lands, plants, animals, skies, and water. Our lands, plants, animals, skies, and water are explored in this research as biodiversity. The purpose of this discussion is part of NIWRC’s Research pilot study and helps NIWRC’s Policy team thoroughly explore #6 of the 6-points action plan. With the CWTF space, it is our hope and intent to uplift our Indigenous voices, knowledge systems and practices to help understand feminine intersectionality of Indigenous womxn and biodiversity as we are encouraging the reclamation of our Indigenous ways of being and calling for land and body justice in our communities.

32. Indigenous Me-Oklahoma State Chapter of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People
    Presenters: Carmen Harvie, Not Invisible Act Commission Member Taskforce; Vice President -Cindy Famero, Secretary-Henrietta Nelson, Legal- Darcie Parton Scoon- Private Investigator
In this session the OK MMIP chapter will teach about how to engage in Self-care, including stress free techniques which will be fun and relaxing.  It has been clinically proven  to reduce stress.  We will share a ribbon Ceremony that will uplift each person in the room. Self-Care is important to the Mental, physical, emotional and Spirit.   We volunteer with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Movement for years in searches and bring awareness to the communities.

33. Indigenous Domestic Violence Survivors’ Wellness Services: Uplifting Our Voices
    Presenter: Kendra Root
High rates of domestic violence (DV) disproportionately affect our Native American homes and communities. In 2022-2023 NIWRC Research and Evaluation explored holistic wellness journeys from Native American women who are domestic violence survivors. Survivors' stories captured the needs for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual restoration of balance in their lives. Using a feminist intersectional approach, two distinct focus group listening sessions were conducted for DV survivors to understand their wellness journey needs from interactions with healthcare providers in partnership with FUTURES Without Violence and DV service programs and providers. The Native American women stories were told from women representing Indian Country from the Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, South, Northeast, and Alaska regions. The critical stories will inform and grow knowledge, inform evaluation components, and provide culturally specific prevention efforts that will be used for the development of materials, resources, improve healthcare, wellness and healing services. Barriers, limitations, themes, and suggestions and recommendations for changes will be discussed. Results of both focus group listening sessions bring strong recommendations and attention that is needed to the desired interventions and preventions of our communities that are experiencing disproportionately high rates of DV.

34. Intentionally Growing: Culturally Based Healing Centered Approaches in Organizational Leadership and Supervisory Practices
    Presenters: Cathy Cave and Christina Love
This interactive round table offers opportunities for collective conversation about what is and is not working in our organizations as we focus on ending violence. The ideas discussed offer pathways to move toward organizational transformation and healing through supportive relationships and effective supervisory practices. In our work, the professional identity of staff is sometimes rooted in their lived experience that includes both personal strengths and vulnerabilities. Discussion will include strategies and solutions that need to be foundational in organizations that aspire to truly value diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, cultural responsiveness, and a trauma-informed, person-centered, empowerment-focused workplace. These healing-centered solutions create potential for all staff to feel seen, accepted, understood, valued, and celebrated! These practices also create an organizational climate in which all staff can be their whole selves and create an organizational culture that counters the legacies of supremacy that have shaped and influenced our structures. Examples and practices will be shared.

35. Intersection of Climate Change, Housing Crisis, and Gender-Based Violence
    Presenters: Caroline LaPorte, Lora Ann Chaisson
This panel presentation will focus on climate change, the housing crisis, and the impact on GBV in Indigenous communities. In responding to the real and alarming increase in climate change, it is critical we understand the connections to gender-based violence in addressing the future of our planet. Understanding connections between heat and violence is increasingly important as we witness the warming of our planet and anticipate more intense and longer-lasting heatwaves. The call to address climate change is a desperate cry for the future of our planet as well as an urgent call to address the safety and well-being of our women and girls. Climate change will continue to spur weather-related disasters, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts, extreme weather, and other consequences, it will lead to higher rates of violence and women will continue to bear the burden of climate change.

35.  Invisible Injuries: Traumatic Brain Injury, Strangulation and Domestic Violence
    Presenter: Rachal Ramirez
Domestic violence is a traumatic experience that changes a person’s life forever. Coercion and control can have far reaching consequences, including a substantial impact on a person’s overall well-being. When relationships become physically violent, abusers often target the head, neck and face for violence—through blows to the head and/or strangulation that can cause brain injuries. The traumatic, personal, and intimate source of this brain injury causes significant psychological and neurological trauma. Brain injury is rarely identified and almost never immediately treated, and results in short and long-term physical, emotional, and cognitive consequences that are often misidentified as other concerns—such as mental health or substance use, or survivors being labeled as “uncooperative” or “difficult.” Service providers and survivors often fail to recognize the ways that brain injury can impact every area of a person’s life-- their overall well-being and ability to successfully access and participate in services to support their safety, health and healing. This session will introduce CARE, an innovative framework to address brain injury that includes practical, hands-on tools available to assist you in raising awareness on brain injury with survivors and within your organization.

36 Kai?u wai lani - Sacred Water of Heaven
    Presenter:  Dolly Tatofi, LCSW, Dr. Dayna Schultz, Psy. D.,LSW,CSAC
This presentation focuses on the safety of women, mother earth and water as a protective factor to the continuation of all sources of life; and how the desecration of this most important resource and climate change affects the violence against the sacredness of women.  Hawaii has been under severe drought conditions for a number of years and  water sources in several areas are contaminated and causing illness which threatens the safety and well-being of wahine and the sources of life. Water the life force of all living - ??ina, kai, k?naka, la?au, i?a, limu is imperative to the survival of wahine and k?naka. Without this resource we cannot survive.  When a wahine is hapai the child within her is surrounded by water up to the time this new life enters the world.  Protecting the water and women as the givers of life is essential.

37. Leading Efforts for MMIP Policy Change: A Template for Tribes Across the Country
    Presenters: Katherine Katcher, Abby Abinanti, Taralyn Ipina, Jessica Carter, Rosemary Deck
The Yurok Tribe presenters will share the model and mechanisms they currently use to push for policy change in California, with regard to legislation and funding. There has been much written about the issue of MMIP, but not enough tangible solutions and action plans have been developed that can be shared with tribes and Native people to leverage as a model in their own state. In California, the Yurok Tribe has led the first ever statewide policy summit on MMIP, successfully led efforts to create the Feather Alert (AB 1314), the first statewide missing endangered alert system for Native people, and secured $12 million in funding from the state to address the issue. In 2023, we are pushing for further change--asking for more dollars to be committed and invested in MMIP prevention as well as pushing two additional bills forward that will address tribal public safety and missing children in the foster care system. All of this work came out of Yurok-led and driven research on MMIP. Through this presentation, attendees will learn how the Yurok team has developed its MMIP Policy action plan and will be able to take ideas back to their own states about how to push this work forward.

38. Local, Tribal Responses to Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women: Violence Against Women Act 2022 Implementation Panel
    Presenter: Dr. Juana Majel Dixon, Donna Anthony, Richard Garcia, and Tami Jerue
This panel will feature tribal community leaders from Alaska who will discuss the Violence Against Women Act 2013 and 2022 as it is implemented across Alaska, including 2022 amendments expanding tribal jurisdiction over crimes of sexual assault, sex trafficking and child abuse. Tribal community leaders and justice system practitioners will have the opportunity to share both successes associated with the act, as well as any challenges Alaskan Native Nations face as they move to put VAWA 2022 into action in their communities. Workshop participants will walk away with vital insights into the state of implementation of this legislation.

39. Mapping Victim Rights to Tribal Laws in Tribal Law Enforcement Victim Services Programs
    Presenters: Ada Pecos Melton; Rita Martinez
This session presents strategies for preparing profiles of law enforcement victim services programs describing services available to victims from tribal, state, and federal sources. It includes mapping victim rights to tribal, state, and federal laws and strategies using the information for educating victims, local service providers, and communities.

40. Maximizing OVW Funding Opportunities to Support Safety and Justice in Your Tribal Community
    Presenters: Rebekah Jones, Renee Stapp, and Sydney West
OVW grant programs support tribal communities nationwide to provide victims with protection and services and improve capacity to hold offenders accountable through direct grant funding and training and technical assistance. This session will provide an overview of the OVW Tribal Affairs Division (TAD) grant programs, technical assistance projects, policy and legislation, special initiatives, and other activities facilitated through TAD to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and sex trafficking in tribal communities.

41. Missing and Murdered Native Hawaiian Women and Girls in Hawaii
    Presenters:  Presenter:  Dolly Tatofi, LCSW, Dr. Dayna Schultz, Psy. D.,LSW,CSAC
We focus this presentation on sharing the intersection of domestic violence and sexual assault on women and girls in Hawaii within the sex trafficking trade and the missing and murdered.  We will highlight the first Missing and Murdered Native Hawaiian Women and Girls task force convened in 2021 December to address the crisis that until recently was not addressed systematically.  We will share a study done by the University of Arizona and the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, and the first report of the MMNHWG task force to be presented to the State of Hawaii legislature in December of 2022 for the upcoming 2023 legislative session.

42. MMIW Families for Justice and Healing
    Presenters: Patricia Whitefoot, Dr. Grace Bulltail, Leanne Guy, Tami Jerue
In 2021, the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) convened an MMIW Family Advisory working group to further our collective work to strategically advance the movement for the safety of Indigenous women and justice for MMIW. By centering their voices, we continue to collectively increase public awareness and organize for action. This session seeks to share how their unity in action within the national grassroots movement can advance our strategy of increasing the safety of Native women through strengthening the sovereignty of Indian nations. In partnership with NIWRC, the MMIW Family Advisory working group will share how they have provided national public education and grassroots organizing campaign to increase the understanding of the crisis of MMIW, share their experience(s) with the multi-layers of systemic barriers, and how they continue to provide culturally grounded recommendations to strengthen local, state and federal responses to violence and MMIW in tribal and Native Hawaiian communities.

43. Navigating the Housing Spectrum, A Roadmap for Advocates
    Presenters: Gwen Packard and Memory Long Chase
Tribal domestic violence advocates wear many hats, and this presentation focuses on the “housing hat”. Since the early days of our movement to end the violence, we as advocates are deeply aware of the critical role of safe housing and shelter for survivors. We know it is often the number one reason women stay, because they don’t want to homeless or out on the streets with their children. We know there is a serious lack of housing, shelter and resources in tribal communities. We know that domestic violence, sexual violence, trafficking and MMIW can be the precursor to and the result of the lack of safe, available and affordable housing. We know that the lack of safe housing is one of the top reasons for removing children. Knowing all these things, it is critical that we, as advocates, learn more about the housing spectrum to expand and create additional options and resources for survivors. This interactive session will provide a road map for advocates to navigate the housing spectrum.

44. Offenders Re-education Programs
    Presenter: Gene Red Hail
Culturally based offender re-education programs are integral to ending intimate partner violence, and re-indigenizing our relationships and communities, yet very few exist, especially in Indian Country. This session is an opportunity to learn about  the purpose, dynamics, and steps in  facilitating a respectful learning process that emphasizes survivor safety and offender accountability within a culturally based framework. Presenter Gene Red Hail  offers his expertise based on his work with Oneida Nation’s program from 1999 until 2021.

45. Oneida Tribe Coordinated Community Response Team
    Presenter: Gene Red Hail
This workshop will identify concepts, purpose, and principles of a coordinated community response (CCR) team with focus on Indian Country, address consideration of diversity in working effectively with Indian Nations within the context of the development and programming of the Oneida Nations CCR. The presenter, Gene Red Hail, brings with him over two decades of experience within the Oneida program as offender program facilitator and coordinating the CCR for the Oneida Nation from a culturally based foundation.

46. Our Voice - Plenary
    Presenter: Brenda Hill
This poem written by an indigenous woman/advocate/survivor, speaks to her own experience and the experiences of other indigenous women who honored her with their stories. The poem was born from prayer about concerns for loss of voice, heart and leadership of women who are survivors and seeming loss of acknowledgement or understanding of the dynamics, tactics of battering/violence from the perspective of their lived experiences. It speaks of the impact of violence against women, and power of grassroots advocacy, relationships and hearts of women.

47. Partnering for Justice: Role of Advocates Within Law Enforcement Response
    Presenter: Bonnie Clairmont
This session  will focus on basic best practices for advocates and domestic violence programs working with Tribal law enforcement in Indian Country. Building knowledge and networking within these systems is essential to increasing the safety of Native women and their children and other relatives experiencing intimate partner violence. It  will also provide steppingstones and basic foundations to working with relatives who are navigating through law enforcement systems in our communities and how we as advocates can help. Focus areas- Advocacy Safety Basics, Navigating Tribal Law Enforcement Systems Basics, Federal Updates that Impact Tribal Law Enforcement and Survivor Safety, Knowing Tribal Codes in Your Community, and Forward Thinking: Tribal Community System Networking Efforts to Increase Survivor Support and Safety.

48. Planting Seeds of Healing in Our Community
    Presenter:  Lucille Grignon
Dive into healing, dig your hands into the soil, and plant seeds of love in your community. Learn about connecting to ancestral knowledge of Indigenous ways of life through homesteading, food sovereignty, and traditional seed keeping. The Ancient Roots Homestead journey—as we take time to heal ourselves, the people around us will heal.

49. The Power of Adaptation: Shifting Our Understanding & Response to Sex Trafficking
    Presenters: Nicole Matthews
Those who cause harm have always been quick to adapt to changing circumstances and resources. This is incredibly apparent when it comes to sex trafficking.  Often, our responses as advocates and others in the work have felt a step behind. Both the pandemic and fast-changing technology have made it even harder to know what realities are and how to adapt our programming and framework. This interactive session will talk about what we know about trafficking against Indigenous people as well as explore what we can do to both know the realities of sex trafficking and meet the complex and ever-changing needs of survivors. Curiosity, intentionality, and openness to shifting our practices and frameworks are essential to supporting survivors and creating lasting change within communities.

50. Presenting Uncomfortable Topics of Violence to Teens from a Cultural Perspective
    Presenters: Kirby Williams
Native youth are not immune to violence and informing them of warning signs, risks, consequences, and available resources is essential to promoting knowledgeable, confident individuals and safer communities. This workshop will address how to discuss uncomfortable topics of violence (domestic violence, sexual assault, teen dating violence, etc.) with Native youth. The presentation will include information on promoting body sovereignty/consent, addressing violence in a culturally appropriate way, unique and active ways to engage teen discussion and attention, and how to respond to teen inquiries in an intersectional and trauma-informed manner.

51. Protecting Our Children and Youth from Commercial Sexual Exploitation - Showcasing the Work Being Done Between Tribal Nation and County Child Welfare Agency in a PL 280 State
    Presenter: Bonnie Clairmont, Kelly Stoner
Under federal law, state child welfare agencies must have certain processes and protocols in place to address the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). Alpine County, in California, worked with partners at the Washoe Tribe to develop their program. Initially, the county and tribe worked to develop protocols, processes and tools to identify and support CSEC victims and their families. Recently, their focus shifted to developing programs emphasizing prevention of CSEC. This workshop provides discussion of federal laws that mandate a response from child welfare, overview of the history of the relationship between the Tribe and the county, the response tools, protocols and processes developed, and how they are putting together their prevention program. Participants will gain knowledge of: History and role of child welfare system & impact of separation on Native children/families; Relevant federal, state, and tribal laws that address CSEC and the protection of children involved in child welfare systems;  Team development and collaboration with child welfare agencies to address and prevent the CSEC; response protocol developed by the tribe and county; how CSEC identifiers tip sheets and screening and case planning tools are used by the county and tribe to serve youth and families; type of training needed by child welfare workers and their partners to better serve youth and families; Identifying solutions to protect Native children and youth.

52. Safe Housing as a Mitigating Factor in MMIW
    Presenters: Caroline LaPorte and Gwendolyn Packard
The movement to bring attention and awareness to the epidemic of MMIW has largely been driven by indigenous families and communities for decades. There is so much we all can do to respond when one of our relatives goes missing. This session highlights how access to safe and affordable housing plays a critical role in preventing and responding to the MMIW crisis, it provides valuable practice and policy recommendations for Tribal Nations, Alaska Native Villages, Native Hawaiian Villages and Indian communities.

53. Sex Trafficking of Indigenous Youth: Current State and Future Action
    Presenters: Kirby Williams and Anne LaFrinier-Ritchie
We will address the past contributions, current state, and future actions addressing trafficking and exploitation of Indigenous youth. Topics will include historical context and current systems of oppression impacting trafficking and exploitation against Indigenous youth. The presenters will present their work and findings as part of NHTTAC’s Human Trafficking Leadership Academy to address culture as a protective factor in preventing trafficking among all Indigenous youth. This workshop will give examples of the presenters’ current work, while providing actionable steps to move forward in solidarity with the Indigenous community to address trafficking and exploitation of Indigenous youth.

54. “Taringe Akngiringalria Aki” (Yupik for To Understand Trauma Response)
    Presenter: Janelle Chapin
Trauma can trigger different responses in people. We don’t often talk about that as providers. If we as providers do not understand how trauma impacts victim/survivors and how it has multiple ways that a person may react in periods of crisis, we can often misread situations resulting in people not always getting the services they may need. This session will cover many issues that often are misread while working with victims of domestic violence or sexual assault. Having a better understand of behavioral health, substance use, and trauma history will help us respond better to victims/survivors.

55. Tillie Black Bear Women Are Sacred Seasonal Healing Camp: Talking Circles of Healing
    Presenters: Carmen O'Leary, Heather Bruegl
In honor of Tillie Black Bear, Wa Wokiye Win (Woman Who Helps Everyone) Women Are Sacred Day and inspired by healing camps that Tillie organized on behalf of survivors of sexual assault, NIWRC  offers a healing camp session for survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence and advocates. Wa Wokiye Win offered hope and healing and inspired generations of survivors and advocates, and we hope this inspires everyone to more intentionally plan and regularly implement self-care throughout the year to improve overall health outcomes for Indigenous women.

This healing session for survivors of domestic and sexual violence and advocates will convene as a talking circle to promote an opportunity to learn, heal and share. Being in a safe and judgement free environment is one of the most important factors in creating a space to talk freely. Please join Native Women's Society of the Great Plains Director and NIWRC Board President Carmen O'Leary as she leads a Talking Circle to promote healing.

56. T-LGBQ2S 101
    Presenter: Renae Gray
T-LGBQ2S 101 introduces individuals to key concepts and terminology pertaining to the Transgender, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, and Two-Spirits community, in order to promote a greater understanding and awareness. We will also discuss how to be a good ally and identify strategies for effective advocacy for transgender and gender nonconforming relatives experiencing domestic and sexual violence.

57. Understanding the Nexus of Violence and the Science of Addiction
    Presenter: Christina Love
Many people do not understand why or how people become addicted. They may mistakenly think that those who use drugs lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop their use simply by choice. Studies of trauma and substance use show a strong association between the two.
Drug addiction is a complex issue, and access to resources takes more than good intentions or a strong will. Drugs change the brain in ways that makes addiction an equity issue. Fortunately, we know more than ever about how drugs affect the brain and behavior. Participants will learn the science of trauma and addiction and leave with the ability to explain why substance use disorders are a disease of the brain as well as a disability. Together in group activity, we will stand up and walk through the cycles and stages of addiction and explore addiction as an issue of disparity while learning about the many pathways of recovery.

58. VAWA Implementation and the Role of Survivor and Legal Advocates in Successful Implementation
    Presenters: Rick A. Garcia, Esquire and Jessie Rice
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) of 2013 and 2022 included historic tribal provisions that recognized the inherent authority of “participating Tribes” to exercise “special tribal criminal jurisdiction” (STCJ) over certain defendants, regardless of their Indian or non-Indian status, who commit certain “covered crimes” of domestic violence in Indian country. In addition, Subtitle “B” of VAWA 2022 creates an Alaska Pilot Project program where Alaska Tribes may also exercise STCJ to protect their tribal citizens and communities in the same manner as lower-48 tribes have had the opportunity to do since 2013. The Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center will present a workshop that discusses VAWA history and reauthorizations, VAWA implementation, and the Alaska Pilot Project, as well as highlight the important roles of Survivor and Legal Advocates in implementation and success of VAWA within a Tribe and their community. After attending this workshop, participants will gain an increased knowledge of VAWA and how tribal implementation of VAWA helps to protect tribal citizens, as well as an understanding of the importance of VAWA in protecting tribal sovereignty.

59. VAWA Sovereignty Initiative
    Presenter: Mary Kathryn Nagle
This presentation will focus on the recent cases the VAWA Sovereignty Initiative has focused on, specifically Denezpi v. United States, Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta,  L.B. v. United States and Brackeen v. Haaland. Details of the cases, the legal issues and the implications for safety for Native women and children. The presentation then explains the arguments the NIWRC made in each case in the amicus briefs filed by NIWRC. Finally, the presentation explains the outcome in each case, giving examples NIWRC’s VSI impact on the outcome. The presentation will also give final analysis of how the outcome in each particular case increases or decreases safety for Native women and children.

60. Victim Advocacy on the Prairie: Supporting Native Survivors in Iowa
    Presenters: Jourdan Reynolds, Alanna Holiday
Iowa has one federally recognized tribe, Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi, within it. Join us in learning about the challenges and unique opportunities of supporting Native survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in the Hawkeye State. Although the Meskwaki Nation has been present in Iowa since the 18th century, there are still Iowans that are unaware of the tribal community. RISE not only serves the Meskwaki Nation but is able to assist Native survivors of any tribal nation within Iowa's 99 counties. This presents a great opportunity and resource for Native victims, but at the same time is quite challenging when working within a U.S. state that is still learning about its one and only federally recognized tribal nation.

61. Violence Against Women Act 2022 Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction
    Presenters: Kelly Gaines Stoner and Chia Halpern Beetso
This session will provide an overview of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022) and provide a detailed examination of the changes/additions made to the tribal provisions of VAWA 2013. This includes jurisdiction over “covered crimes” including assault of Tribal justice personnel; child violence; dating violence; domestic violence; obstruction of justice; sexual violence; sex trafficking; stalking; and a violation of a protection order. The ability of tribes utilizing the Bureau of Prisons will be discussed. In addition, the Alaska Pilot Program for Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction will be examined. The session will explore the issues tribes need to address if they are interested in exercising the Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction provisions under VAWA 2022. The session will also discuss the assistance, guidance and benefits from the Intertribal Technical Assistance Working Group (ITWG) on VAWA and the tribal provisions.

62. Washington State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force Update
    Presenter:  Annie Forsman Adams
This session will present the work of the Washington State MMIWP Task Force to date, including our 2022 Interim Report. We will also focus on the how the Task Force engages with the community and MMIWP families to ensure that the work is family led and trauma informed. Additionally, this session will provide legislative updates and updates to our efforts understand the true scope of MMIWP in the Pacific Norwest Region. Finally, we will look at the future of the Task Force as we pursue justice and accountability.

63. We Are Born of Spirit Through Mother Earth and the Womb of a Woman: Exploration of Identity  - Plenary
    Panel: Dolly Tatofi, Wendy Schlater and Tai Simpson.  Moderator: Paula Julian
We envision the panel helping to raise awareness and inspire Conference participants to understand that "we are spirits on a human journey," as Tillie Black Bear often reminded us, and that centering violence against Indigenous women is not exclusive of addressing the intersections of and fluid nature of Indigenous identities—including racial/ethnic, relations with Mother Earth and all life, gender identity, age, living off/on Indigenous homelands, persons with disabilities. Exploring and connecting with our Indigenous identities is at the root of ending violence against Mother Earth, Indigenous women, communities, and sovereign Nations. The pathway to safety, balance, and thriving for everyone is by centering the needs of Mother Earth and women.

64. Weaving a Braid of Sovereignty, Safety and Support
    Presenter: Lori Jump
This workshop will introduce attendees to StrongHearts Native Helpline, our history and development. Attendees will also receive up-to-date statistics from the Helpline.

65. Working with Tribal Housing Authorities- A Guide for Advocates
    Presenters: Linda Lee Reitka, NAIHC and Victoria Ybanez, Red Wind
Survivors of domestic violence often face housing discrimination because of their history or the acts of their abusers. Women and children are often discriminated against, denied access to, and even evicted from public and subsidized housing because of their status as victims of domestic violence. Some tribes have zero-tolerance crime policies, and survivors are often evicted after repeated calls to the police for domestic violence incidents because of allegations of disturbance to other tenants. Survivors are also evicted because of property damage caused by their abusers and in some instances adverse housing actions punish survivors for the violence inflicted upon them causing a “double victimization” which is unfair and, in many situations, illegal. It’s important that advocates understand the role of tribal housing authorities to better serve their community. This important presentation outlines effective ways tribal domestic violence advocates can work with tribal housing authorities to increase safe housing options for survivors.

66. Youth Track- Community Care by Cleaning the Air
    Presenter: Marquel Musgrave
Marquel Musgrave will share much needed information about how to protect ourselves from COVID-19 and other helpful information to keep our communities safe. We will learn about what a Corsi-Rosenthal box is and how to make one. We will make CR boxes together.

67. Youth Track- Community Organizing 101
    Presenters: Jovita Belgarde and Selena Guerrero
We will discuss what community organizing is and what it looks like. We will break down white supremacy and privilege and introduce the different roles people can take on as organizers. We will have a conversation about what it means to be a water protector/land defender. We will explore what community groups exist already that organize around resource extraction and MMIR and what they are doing to take action.

68. Youth Track- Consent and Boundaries
    Presenter: Jovita Belgarde
We will discuss consent and body autonomy and how and why we ask for consent. We will explore what to do when consent is unclear and how to navigate that situation. We will also talk about what boundaries are, how to set them, and we will practice boundary setting together. We will do some group activities and get comfortable with consent and boundaries as a community.

69. Youth Track- Hand Games Workshop
    Facilitator: Alysia Coriz
Alysia Coriz will lead this fun filled workshop where we will learn about Indigenous hand games, how to play, and try it out together. We will learn about material games and play some open games.

70. Youth Track- Ending Teen Dating Violence and Cultivating Healthy Relationships  
    Presenter: Jovita Belgarde
We will discuss what Teen Dating Violence is and what it looks like. We will break down the dynamics of power and control. We will teach young folks how to recognize the signs of Teen Dating Violence and where to get help. We will also talk about green flags in relationships and positive coping skills to keep relationships healthy.

71. Youth Track- Missing and Murdered Relatives and Resource Extraction
    Presenter: Jennifer Marley
We will explore the relationships between land/body violence and learn about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives epidemic and how it is shaped by ongoing settler colonialism and resource extraction. We will talk about community care, the justice system, and how to uplift the voices of survivors. We will discuss what is already being done and how young folks can get involved.

72. Youth Track- Punabay
    Presenters: Pat Cate, Ryan Martinez, Nicole Soderberg
Tewa Roots Society will teach about the history of the game Punabay, how the Punabay ball is made, and how the Pueblos still play to this day. We will learn how to play it and we will play Punabay together.

Presenters & Plenary Speakers
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Presenter: Abinanti, Abby
   Abby Abinanti, Yurok Chief Judge is an enrolled Yurok Tribal member, she holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of New Mexico School of Law, and was the first California tribal woman to be admitted to the State Bar of California. She was a State Judicial Officer (Commissioner) for the San Francisco Superior Court for over 17 years assigned to the Unified Family Court (Family/Dependency/Delinquency). She retired from the Superior Court in September 2011 and on July 31, 2014 was reappointed as a part-time Commissioner for San Francisco assigned to Dependency, and Duty Judge for that Court where she served until 2015. She has been a Yurok Tribal Court Judge since 1997 and was appointed Chief Tribal Court Judge in 2007, a position she held in conjunction with her Superior Court assignment until 2015.

Presenter: Adams, Annie Forsman
   Annie Forsman Adams (Suquamish) started her career in the movement to end violence against indigenous people in 2011. Since that time she has remained a dedicated advocate and activist for systemic change to address the social inequities across Indian Country. Annie currently serves as the Policy Analyst for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force with the Washington State Attorney General’s Office. Additionally, she is completing her graduate program at Seattle University, where she studies the intersection of homicide, gender, race and media. She lives on the Port Madison Reservation.

Presenter: Beetso, Chia Halpern
   Chia Halpern Beetso serves as TLPI's Tribal Court Specialist and has experience working with tribal courts, federal Indian policy and tribal law. She received a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley and a J.D. from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. Prior to coming to TLPI, she was a Deputy Prosecutor for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and has prosecuted a variety of criminal matters, including domestic violence, in tribal court. In addition, Chia has provided training and technical assistance (T/TA) to tribal healing to wellness courts and has coordinated T/TA efforts on this front nationwide. Chia has also researched, drafted and presented TLPI resources on Tribal Law and Order Act and Violence Against Women Act implementation.

Presenter: Begay, Nicole
   Originating from Arizona, Nicole Begay was born of the Towering House clan (Kinyaa’áanii) and Red Running into the Water clan, (Táchii’nii) in this way Nicole is a Navajo Woman. Professionally and personally Nicole’s passion is to create positive change and conversation on topics related to sexual violence. Before starting a career in advocacy work, Nicole voluntarily dedicated five years to spreading sexual violence awareness against women and children through public speaking and education. These speaking opportunities led her to the field of child and family advocacy with a focus on Child Abuse Prevention. Nicole’s passion for this work stems from personal experiences with sexual violence as a child. She is proud to call herself an overcomer and hopes to continue her growth with CSVANW educating and inspiring others through a survivor lens. Nicole has obtained her Associates degrees in Arts & Education and aspires to further her education in psychology to better support survivors impacted by violence. Outside of a working environment, Nicole is a very creative individual. She has a 2-year certification in Fashion/Interior Design and has started a small embroidery business as a side hobby.

Presenter: Belgarde, Jovita
   Jovita Belgarde (she/they) is from the Ohkay Owingeh and Isleta Pueblos of New Mexico and the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Nation of North Dakota. She is passionate about working with Native youth and making positive social change in Native communities. Jovita received her B.A. in Criminology from the University of New Mexico and received her Prevention Specialist Certification from the New Mexico Credentialing Board for Behavioral Health Professionals. She has worked in the prevention field for seven years prior to coming to NIWRC, working with Native youth doing violence prevention, suicide prevention, substance abuse prevention, and experiential education. As Youth Program Specialist, Jovita will continue to work from a strength-based perspective that encourages growth, healing, and intentionality. She believes that youth engagement is key to creating strong healthy communities "Native youth are our future leaders and they deserve caring support. We should uplift their voices to advocate for their communities and eliminate violence against all of our relatives. Native Love should be a vehicle for Indigenous youth-led advocacy that can drive solidarity, kinship, and anti-violence work for future generations."

Presenter: Bruegl, Heather
   Heather Bruegl is a citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and first-line descendent Stockbridge Munsee. She graduated from Madonna University in Michigan and holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in U.S. History. Her research comprises numerous topics related to American history, legacies of colonization, and Indigeneity, including the history of American Boarding Schools, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Heather has presented her work at academic institutions including the University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vassar College and Bard College. Heather consults for a variety of cultural centers and is a frequent lecturer at conferences on topics ranging from intergenerational racism and trauma to the fight for clean water in Indian Country. She has been invited to share her research on Indigenous history, including policy and activism, equity in museums, and land back initiatives for such institutions as the Tate and the Brooklyn Public Library. Heather spoke at the Women’s March in Lansing, Michigan, in January 2018, and at the Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, DC, in January 2019. In 2019, 2020, and 2021, Heather spoke at the Crazy Horse Memorial and Museum in Custer, South Dakota, for its Talking Circle Series. Heather is currently a Policy Specialist for the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center and is a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin- Green Bay in the First Nations Education Ed.D Program. She also works as a public historian, and independent consultant who works with institutions and organizations for Indigenous sovereignty and collective liberation.

Presenter: Dr. Bulltail, Grace
   Grace is a citizen of the Crow Tribe in Montana and a descendant of the Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold, North Dakota.  She currently serves as an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin- Madison Nelson Institute for environmental studies. Grace is currently a member of American Indian Science & Engineering Society board of directors and is a professional engineer licensed in the state of California.  She also serves on the Not Invisible Act Commission, a commission established by the Department of the Interior and the Department of Justice. The Not Invisible Act Commission makes recommendations to both the Department of the Interior and Justice on how to improve intergovernmental coordination to combat the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous peoples.  

Presenters: Carr-Shunk, Rachel
   Rachel Carr-Shunk is an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Utilizing her experience working with and for tribal communities, she has presented on a variety of topics, including domestic violence and sexual assault in Indian Country, historical trauma, and improving the tribal systemic response to domestic violence and sexual assault (DV/SA). In addition to her professional experience, she recently completed her MSW to strengthen her ability to understand and broaden her perspective on complex social issues. Ms. Carr has also advocated for domestic violence legislation, including the Violence Against Women Act (2013), on the local, state and national level. Rachel currently serves as the Executive Director for Uniting Three Fires Against Violence (U.T.F.A.V). Prior to her current role, Ms. Carr served as the Policy Specialist for UTFAV and as a Victim Advocate for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians/Advocacy Resource Center

Presenter: Cate, Pat
   Pat Cate is an Indigenous facilitator from the Pueblos of San Felipe (Katishya) and Santo Domingo (Kewa). He is also a United States Marine Corps veteran that graduated from the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training with a focus on helicopter mechanics for the 2nd MAW Helicopter Squadron HMLA/269. He has been in the Therapeutic Adventure field for almost a decade serving all populations in New Mexico. His focus is providing Indigenous youth with the opportunity to experience activities that they might have access to in their own lives. With a passion for survival skills as part of his teaching methods, he wants to inspire the younger generation to reconnect to the “old ways” through engaging them with ideologies that were given to him through past generations.

Presenter: Cave, Cathy
   Cathy Cave Co-founder, Inspired Vision, LLC has more than 30 years’ experience as an administrator, facilitator and consultant specializing in cultural inclusion, equity, anti-racism work and disparities elimination, trauma informed services and supports, organizational development, supervisory practice and leadership coaching within child welfare, juvenile justice, disaster response, health care, mental health, and substance use services. She is one of New York State’s early trauma champions, coordinating county collaboratives and clinical training trauma conferences.
   For the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health, Cathy is engaged in internal and external planning, development, and change initiatives. She provides in-person and virtual training, technical assistance, and curriculum development supporting programs, coalitions, other technical assistance centers, governmental bodies and community-based organizations. Since 2012 as a Senior Training Consultant with NCDVTMH, she utilizes her survivor, family, community, and administrative perspectives to facilitate organizational change to improve service quality at local, state and national levels.

Presenter: Chapin, Janelle
   Janelle Chapin is Koyukon Athabascan. Her family is originally from Kaltag and Illinois. She is married with two children.  Janelle holds an associate degree in addictions counseling and bachelor degree of fine arts in Social Work with a minor in Alaska Native Studies. Janelle has worked in the domestic violence field with both survivors and batterers throughout her career.  Janelle spent several years working in behavioral health and addictions.  She believes the way we change family patterns is working with the whole family and through addressing cultural and historical trauma and cultural resiliency.  

Presenter: Clairmont, Bonnie
   Bonnie Clairmont (Ho-Chunk), Victim Advocacy Specialist, serves from TLPI's Minnesota office. Prior to her employment with TLPI, she was the Outreach/Client Services Coordinator for Sexual Offense Services of Ramsey County, a rape crisis center. She has worked more than twenty-five years advocating for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. She has dedicated much of her work to providing and improving services for victim/survivors of sexual assault, battering, and child sexual abuse, particularly those from American Indian communities. Bonnie co-edited a recently published book "Sharing Our Stories of Survival" an anthology of writing by Native Women who've experienced violence. Bonnie provided technical assistance to research conducted by Amnesty International USA that led to the report, "Maze of Injustice: The failure to protect Indigenous Women from sexual violence in the USA."

Presenter: Corcoran, Carma
   Dr. Corcoran (Chippewa-Cree) directs the Indian Law Program at Lewis and Clark Law School. She is an Adjunct Professor in the Indigenous Nations Studies Program at Portland State University. Dr. Corcoran is very involved in the Native American Community in Portland, Oregon. In addition, she presents across Indian Country on a variety of Social Issues that are important for Native American people. Dr. Corcoran is a member of the 2019-2022 Class of the Whisenton Public Scholars.  Dr. Corcoran is one of the 2021-2022 Native Hope Fellows. Dr. Corcoran’s book, “The Incarceration of Native American Women: Creating Pathways to Wellness and Recovery Through Gentle Action Theory” will be published by the University of Nebraska Press in the Spring of 2023.

Presenter: Coriz, Alysia
   Aysia Coriz (she/they), comes from Kewa Pueblo (formerly known as Santo Domingo Pueblo) and currently serves the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women as the Director of Membership and Outreach. She is passionate about creating empowerment through community building, revitalizing and maintaining Indigenous language and culture, and making positive social change in Native communities. Alysia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Native American Studies, with a concentration in Indigenous Learning Communities, and a minor in Business Management from the University of New Mexico. She also serves as the Chair of the All Pueblo Council of Governor’s Youth Committee and is a board member with Naeva (formerly known as the Native American Voters Alliance – Education Project).  She is also the former Female Co-President for the Kewa TRUTH Youth Council and former Co-President of the UNM Kiva Club. Alysia is a 2020 recipient of UNITY’s 25 under 25 Award, a former Uplift Climate Fellow, and an appointed co-founder/member of the NM Indian Affairs Inaugural Youth Council. When she is not busy organizing, Alysia can be found creating traditional arts and crafts, whether it’s making Pueblo jewelry with her family in their generational business or teaching her younger sister how to embroider and sew traditional and contemporary clothing. She also enjoys practicing tai chi, golfing, and making memories with her family and dog, Sadie.

Presenter: Engelking, Jolene
   Jolene joined MIWSAC’s National Training and Technical Assistance Team in 2020.  Jolene leads the National Sexual Assault Response Center program, working to support Tribal and non-Tribal programs who support Indigenous survivors of sexual violence. Jolene has been in the anti-sexual violence movement since 2006. After years in direct advocacy, she has been doing national training and technical assistance for most of the last six years.  An advocate at heart, Jolene thrives when talking with communities about increasing genuine collaboration and reimagining justice, accountability, and advocacy to better meet the needs of all survivors and create safer communities. Jolene is a social worker, a lover of books, a wannabe runner, a grown-up theater kid, a mother, a daughter, and a proud Anishinaabe woman.

Presenter: Foley, Christopher T.
   Christopher T. Foley (Cherokee), an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is a staff attorney with the Indian Law Resource Center in its Helena, Montana office. Chris works on both international indigenous rights, supporting efforts to build and strengthen human rights standards relating to indigenous peoples within the United Nations and the Organization of American States, and on the Center’s domestic litigation and law reform projects. He focuses much of his time on the Center’s Safe Women, Strong Nations project which works to end violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women. Chris received his B.A. from Swarthmore College, his J.D. from Temple University, and he is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania.

Presenter: Garcia, Rick A., Esquire
   Rick A. Garcia serves as the Co-Director of Law and Policy for the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center. Rick was born in West Germany and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
   Rick moved to Alaska in 2018 and has dedicated himself to serving Alaska Tribes by providing training and technical assistance to Alaska tribal courts and justice systems. Prior to joining AKNWRC, Rick served as the Tribal Justice Director and Associate General Counsel for the Association of Village Council Presidents in Bethel, Alaska. Rick also served as a District Court Magistrate Judge for the Alaska Court System’s 4th Judicial District, based in Aniak and Hooper Bay.
   Rick graduated cum laude from the Southern Illinois School of Law and received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science cum laude from Florida Atlantic University. Rick has been a licensed Attorney for over a decade and is licensed in the state courts of Florida and Alaska.

Presenter: Garcia, Suzanne
   Suzanne Garcia serves as TLPI’s Tribal Legal and Child Welfare Specialist. She provides training and technical assistance on tribal child welfare and related topics such as the commercial sexual exploitation of children and tribal/state/local collaboration. Prior to coming to TLPI, Suzanne served as the Assistant General Counsel for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California for over seven years. In that role, she worked extensively with child welfare issues, including negotiating tribal-county agreements, developing policies and procedures, and extensive work with several grants. She has spent her legal career working with Native Nations in support of their vision of wellness for their families, of safety for their people, and of collaborations both internally and with state and local entities.

Presenter: Grignon, Lucille
   Lucille Grignon is a homesteader at Ancient Roots Homestead, which is located on the Stockbridge-Munsee Reservation.  She has transitioned from teaching in a modern colonial classroom into working as an educator of Ancient Indigenous skills, ideas, and traditions guided by the ways of her ancestors.  Healing, learning, teaching, growing and connecting.

Presenter: Gray, Renae
   Yá'át'ééh shik’éí dóó shidine’é. Shí éí Renae Gray yinishyé.  Kinyaa’áanii (Towering House People) nish????, Ts’ah Yisk’idnii (Sagebrush Hill Clan) báshíshchíní. Deeshchii’nii (Start-Of-The-Red-Streaked People)??dashíchei.  Biih Bítoo’nii (Deer Spring Clan) dashíná?í.  Ákót’éego diné nish???.  Na'nízhoozhí kééhasht’??.  Ahéhee’.
   Renae Gray is of the Diné-Navajo Nation and currently resides in Iyanbito, NM, a small community west of Gallup. A graduate of the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts. Her studies at UNM revolved around Community Health Education and Sociology, providing her the opportunity to enhance her skills in health education strategies, community outreach, and advocacy.
   Renae has been active in the Advocacy field for the past 10 years, she has presented at several conferences, including the Circle of Harmony, and Philly Trans Wellness Conference, and was a guest lecturer at the University of Washington Graduate School of Social Work. Renae has provided Safe Zone training for tribal organizations, hospital employees, Gallup McKinley County Schools staff, and FBI agents.
   Renae states that her journey has been mostly to survive the trans woman of color experience. Identifying as a Native-Dine Trans Woman, she has lived and experienced a life that entailed pervasive discrimination, incarceration, homelessness, addictions, sexual assault, near-death experiences, and survival work. This has given her to drive to do the work to educate the public about what it means to be a Native Trans* Person. Renae has been doing Transgender Advocacy at the local, state, and national levels.

Presenter: Guerrero, Selina
   Selinda Guerrero is an abolitionist organizer who says her main work is to “lift the voices of the voiceless” as a grassroots human rights activist and organizer. All of her work is intersectional with focus on Black Liberation and self-determination for all people while addressing underlying issues of generational poverty, access to housing, education, employment, and healthcare.

Presenter: Guy, Leanne
   Leanne Guy, Diné, is of the Tó’ áhani (Near to water) clan and is born for the Tódichi’ii’nii (Bitter Water) clan. Her chei (maternal grandfather) is from the Tábaahí (Waters Edge) clan, and her nali (paternal grandfather) is from the Tachii’nii (Red Running into the Water) clan. This is who she is as a Diné woman. She is a mother, grandmother, sister, auntie, and works for the betterment of tribal communities.
   Leanne has over 25 years of experience in tribal community health promotion, disease prevention, and public health and safety initiatives. She has worked to help increase the capacity of tribal programs to organize, develop and implement public health intervention and prevention strategies for increased wellness, healing, safety, and justice. She is a member of numerous national, state, and tribal boards, task forces, and committees including the Alliance of Tribal Coalitions to End Violence, National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, National Congress of American Indian’s Violence Against Women Task Force and Arizona’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Study Committee.
   Currently, Leanne is the founding executive director of the Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition, Arizona’s tribal domestic and sexual violence coalition. Prior to this, she was the executive director of a nonprofit, community-based domestic violence and sexual assault services program located on the Diné Nation. Leanne has also worked for the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. and the Indian Health Service in the area of HIV/AIDS, cancer prevention, and women’s health. The many blessings Leanne has experienced in working with tribes is getting to know the people---hearing their stories, observing their customs, seeing their land, and sharing in laughter and in their food.

Presenter: Hanks, Alaina
   Alaina Hanks is and enrolled tribal member of the White Earth Ojibwe and  a licensed professional counselor. She is currently the coordinator of violence prevention and response at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center. In her current role she provides leadership for the Circles of Strength program and maintains a caseload for therapy. Her clinical work has centered supporting survivors of violence across the lifespan to include training in infant mental health as well as to provide intervention at the earliest point possible. Her work is rooted in empowering people with own sense of agency and healing.  In addition to her clinical work, she has co-authored articles and provided presentations highlighting the importance of culturally-centered mental health care for Native communities.

Presenter: Holiday, Alanna
   Alanna Holiday, is a member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux Tribe in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. She grew up on her reservation and then pursued a college career after high school. Alanna attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. She received her Bachelors of Art’s degree in Psychology and Minor in Native American Indigenous Studies. Alanna has had various careers since graduating in 2021, working as a Teachers Aid, Youth advocate and now currently a Transitional Housing Specialist on the Meskwaki Settlement in Iowa. Her passion is helping those who are in need of assistance and support.

Presenter: Holsey, Shannon
   Shannon Holsey serves as president of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians.
   Holsey has served three terms as President, following eight years as a member of the Tribal Council. Holsey grew up on the Stockbridge-Munsee reservation in Bowler, Wisconsin, and has committed the Tribe to serving as good stewards of its economic, environmental and culture as well as intellectual resources.
   Holsey also serves as president of the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, which represents eleven-member tribes with a land base of about 1 million acres spanning 45 counties.  She is appointed as the Wisconsin State Legislature’s Special Committee on State-Tribal Relations. NCAI Treasurer, NCAI area vice president, MAST Secretary, INMED Advisory Council, CMA Tribal Technical Advisory Group, NCAI Sub Committee member of land management, Co-chair of NCAI Violence Against Women’s Act Task force, Wisconsin’s MMIW Task Force, Governor Appointed Student Debt Relief Task Force National Council on Aging committee member, Region 5 EPA RTOC member.
   Holsey’s personal philosophy on leadership recognizes that Native Americans are growing economies, preparing students to succeed, delivering high-quality health care, protecting the environment, upholding tribal sovereignty, and solving the unique challenges facing our tribal communities. Holsey received her bachelor’s degree in business administration magna cum laude and master’s degrees in strategic leadership and communication from Seton Hall University with distinction.

Presenter: Imus-Nasonnhoya, Valura
   Valaura Imus-Nahsonhoya, Hopi Tribal member, Founder and Executive Director of Honwungsi Consulting Services, LLC, CEO of Omauw Resource Center, 501c3, Associate with the National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College, Task Member/Tribal Liaison/Study Coordinator for the Arizona State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Ad Hoc Committee and Director of Communication Engagement with ASU Research on Violent Victimization Lab. Implemented Arizona’s Missing Person’s & Trafficking Recovery Program. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion from Northern Arizona University and Master’s in Criminal Justice with an Emphasis in Legal Studies from Grand Canyon University. With over 20 years of progressive experience augmented by a strong background in victim service program development and implementation, including policy development. Grant proposal writing and financial management. Effective in coordination and collaboration with Indigenous Leaders and Communities. Subject matter expert, educator, and trainer on victim service implementation, human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual violence, Missing & Murdered Indigenous People, and other related topics. Her partnerships expand throughout the United States and Alaska to assist with improvements of health and wellness of Indigenous People.

Presenter: Jackson, Andrea
   Andy is currently the Cultural Specialist for Pokagon Band of Pottawatomi Victim Services.  She brings cultural activities and teachings to  women and children who have been victimized by violence. The victim services staff works together to help each other by bringing balance back into the lives of victims and survivors.  Andy is dedicated to the approach that culture can help connect in the healing of our families.  
   Andy has worked with children, throughout her entire life.  She was a preschool teacher for many years. Gardening also is a huge part of my life. Planting and working with mother earth and watching plants grow makes her happy. She grows flowers for everyone. She says, “passing out flowers to our community and showing them that a small gesture brings happiness and appreciation, gathering medicines and using them to help others is also very important to me’. She loves spending time and listening to traditional elders. The Elders have so much knowledge and awesome teachings we need to absorb  can from them before they are gone from us. It is a privilege to be with them and an honor for them to entrust their teachings with us.
   Andy has been working with the Pokagon Victim Services program since it began years ago. Making sure as a tribe domestic violence would be acknowledged as a huge issue and needed to be addressed. She has remained committed to taking care of families as necessary to helping heal the harm and historical trauma that we have endured. 
   Andy is committed to us all needing to work together to make our communities safe and welcoming. She supports us the belief that we can all work together for the next seven generations to come.  Our children are our future, and it is our job to make it a better place for them. And Give them the tools they need to succeed.   

Presenter: Jerue, Tami Truett
   Tami Truett Jerue lives in Anvik Alaska, a small Athabascan community on the Yukon River. She is the mother of four children and the grandmother of five. She has worked in the field of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault for the last 40 years in various capacities. Ms. Jerue’s education includes a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Community Psychology, and Secondary Education. She has been involved with many non-profit boards over the years and has worked most of her professional life in rural Alaska in many fields such as Therapist, Sexual Assault Counselor, Teacher, Tribal Administrator, ICWA Social Worker, and Trainer. She currently works as the Executive Director of the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center. Her many experiences and that of her family and friends with Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault have kept Ms. Jerue passionate about helping facilitate change at a community level, within systems, and in families to help survivors live a violence-free life.

Presenter: Jones, Rebekah
   Rebekah Jones, Grants Management Specialist, United States Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, Tribal Affairs Division
Rebekah works from Mayetta, Kansas, and is a citizen of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska. She manages the OVW Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program (Tribal Governments) and multiple training and technical assistance projects within OVW’s Tribal Affairs Division. Rebekah joined the Tribal Affairs Division in 2015 and has since managed several tribal specific grant programs, special initiatives, and technical assistance projects. Prior to joining OVW, she was the Program Manager for a tribal victim services program. While there she and her team initiated and implemented a broad range of comprehensive victim services for Native Americans living on and near the reservation communities of northeast Kansas including: general victim advocacy and services; community outreach and education; criminal justice system based victim advocacy; batterer’s intervention programming; safe visit/safe exchange; SAFESTAR sexual assault response; and lay legal advocacy for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors in tribal courts. She received her Associate of Arts degree from Haskell Indian Nations University, and her Bachelor and Masters of Social Work from Washburn University.

Presenter: Jump, Lori
   Lori Jump, a citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, is the Chief Executive Officer of the StrongHearts Native Helpline. Her love of family and community is central to the work she chooses as is her belief that we have responsibilities to those who came before us and those who will follow. Her most important roles are those of Mom, Gma, Sister, Daughter, Auntie. Lori brings a wealth of tribal advocacy experience to StrongHearts having worked for 25+ years in her tribal community, working with tribal, state and federal jurisdictions. She continued her work in the field of violence against women as a founding member and former Executive Director of Uniting Three Fires Against Violence, Michigan’s tribal coalition. Lori continues to serve her tribal nation as an Appellate Court Judge for the Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa Tribal Court.

Presenter: Jojola, Theodore
   Theodore (Ted) Jojola, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor and Regents’ Professor in the Community & Regional Planning Program, School of Architecture + Planning, University of New Mexico (UNM).
   Currently, he is the founder and Director of the Indigenous Design + Planning Institute.  iD+Pi works with tribal communities throughout the SW region as well as internationally by facilitating culturally informed approaches to community development
   From 2008 to 2010, he was Visiting Distinguished Professor at Arizona State University where he was a member of the faculty of the School Geographic Sciences and Planning.  He was Director of Native American Studies at UNM from 1980 to1996 and established the interdisciplinary undergraduate degree program in Native Studies.
   He is actively involved in major research projects on Indigenous community development and PlaceKnowing.  He is co-editor of two books—The Native American Philosophy of V.F. Cordova entitled How It Is (U. of Arizona Press, 2007) and Reclaiming Indigenous Planning (McGill-Queens University Press, 2013).  He has published numerous articles and chapters on topics relating to indigenous design & planning, stereotyping and economic development.  He is an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta.

Presenter: Julian, Paula S.
   Paula Julian serves as Editor of Restoration Magazine and Senior Policy Specialist for the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC), developing NIWRC’s policy agenda on restoring sovereignty to increase Native women’s safety. She works with staff and partners to identify, analyze, monitor, and draft policy priorities and supporting documents, provide training and technical assistance regarding policy priority areas, engage in advocacy efforts to advance NIWRC’s policy priorities and develop partnerships to strengthen laws, policies, and responses addressing violence against Native women. Paula has worked with Alaska Native advocates establishing the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center and with Native Hawaiian advocates to form the Pouhana O N? W?hine (Pillars of Women) – both organizations dedicated to addressing domestic and gender-based violence in the Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian community respectively. Paula has over 25 years of experience working on violence against women issues, especially Native women issues. Formerly, Paula was an Outreach Coordinator with Sacred Circle, worked for the Avellaka Program of the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians to help develop the Tribe’s response to violence against women; and worked with the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc. to develop and provide technical assistance to tribes nationwide to strengthen tribal capacity to respond to sexual assault victims through development of a curriculum, community education, and webinar materials. Paula also was a Program Manager at the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice.  Highlights of her time at OVW include the analysis and development of policies affirming government-to-government relations and the Federal trust responsibility for the Department and with other Federal agencies; development of the Safety for Indian Women from Sexual Assault Offenders Initiative; development and administration from 2001-2006 of the Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Grant Program; development and implementation of technical assistance and training; and management of various OVW Programs.

Presenter: Katcher, Katherine
   Katherine Katcher is the Justice Policy Lead for the Yurok Tribe, where she works on strategies to end the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. In this role, she supports the Tribe by providing advocacy, legislative analysis, coalition-building and policy research around issues related to ending violence against Indigenous persons in Tribal communities and the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. Katherine has 19 years of work in the public policy and nonprofit sector, with a broad range of roles and experiences, including criminal justice reform, adult education, and victim services. Katherine received her B.A. degree in Anthropology from Columbia University and received her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. She is an attorney licensed to practice in the state of California.

Presenter: Kennedy-Howard, Nellis
   Nellis Kennedy-Howard founded Asdz???? Consulting -  Asdz???? (meaning “woman”) is a Navajo woman owned consulting firm assisting mission driven organizations in becoming more effective, more impactful, and more equitable. Nellis is a former Sierra Club Executive who served as Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Justice where she worked to transform the country's oldest and largest environmental non-profit to become more equitable. Nellis is an attorney with certificates in Federal Indian Law and Natural Resources Law. She previously worked alongside Winona LaDuke as Co-Executive Director at the Native non-profit organization, Honor the Earth. She first became an environmentalist after learning of the country's largest uranium spill, which took place just miles from her family's home on the Navajo Reservation.

Presenter: Kloster, Kendra
   Kendra Kloster, Tlingit (Raven/Kiks.adi), German and Irish, was born in Wrangell, Alaska, lived in Juneau and currently resides in Anchorage. She is the daughter of Shelley Jenkins and Earl Kloster, the granddaughter of Christine and the late Charles Jenkins, and the late Madeline and Albert Kloster.
   Kendra is a mother and community activist and obtained her Masters Degree in Public Administration Policy Analysis at the University of Alaska Anchorage and her undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Literature from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. She volunteers on local community councils, various boards, and is a member of the Alaska MMIP Council, Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 70, and Tlingit & Haida tribal citizen. Kendra is currently the Co-Director of Law and Policy for the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center and previously worked at Native Peoples Action, the Alaska State Legislature and in the Office of Senator Ted Stevens.

Presenter: LaFrinier-Ritchie, Anne
   Anne LaFrinier-Ritchie is a 2020 graduate of the NHTTAC Human Trafficking Leadership Academy Class 5, which developed recommendations on how culture can be used as a protective factor against human trafficking among Indigenous youth. Anne has been working in the anti-trafficking field in direct services, training, and technical assistance since 2016. Anne has worked with tribal communities for the past decade in advocacy, child welfare, and anti-trafficking. Anne has led and co-facilitated culturally specific, gender-focused, and preventative youth and adult groups with Native American and non-Native participants since 2011. Anne has provided trainings related to human trafficking, systemic oppression, and historical trauma in person and online to over 8,000 individuals. Anne is an active member of the YWCA Cass Clay Racial Justice Committee and is a board member for the Indigenous Association of Fargo-Moorhead and Mending the Sacred Hoop.

Presenter: LaPorte, Caroline
   Caroline LaPorte (immediate descendant of the Little River Band Of Ottawa Indians) is the Director of the STTARS Indigenous Safe Housing Center after previously serving as NIWRC's Senior Native Affairs Policy Advisor. She graduated from the University of Miami School of Law, where she was named a Henry Bandier Fellow, and received the Natasha Pettigrew Memorial Award for
her time as a fellow in the Children and Youth Law Clinic. She currently serves as an Associate Judge for the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians.
   Caroline's work focuses primarily on housing, human rights, children, firearms, and criminal justice focused within the gender-based violence framework. She serves on the American Bar Associations Victim’s Rights Task Force, co-chairs the Victim’s Committee for the Criminal Justice Section of the ABA, is a member of the Lenape Center’s MMIW Task Force, on the Board of Directors for StrongHearts Native Helpline and the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, worked with Gwen Packard on helping to start the National Working Group on Safe Housing for American Indians and Alaska Natives and is an adjunct instructor at the University of Miami teaching Native and Indigenous studies.

Presenter: Love, Christina
   Christina Love is an Alutiiq/Sugpiaq woman (she/her) from Egegik village who was raised in Chitina, Alaska. Christina is a consultant, recovery coach and civil and human rights activist. Christina has dedicated her work and energy to systems change for targeted and marginalized populations. She is a formerly incarcerated person in long term recovery who currently works as a Specialist for the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA), the state’s coalition of domestic and sexual violence programs. Christina’s role focuses on intersectionality with an emphasis on trauma. Christina is part of a collective movements that works to end violence, oppression, shame, and stigma through the liberation of education, community healing, and storytelling.

Presenter: Marley, Jennifer
   Jennifer Marley is a Ph.D. student in the American Studies department at the University of New Mexico. Jennifer entered the program having completed a B.A. with a double major in Native American Studies and American studies from the University of New Mexico (2019).
   Jennifer’s research interests include Queer Indigenous Studies, Indigenous feminisms, Third world feminisms, Indigenous Political Movements, Marxism, internationalism, Environmental Studies, Critical Indigenous studies, and settler colonialism. Influenced by her upbringing as a citizen of San Ildefonso Pueblo, Jennifer’s research explores the unique ways heteropatriarchy has manifested in Pueblo communities and how this shapes and re-shapes Pueblo Identity and kinship, as well as relationships to the state, other groups. In particular, Jennifer is interested in articulating a Pueblo/a/x feminist lens and contributing to the theoretical frameworks Indigenous feminisms have produced.

Presenter: Martinez, Rita
   Rita Y. Martinez (Pueblo of Laguna and Jemez), MCRP, MPA, is the Vice President of American Indian Development Associates, LLC. She has over 15 years of management, research, and evaluation experience overseeing daily operations with accounting, human resources, contracts, and reporting. She manages multiple research, evaluation, and assessments applying various methodologies with tribes nationwide. Rita is co-lead of the National Baseline Study: A study of health, wellness, and safety among Native women living in tribal communities and a Victims of Human Trafficking formative evaluation in six Native American communities. She is a Native FEWs Alliance Evaluation Team Member through Native Pathways, where she provides input on evaluation design, data collection, and analysis. Her master’s degrees are from the University of New Mexico. Rita’s mission is to use the knowledge, skills, and abilities obtained from her education and experience to implement culturally relevant and community-based solutions through Indigenous planning, policy, programs, research and education, and community development in tribal communities.

Presenter: Martinez, Ryan
   Ryan Martinez, LSAA is a psychology graduate from Northern New Mexico College. He is a member of Nambe Pueblo and the founder of Tewa Roots Society. His passion for outdoor behavioral health and experiential education was the inspiration that drove him to create the first and only accredited tribal mental health organization in the world. He comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience as a Lead Mental Health Program Facilitator and Operations Manager for the Mountain Center. Along with overseeing the direction of Tewa Roots Society, he also serves as the programs grant writer, and has brought in over $4,100,000 in grant funds since 2018. He strives to assure that our Indigenous people have access to high quality direct services and programs necessary to mitigate the soaring rates of substance use, suicide, domestic violence, and other mental health related issues. His goal for Tewa Roots Society is to continue expanding clinical service options, in order to assure Tewa Roots Society and the Pueblo of Nambe continue to build a reputation as one of the most dynamic mental health programs in the state of New Mexico.

Presenter: Matthews, Nicole
   Nicole Matthews is a descendent of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, and is the Executive Director for Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition; a statewide Tribal Coalition and National Tribal Technical Assistance Provider, addressing sexual violence and sex trafficking against Indigenous people. Nicole was one of five researchers who interviewed 105 Native women used in prostitution and trafficking for their report: Garden of Truth: The Prostitution and Trafficking of Native Women in Minnesota. Nicole served as the Vice Chair of Minnesota’s Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women’s Task Force; she serves on the Executive Council of the Young Women’s Initiative of Minnesota; she is a board member for the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center; she served on the State of Minnesota Attorney General’s Work Group on Sexual Assault. She is a TedX Speaker, and a National and International Speaker on sexual violence and sex trafficking, and the intersections of racism and oppression. Nicole is also the proud mother of three beautiful children and the grandmother to one. They give her the strength and motivation to continue working to end gender-based violence.

Presenter: Melander, Christina
   Christina Melander, MSW, is a researcher in RTI International’s Justice Practice Area. Coming from a background in community practice social work, her work focuses on using participatory and community-engaged research methodologies with vulnerable populations to critically examine and improve systems response to violence and marginalization. Her research areas include human trafficking, sex trading, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, gender equality, and labor protections. She is currently the Associate Project Lead for the Administration for Children and Families’ Formative Evaluation of the Demonstration Grants to Strengthen the Response to Victims of Human Trafficking in Native Communities (VHT-NC) Program.

Presenter: Melton, Ada Pecos
   Ada Pecos Melton (Pueblo of Jemez), MPA, is the President/CEO of American Indian Development Associates, LLC. She has 33 years of experience designing and managing culturally relevant studies involving tribal justice systems and programs. Ada has administrator and practitioner experience working on violence and victimization issues occurring on tribal lands from her work as a chief probation officer and administrator in her early career. The hands-on work enables her to develop and manage culturally relevant tribal studies. She has written numerous project reports, instructional and information materials, and articles. She is the project director and co-research associate for two national victimization studies (one involving Native women and another on Native American human trafficking). These studies are helping tribes understand the causes and correlates of crime, violence, and victimization occurring in tribal communities by and against Native people. Her knowledge and lived experience working with tribal, state, and federal agencies strengthens her capabilities to engage practitioners, administrators, and policymakers involving tribal governments and citizens.

Presenter: Musgrave, Marquel
   Marquel Musgrave (they/she) is a mother, auntie, and tribal citizen of Nanbé Owingeh (the Pueblo of Nambe). She is joining the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center as the Covid TA Specialist after dedicating the last two years as the Membership and Communications Director at the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women. During their time at CSVANW, Marquel had the honor of being a member of the core work group that organized to pass the Indian Family Protection Act, effectively codifying the federal ICWA protections in the state of NM. Marquel’s recent advocacy work has focused on mutual aid projects, clean indoor air mitigation, and disability justice to support the collective and long-term health of tribal communities in the southwest region during the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing climate crisis. Prior to her work at CSVANW, Marquel was an outdoor experiential educator with the Mountain Center under the Native American Emergence Program and Therapeutic Adventure Program. Through this program, she focused on decolonial resilience and the reclamation of Indigenous knowledge systems as a pathway toward intergenerational healing. She presented on the concept of ‘Cultural Risk Management’ at the 2019 NOLS Wilderness Risk Management Conference. She served an elected term as Tribal Council Secretary for the Pueblo of Nambe in 2011. During this time, she also served as the Grants and Contracts Administrator, leading the creation and seeding of the Nanbé Owingeh Community Garden project which has continued to grow and feed the community for over a decade. Marquel has a BA in Business Administration and over fifteen years of community organizing experience. Marquel has a background in journalism, as a lead Reporter for OTR Global and regularly contributing writer and Creative Director for Indigenous Goddess Gang online Indigenous feminist magazine. Cultural and language revitalization are deeply important to Marquel. The core values that guide Marquel’s advocacy are ‘seegi’ and ‘agín’ or love and respect for her people and all relatives, human and non-human. She is currently a member of the Tewa Language Committee in Nanbé Owingeh, serves on the Board of Directors for Pueblo Action Alliance, and is a co-founder of the Rights of Mother Earth and Water Beings Coalition. Marquel is committed to a Tewa values-centered practice to fulfill the responsibility of being a good relative and lifelong learner/unlearner. She greets the sun each day with the prayer and intention of contributing to the health and well-being of current and future generations.

Presenter: Nagle, Mary Kathryn
   Mary Kathryn Nagle is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation. She is an attorney whose work focuses on the restoration of tribal sovereignty and the inherent right of Indian Nations to protect their women and children from domestic violence and sexual assault. From 2015 to 2019, she served as the first Executive Director of the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program. Nagle is an alum of the 2013 Public Theater Emerging Writers Program. Productions include Miss Lead (Amerinda, 59E59), Fairly Traceable (Native Voices at the Autry), Sovereignty (Arena Stage), Manahatta (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Return to Niobrara (Rose Theater), and Crossing Mnisose (Portland Center Stage), Sovereignty (Marin Theatre Company), and Manahatta (Yale Repertory Theatre). She has received commissions from Arena Stage, the Rose Theater (Omaha, Nebraska), Portland Center Stage, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Yale Repertory Theatre, Round House Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Theater, the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, and the Santa Fe Opera. She also works in film and television. Most recently she served as an Associate Producer on the film PREY. She is most well known for her work on ending violence against Native women. Her play Sliver of a Full Moon has been performed in law schools from Stanford to Harvard, NYU and Yale. She has worked extensively on Violence Against Women Act re-authorization, and she has filed numerous briefs in the United States Supreme Court, as a part of the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center’s VAWA Sovereignty Initiative, including most recently, Denezpi v. United States, United States v. Cooley, Oklahoma v. Murphy, Oklahoma v. McGirt, Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta, and Brackeen v. Haaland. She represents numerous families of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls, including Kaysera Stops Pretty Places’ family who have brought a public campaign demanding an investigation into her murder. More can be read here: www.justiceforkaysera.org

Presenter: Nahsonhoya, Brandon
   Brandon Nahsonhoya (Tewa/Hopi). Co-owner of Honwungsi Consulting Services, LLC. Brandon’s profession is in Quality management and inspection of machine and fabricated equipment and parts. Coordinates a Missing Person and Human Trafficking Recovery Program, operational planning to include security and driving tactics in collaboration with survivors of F.I.R.E and Angels Go To Work since 2016. Trained by survivors of human trafficking and Side by Side International Church in safe recovery techniques. He worked in Executive Protection and Security with Executives, Dignitaries and Professional Sports in minimizing risk of threats, identifying, resolving and eliminating threats for clients.  A coordinator and mentor for men and boys in addressing violence and victimization. Recently, expanded youth services through sports and providing education/awareness on sex trafficking, social media dangers, substance use, health and wellness. Attended Fort Lewis College.

Presenter: O’Leary, Carmen
   Carmen O’Leary is the Director of Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains. She is a citizen and a resident of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe where she has gathered her experience and expertise to develop programs that serve native women experiencing violence. Carmen is a trainer on advocacy around sexual assault and domestic violence. She is a certified trainer with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center for Law Enforcement on Domestic Violence. Carmen has worked at providing insight on Tribal Codes in relation to sexual assault, domestic violence, and the issuance of protection order. During the year 2000 she worked as a consultant for the State Court Association in providing training on full faith and credit to Judges and court staff on the VAWA provision. She has worked as a Social Services aide in a hospital setting, as a Child Protection Worker, and as the coordinator for the Women’s Shelter for seventeen years. Carmen is a Tribal Legal Lay advocate for the Cheyenne River Tribal court and has served as a part time magistrate for Tribal court. She has facilitated reeducation classes for Domestic violence Offenders and for Women’s support groups and Adults Molested as Children. Carmen has served on the VAWA 904 Research Task Force, is the regional representative for the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center where she is the Vice Chair, and is on the Sacred Heart Center board, a local program that governs the women’s shelter and an adolescent program. Carmen volunteers as a Guardian Ad Litem for children in the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal court.

Presenter: Packard, Gwen
   Gwendolyn Packard (Ihanktonwan Dakota), Senior Housing Specialist, National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, has worked for many years in Indian country, both at the national and tribal level. She has served as editor for six national Indian publications. In 1990 she was instrumental in founding the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS). She served as Executive Director for Morning Star House, an advocacy program that works with off-reservation Indian women and children who are victims/survivors of domestic and sexual violence. She also served as Executive Director of the NM Suicide Prevention Coalition and is the founder and Co-Chair of Rain Cloud, the off-reservation behavioral health collaborative in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is a survivor of domestic violence, a writer, a grassroots organizer, an advocate, and a community activist. She has made a commitment to social change in working to address social, environmental, and economic justice issues that affect the health and well-being of Indian people as documented in her work experience.

Presenter: Pettigrew, Rosemond Keanuenue Antoinette
   Rosemond Keanuenue Antoinette Pettigrew is a Kanaka Wahine and Pouhana O N? W?hine?s Board President. She was born and raised in the Ahupua?a O Wailupe on the east side of Oahu.  She moved to Molokai 38 years ago to ancestral aina on the east side of the island to raise her son and shortly thereafter, had a daughter. She believes it her destiny to move to Molokai to be the steward of the aina where her ancestors came from in ancient times. Her connection to her kupuna and the ancestral lands has guided her through her life and continues to instill the value of Ohana. She danced kahiko hula for years and is grateful for the time her halau spent learning from John Keanuenue Kaimikauwa, the Kumu of Halau O Kukunaokala who shared ancient stories and hula of Molokai. She is passionate about her connection to the aina, her culture and the well-being of her people, especially wahine and keiki wahine (women and girls). She is a Native rights and a domestic violence advocate. She has been employed by the Hawaii State Judiciary in the Family Court for 27 years, and 14 years at the only domestic violence shelter on the island. She left the shelter over a year ago to focus on the safety of Indigenous w?hine and forming the Pouhana O Na Wahine as a nonprofit organization focused on opening the Native Hawaiian Resource Center on Domestic Violence. Her Aloha for the aina and taking care of the people is a kuleana she takes seriously.

Presenter: Pilgrim-Lewis, Sandra
   Sandra Pilgrim-Lewis shares Oglala Lakota Sioux and African American heritage. She currently serves as the Uniting Three Fires Against Violence, DVS Director.  She is a lifetime social change activist and advocate who has remained dedicated to seeking opportunities for creating chances for opening doors and diminishing access and social barriers. She holds a post graduate degree in education.
   Sandra worked as an Executive Director of dual organizations in Michigan and Alaska for nearly two decades.  She also served on the Michigan Coalition to Ending Domestic and Sexual Violence, Praxis International and Sunrise Center Boards of Directors and held an active role in the Alaska Native Sisterhood. Sandra, humbly served as a Project Manager for the Michigan Division of Victim Services, focusing on Tribal and other culturally specific community funding and service gaps. Sandra remains a constant voice, and advocate for expanding access to resources for our indigenous relatives, programs and communities with a concentration on violence against women and children's issues.

Presenter: Pope, Mitzi
   Mitzi Pope LCSW is Yuchi, a member of The Muscogee Nation, and licensed clinical social worker with over 12 years serving Tribal communities. She served as therapist for Muscogee Nation’s Center for Victim Services. In this role, she drafted and implemented counseling policy, provided trauma-informed counseling, conducted suicide crisis intervention, and facilitated women’s trauma groups. In addition to direct service work, Mitzi has developed and facilitated victims service and trauma-informed training opportunities and resources in rural and urban Tribal communities.

Presenter: Red Hail, Gene
   Gene Red Hail, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin/ Dakota, Crow Creek, has spent over two decades working in his community to not only help raise awareness of domestic violence, but also to work with the men who have been convicted of the offense. The sweat lodge is one of several tools Red Hail uses when working with male clients to help re-instill traditional values in their lives. “The values we’re supposed to have as Native men are already available to us in our traditional teachings. It has nothing to do with being tough and not backing down and walking around with that warrior look. It’s about being humble, compassionate, giving, loving, and caring. These are the values we’re supposed to live by. These men in this program see that and respect that.” In 1999, Gene started work for the Oneida Nation, Domestic Violence Coordinator as the Batterers Intervention Program (BIP)Coordinator. Between 2005 – 2021, he was the  Coordinator for the Oneida Coordinated Community Response Team. Between 2008-2018, Gene was the Governor's appointee to Governor's Council to Domestic Violence Council,  for the state of Wisconsin. He has traveled to various Tribal nations, training on BIP Programming & Coordinated Community Response Team development.

Presenter: Reynolds, Jourdan
   Jourdan “Choi” Reynolds, is an adoptee from Seongnam, South Korea. He grew up in Wisconsin, in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. Though the state is home to 11 federally recognized tribes, Jourdan never encountered a tribal nation until he was 18 years old. His passion for helping indigenous communities would develop while student teaching on the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas. As an adoptee who didn’t grow up with his biological parents, Jourdan noticed several connections he shared with the children, many of whom often lived with their grandparents. Jourdan has worked for the Meskwaki Nation since 2020, working as a victim advocate, social worker, and now manager for the tribe’s victim services program, RISE. He is currently working towards his master’s degree in Social Work through the University of Iowa. Jourdan strives to be the warrior that sacrifices, cares for, and protects the defenseless. He thanks the Creator for path he has shown him, and is excited for where it will take him next.

Presenter: Root, Kendra M.
   Kendra M. Root is a member of the Muscogee Nation/Euchee. Kendra serves as the Research Associate for the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, where she serves Native communities by providing culturally appropriate research and evaluation for our communities, to fight for Tribal sovereignty and the health, safety, and wellness for Native American families throughout Indian Country. A citizen of the Muscogee Nation she was raised in the heart of Creek Country, Bristow, Oklahoma. She is a descendent from the Euchee/Creek Snow Family of the Polecat Ceremonial Ground region. She received her Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Arts degree in Native American Studies from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma. She is currently a PhD student at Oklahoma State University, College of Education and Human Sciences, studying Social Foundations of Education. Kendra is active and participates in many of her own tribal ceremonial and cultural activities as well as the Plains Tribes traditional ways with her daughter and husband, as they are citizens of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma. In her spare time, she loves to sew and craft, exercise, be outside, garden, cook, watch the hummingbirds in the spring and summer, and most of all spending time with her family. Her mother taught her to be a strong Native woman and the importance of providing empowerment to our Native communities, she continues these teachings with her daughter. Her stepfather encourages her to continue her walk in two worlds with one spirit daily.

Presenter: Roy, Cassandra
   Cassandra Roy is a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, based in St. Paul Minnesota. She is passionate about uplifting Indigenous voices and communities, working collaboratively to ensure healing, safety, and sovereignty in all indigenous communities both within and outside of the United States. Previously, she worked as Communications Coordinator with StrongHearts Native Helpline, a national domestic, dating, and sexual violence helpline culturally specific for Native Americans and Alaska Natives. As Data Specialist for the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center, she hopes to work collaboratively with the team to optimize database workflows. Cassandra is currently pursuing her degree in Psychology with the intention of gaining her Master of Social Work (MSW) while specializing in the healing of Indigenous communities.

Presenter: Samuel-Nakka, Samantha
   Samantha Samuel-Nakka has 15 years of experience in the field of human rights focused on preventing and responding to gender-based violence – on the international and local scale. Before joining the OVC Human Trafficking Capacity Building Center, Samantha worked as the Deputy Director of Services at a county victim service provider in Maryland. Her experience in the anti-trafficking field includes working for the National Human Trafficking Hotline, serving as a case manager for human trafficking survivors in emergency shelter, and developing and managing an Anti-Trafficking Department.  She also served as the co-chair for the Maryland Human Trafficking Taskforce – Housing Subcommittee. Her international experience includes working with the International Indigenous Women’s Forum on advocacy related to violence against indigenous women at the United Nations Permanent Forum of Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). Samantha earned her Master’s degree from the London School of Economics in International Development and she is currently a Ph.D. candidate focusing on building equitable and inclusive communities.

Presenter: Schultz, Dr. Dayna
   Dr. Dayna Schultz, Psy. D., LSW, CSAC (Kanaka ’?iwi) is the Executive Director of Pouhana O N? W?hine. “To understand with your heart is Aloha.” Dayna believes that everyone has a story to tell and possess the ability to change their narrative as they grow. She welcomes individuals to share their stories with her in a safe space and at their own pace. She provides a sense of warmth, compassion and Aloha that fosters a “K?kou” (together) effort to remind each individual that she will be walking with them on their healing journey. As a Native Hawaiian Survivor of various traumas, Dayna continues to be guided by her na’au and ancestors daily in efforts of working toward ending violence from and within her people that will lead to peace, harmony, and sense of Aloha all ways, always.

Presenter: Scott-Haney, Carrie
   Carrie Scott-Haney is a Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault (DV/SA) and Child & Family Advocate with the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, Inc. She is Ojibwé from Wisconsin and Leech Lake, Minnesota. Carrie graduated in 2019 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Helen Bader School of Social Welfare and has advocated for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in the city of Milwaukee since 2018, after her daughter was murdered by her abuser. She has assisted with advocating for the Purple Alert Resolution in WI. This system will assist in locating missing people with a history of domestic violence/intimate partner violence (DV/IPV) in Milwaukee County, similar to an Amber Alert.

Presenter: Simpson, Tai
   "The Storyteller" is Tai Simpson's name in the Indigenous language of the Nez Perce Tribe. Her heartwork in the community is serving as an organizer for the Indigenous Idaho Alliance.  She participates in Collective Stewardship as a Co-director with the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence. For fifteen years, tai has been an antiracism activist and community organizer.  She uses contemporary and traditional Indigenous storytelling to champion radical inclusion, equity, and liberation. Notably, she has a TEDxBoise talk exploring Indigenous beliefs as the basis for empowering and nurturing community. In 2019, she was pivotal in passing legislation to acknowledge the Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women’s crisis in Idaho as well as centering Indigenous voices in policy work.  In 2020, tai was cornerstone to the Black community by coordinating a vigil to honor the many Black lives lost at the hands of police violence; that organizing still carries forward today.

Presenter: Soderberg, Nicole
   Nicole Soderberg is from Nambe Owingeh who grew up in Los Angeles, California and moved to New Mexico in her youth. She graduated from Northern New Mexico College with her associates degree in gender education and her bachelor’s degree in integrated studies with an emphasis in Pueblo Indian studies. While attending NNMC she worked in the American Indian Center with Dr. Matthew Martinez as her mentor. She was president of the American Indian Student Organization for 2 years and facilitated multiple fundraisers to attend the Native American and Indigenous Association conferences in both Washington D.C. and Honolulu, HI. While attending the conference at the University of Hawaii she had the privilege of presenting her senior capstone. Nicole also worked with Pojoaque Valley School District as the Native American Liaison, where the need and support for our youth was fostered academically, socially, and personally. She witnessed and experienced the pressing needs of our youth. Her passion to help guide younger generations continues to remain her focus in life. She firmly believes that learning from one and other and sharing experiences is how we connect and grow.

Presenter: Stapp, Renee
   Renee Stapp is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, and currently serves as a Grants Management Specialist in the Tribal Affairs Division (TAD) at the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
   Prior to joining OVW/TAD, Renee spent the past 3.5 years with the National Center for Victims of Crime managing a center in support of providing TTA to Tribal grantee programs and those who serve Tribal communities.  She has served as a federal victim specialist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a sworn police officer in Oklahoma (Tribal and state), a Tribal victim advocate for domestic and sexual assault victims, a Tribal coalition director, and a state investigator for the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System. Renee is also a Tribal court legal advocate, certified by the National Tribal Trial College and the University of Wisconsin Law School.
   Renee earned a Master of Science, Criminal Justice degree in 2010 from East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. Renee has more than 20 years of experience dealing with victims of crime in Indian Country, working on different reservations across the country, including Oklahoma’s complex jurisdiction. Her experience as an advocate and a law enforcement officer provides a unique perspective on Tribal, federal, and state systems response in addressing victims’ needs in Indian Country. 

Presenter: Stoner, Kelly Gaines
   Kelly Stoner (Cherokee), serves as TLPI’s Victim Advocacy Legal Specialist. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1988.   For the past twenty years, Kelly has taught at the North Dakota School of Law and Oklahoma City University School of Law (OKCU) where she taught American Indian/ Tribal Law and Domestic Violence related classes.  She directed the University of North Dakota Native American Law Project that served clients of the Spirit Lake Reservation with a caseload that targeted domestic violence and sexual assault cases.  In 2011, Kelly was appointed as a Judge for the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. She also supervised a project in partnership with the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma that established a SAFE Unit at a local hospital, recruited SANEs and targeted community education on domestic violence and sexual assault. Kelly directed the Native American Legal Resource Center at OKCU where she supervised law students prosecuting Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking cases and representing victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in civil matters. She is a frequent lecturer for the American Bar Association’s Commission on Domestic Violence and for the Office on Violence Against Women’s national technical assistance providers on domestic violence issues in Indian Country. Ms. Stoner helped to launch Oklahoma’s only tribal coalition against domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking- the Native Alliance Against Violence.

Presenter : Stover, Dawn R.
   A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Dawn Stover has been honored to use her passion and dedication to become a leading voice in Indian Country to address domestic and sexual violence in Tribal communities. Her largest demonstration of this has been her work with the Tribal coalitions, and her journey to advocate, educate and support Tribal efforts with reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
   Dawn was a founding board member and then director of the Oklahoma’s Tribal coalition, in which she worked alongside 39 Tribal governments and victim service programs to work to enhance sovereignty and services to our Tribal lands.  Dawn presently serves as the executive director of the Alliance of Tribal Coalitions to End Violence, a Native American organized and led nonprofit that works to advance Tribal sovereignty and the safety of American Indian and Alaska Native women by providing support to Tribal coalitions and communities to address equal justice for survivors of violence.
   Prior to her work with the Tribal coalitions, Dawn served as the executive director of the Oklahoma Regional Community Policing Institute providing training to Oklahoma’s peace officers, including Tribal officers. Dawn currently serves on the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, working on the development, passage, and implementation of effective public policy to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, particularly as it relates to Indian Country and Tribal communities, and impacts Tribal victim survivors, Tribal advocates, and Tribal coalitions. Dawn is the recipient of the Cherokee Nation ONE FIRE Advocate of the Year Award (2019), Women’s Resource Center Partnership Award (2018), the Cleveland County Oklahoma’s Woman of Influence Award (2018), the Bonnie HeavyRunner Victim Advocacy Award (2014), the Community Oriented Policing Services Award (2009), and a graduate of the Advocacy Learning Center (2014).

Presenter: Takes War Bonnett, Amanda
   Amanda Takes War Bonnett-Beauvais, Oglala Nation, is public education specialist /Trainer for the Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains, Reclaiming Our Sacredness, which is a coalition of domestic violence and/or sexual assault programs committed to the reclamation of the sacred status of women. The Society offers a vision that ends domestic and sexual violence against Native women, in all aspects – a vision of change. The Society works to support and strengthen sisterhood and local advocacy and program development efforts through culturally specific education, technical assistance training and resource implementation. Amanda has worked in the field of journalism for more than 30 years and has since retired from print news and works to promote healthy lifestyles for women and children. She is a graduate from Sinte Gleska University with a masters in mental health and from Oglala Lakota College in Lakota Studies. She has worked as a communications coordinator at a tribal school for ten years and developed a successful communication interface model between school and community. She is also a part of the White Dragonfly Society, Tusweca Ska Okalokiciye, a traditional Lakota women’s society using spiritual guidance and traditional ceremonies to assist in the teachings and healing of young female relatives.  She has four children, three step children and 13 grandchildren. Her hobbies include beading, crafting, drawing, cake decorating, sewing, gardening and having fun with her grandchildren.  She is married to Dr. Archie Beauvais, Sicangu Lakota, a PH.D graduate from Harvard University, retired.

Presenter: Tatofi, Dolly M.I.
   Dolly M.I. Tatofi, MSW, LCSW (Kanaka ??iwi) is a member of Pouhana O N? W?hine’s Board of Directors. She is a spiritually guided w?hine that was born and raised on the island of Oahu. She has been blessed with many experiences that have guided her to serve others that span from keiki to k?puna. She has worked in Behavioral Health for 10+ years and has served within a Health Care Organization. Dolly is currently serving the underserved women, children, and families of Native Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Islander descent in the ahupua?a of Kalihiliiolaumiha through Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, an FQHC. Dolly has come to realize that at this moment, part of her kuleana is to connect and support people with restoring relationships through Aloha. She believes that through the daily living in Aloha, this will create, maintain, and enhance the relationships we have, not only with others but most importantly with the self. If we are able to know who we are deep inside, we will see this reflected outside of us and then will we know what L?kahi truly means and feels like

Presenter: Tibaduiza, Elizabeth
   Elizabeth Tibaduiza, MA, is a researcher in RTI International’s Justice Practice Area. She has 15 years of experience evaluating programs providing supportive services to vulnerable populations, including people experiencing homelessness, victims of crime, and people involved in the legal system. She is currently the Project Lead for the Administration for Children and Families’ Formative Evaluation of the Demonstration Grants to Strengthen the Response to Victims of Human Trafficking in Native Communities (VHT-NC) Program and Co-Principal Investigator for the National Institute of Justice’s Formative Evaluation of the Office for Victims of Crime’s Law Enforcement-based Victim Services Program. Her substantive interests include equity in our health and legal systems, homelessness and housing, and community safety. She is committed to conducting research that is culturally responsive and incorporates community engagement.

Presenter: Vallo, Kelly R.
   HONOR Collective is a group of Matriarchs that consists of Indigenous women, Two-Spirit, Trans and Non-Binary individuals who volunteer their time to assist and provide healing to the Indigenous community in Indian Country. HONOR Collective is located in the Southwestern area of Arizona. As Matriarchs our main events are Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relations (MMIR) and Residential Indian Boarding Schools. These areas both have created and developed historical and intergenerational trauma amongst our Indigenous community. Historical and Intergenerational trauma have also caused a historical root in physical, sexual, emotional, mental and spiritual trauma which has caused our community to decrease their self-worth, self-identity and belonging. Through our healing we abide by Indigenous Philosopher Shawn Wilson’s Four Rs, Respect, Relationship, Responsibility and Reciprocity. HONOR Collective is inter-disciplinary, having careers in Social Work, Attorneys, Environmental Professionals, Language Justice Interpreter, and Business Owner.

Presenter: Walker, Jana L.
   Jana L. Walker (Cherokee/ Delaware/Loyal Shawnee), an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation and of the Delaware Tribe, is a senior attorney with the Indian Law Resource Center in Helena, Montana. Founded in 1978, the Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the rights of Indian and Alaska Native nations and other indigenous peoples.  Jana serves as the project director for the Center’s Safe Women, Strong Nations project, which works to end violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and its devastating impacts on Native communities.  The project does so by raising awareness domestically and internationally, providing advice to Native nations and Native women’s organizations on ways to restore safety to Native women and criminal authority to tribes, and helping to strengthen the ability of tribes to prevent and address such violence on their lands. Jana received her JD cum laude from the University of New Mexico School of Law and is admitted to practice law in Montana, New Mexico, and the District of Columbia.

Presenter: West, Sydney
   Sydney West is a Grants Management Specialist in the Tribal Affairs Division (TAD) at the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). Sydney has two decades of experience providing grants and management experience to the US government, universities, and international non-governmental organizations
   Prior to joining OVW/TAD, Sydney spent the past seven years with the International Services Division of the American Red Cross, managing a diverse portfolio of grants and contracts in support of recovery efforts in Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake. She has served as a grants and program manager in the areas of global reproductive health and rights, HIV/AIDS prevention clinical trials, and adolescent sexuality for projects in Haiti, India, Nigeria, and South Africa.
   Sydney also is committed to and passionate about helping sexual assault victims, preventing sexual assault, and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice. Since 2010 she has served as a crisis counselor to sexual assault victims and their loved ones for the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) on their civilian and military hotlines. Sydney is also a certified victim advocate with the National Organization for Victim Assistance and from 2015 to 2018 served as a subject matter expert reviewer for the DOD’s Sexual Assault Advocate Certification Program.

Presenter: Whitefoot, Patricia
   Patsy Whitefoot (Yakama/Diné), Educator, MMIWG Activist, was born and raised in the homelands of the Yakama Nation in central Washington. Her elder’s vision for tribal education inspired her to earn a BA in Education with a Teaching Certificate and a MA in Education from Central Washington University. For 47 years, she has worked primarily in managing and teaching in Indian education, including serving on the Yakama Tribal Council. She has been a leading voice and activist to bring attention to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s crisis in Washington and nationally.?Today, Ms. Whitefoot is retired and continues to work and live in White Swan, where strong tribal roots have survived. For 30 years, Patsy has served as the Education Chair of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians. Her vision for the health of her people is steeped in her ancestral knowledge formed by indigenous languages, cultures, and histories, tied to the rich landscapes.

Presenter: Williams, Kirby
   Kirby Williams (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma) is a violence prevention specialist addressing violence against Native people and tribal communities and is a survivor of intimate partner violence and sexual assault. She holds a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Missouri State University.  Since 2014, she has worked in her professional and personal life to raise awareness and promote prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking, and has conducted numerous trainings on serving Native American survivors of these crimes.  She is a Class 5 graduate fellow of the National Human Trafficking Leadership Academy (HTLA), in which she and 11 other Indigenous fellows addressed how culture can be used as a protective factor in the trafficking of all Indigenous youth.  For her work in violence prevention, she was named an inaugural recipient of the Cherokee Phoenix’s Seven Feathers Award and the Nebraska recipient of the 2022 National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s (NSVRC) Visionary Voice Award. In 2022, she helped to establish the Nebraska Tribes Addressing Violence Coalition (NETAV).
   In addition to her understanding of violence against Native Americans, she has a background of knowledge and training in psychological diagnostics, statistical analysis, the impact of trauma from a physical and psychological perspective, healing from a culturally relevant perspective, and yoga teaching.  She currently serves on the board for the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs (NCIA) and is the tribal representative for the Nebraska Domestic Abuse Death Review Team.

Presenter: Wynecoop-Abrahamson, Victoria
   Victoria “Tori” Wynecoop-Abrahamson (she/her) is a citizen of the Spokane Tribe located in
Eastern Washington State and the Training and Technical Assistance Manager at the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health (NCDVTMH). She began her advocacy journey during her undergraduate career at Illinois College by establishing a sexual assault support group in response to the #MeToo movement. After graduation, she returned home to the Spokane Indian Reservation and worked as a Domestic Violence Advocate providing assistance to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, teen dating violence, stalking, and elder abuse. Assistance for survivors often included accessing resources for civil and criminal court cases, mental health support, and substance use services. This position encouraged Tori to pursue and complete a Master of Social Work at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. Prior to joining NCDVTMH, Tori provided SAMHSA-funded training and technical assistance to tribal communities and nations with a focus on building program capacity and sustainability in the areas of suicide prevention, substance use, and mental health.

Presenter: Ybanez, Victoria
   Victoria Ybanez, MPA, Diné, Apache, and Mexican, has been working to end violence against American Indian/Alaskan Native women for 35 years. She has a depth of experience working closely with Tribes in developing and implementing a range of responses to violence against indigenous women, and has conducted numerous on-site visits, facilitated sessions, and training for tribes over the past 20 years. She is experienced working inter-tribally as well as within a tribe’s local culture. She developed and is the Executive Director of Red Wind Consulting, Inc. (2005-present) coordinating and providing Tribal Technical Assistance for recipients of the Tribal Governments Program for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). Current projects include the development and implementation of Tribal specific shelter and transitional housing programs and assisting Tribal programs in the development and program delivery; addressing children impacted violence against Indian women and teen dating violence; working with Tribal college and university campuses to develop holistic responses to sexual assault; and responses for urban Native programs.

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Presenter: Hudon, Eileen - Navigating the Housing Spectrum, A Roadmap for Advocates, Indigenous Safe Housing Center
Presenter: Retka, Linda Lee, NAIHC, Working with Tribal Housing Authorities – A Guide for Advocates, Indigenous Safe Housing Center
Presenter: Tina and Whitney Gravelle (waiting on confirmation), Intersection of Climate Change, Housing Crisis, and Gender-based Violence, Indigenous Safe Housing Center
Presenter: NRCDV, Evolution of Safe Housing Workgroup: Building the Bridge Between GBV and Safe Housing, Indigenous Safe Housing Center
Presenter: AKNWRC, Evolution of Safe Housing Workgroup: Building the Bridge Between GBV and Safe Housing, Indigenous Safe Housing Center
Presenter: City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, ??? From Hotels to Housing: Creating Safe Living Space, Indigenous Safe Housing Center
Presenter: Ipina, Taralyn, kkatcher@yuroktribe.nsn.us Leading Efforts for MMIP Policy Change: A Template for Tribes Across the Country
Presenter: Carter, Jessica, kkatcher@yuroktribe.nsn.us Leading Efforts for MMIP Policy Change: A Template for Tribes Across the Country
Presenter: Deck, Rosemary, kkatcher@yuroktribe.nsn.us,Leading Efforts for MMIP Policy Change: A Template for Tribes Across the Country
Presenter: Kasper Welles, Casey, CaseyKasper.welles@pokagonband-nsn.gov – Culture and Healing: Responding to Violence Against Indigenous Survivors
Presenter: Jones, Rebekah, Rebekah.Jones@usdoj.gov - OVW Grant Program Specialist, OVW Funding Opportunities for Tribes and Tribal Organizations

Plenary:

Speakers: Colfer, Kerri
   Kerri Colfer is Senior Native Affairs Advisor for the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. In her role, Kerri will assist in developing and managing NIWRC’s policy agenda and provide expert analysis and leadership in enhancing the sovereign authority of Tribal Nations to protect Native people.
   Prior to coming to NIWRC, Kerri was the Congressional Advocate on Native American Policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) in Washington, D.C. While at FCNL, Kerri worked with Native and non-Native partners and members of congress to advance Native policy, with a focus on addressing violence against Native women.
   Kerri earned a B.A. in English Literature from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and a J.D. from the Temple University Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Speaker: Contreras, January
   January Contreras is the Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  ACF is the United States’ largest human services administration. It was created to focus on the needs of America's children and families.
   Assistant Secretary Contreras was appointed by President Biden and confirmed by the United State Senate with bipartisan support. In her role, she works under the leadership of HHS Secretary Becerra to strengthen the well-being of the nation’s children and families with a focus on prevention, safety, economic stability and equity. She does so alongside ACF’s 1,500 employees and in partnership with state, tribal, territorial and local governments, as well as a diverse network of non-profit and philanthropic organizations.
   Throughout her career, Assistant Secretary Contreras has been motivated by a sense of duty to children, families and individuals, especially when they are facing their most difficult moments. 
   For more than 20 years, Assistant Secretary Contreras has championed safety, stability and opportunity for children, youth and families. She most recently was a non-profit executive, leading a legal aid center for children and young adults experiencing abuse, neglect, human trafficking, family separation and homelessness.  
   Assistant Secretary Contreras previously served in the Obama-Biden Administration as Ombudsman for Citizenship and Immigration Services at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and as a designee to the White House Council on Women and Girls. In these roles she led efforts to launch new federal training and guidance to ensure immigrant victims of domestic violence and other crimes are treated with the same dignity and protection all victims deserve.
   At the state level, Assistant Secretary Contreras oversaw the Arizona Department of Health Services after serving as Assistant Director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, Arizona’s Medicaid agency. She was a member of Governor Janet Napolitano’s Children’s Cabinet, as well as the Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board. She is a former Deputy County Attorney and Assistant Attorney General.
Assistant Secretary Contreras is proud of her Arizona roots. She earned a B.A. and J.D. from the University of Arizona. She and her husband of 28 years are the grateful parents of two adult sons.

Speaker: Sahneyah, Dorma
   Dorma Sahneyah is Hopi & Tewa and the proud mother of five adult children, grandmother of 15, and great grandmother of one. She is blessed to have her mother, who is almost 86 years old, to support her work and guide the cultural education and activities of her family. She currently resides in San Tan Valley, Arizona with her husband, Calvin.
   Ms. Sahneyah is the new Deputy Director of the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC), a national Native non-profit organization dedicated to restoring safety to Native women and tribal communities by upholding the sovereignty of Indian nations and Alaska Native tribes. In this capacity, she works closely with the Executive Director on the day-to-day operations of NIWRC and operative teams and serves as a liaison with the Board of Directors.
   Ms. Sahneyah previously served as the Executive Director for the Hopi Tribe where she was responsible for overall operations of seven departments and six administrative support offices. Ms. Sahneyah also served as the Director of Training and Technical Assistance for the NIWRC. Ms. Sahneyah also served as Executive Director for the Hopi-Tewa Women’s Coalition, which together with others, she helped to found. She also served for over twelve years as Chief Prosecutor for the Hopi Tribe where she implemented a tribal domestic violence program, which included victim and child advocacy, batterer’s intervention program, intense domestic violence probation supervision, and civil legal services for domestic and sexual violence survivors.
   Ms. Sahneyah has dedicated her career to addressing the unacceptable high rates of violent crime that has plagued Indian country for decades and restoring to justice systems development the culture, values and traditions wrongfully and purposefully taken from Indigenous peoples. Ms. Sahneyah received her Juris Doctor degree from Arizona State University School of Law.

Speaker: Schlater, Wendy
   Wendy Schlater is a dual citizen of the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians and the U.S. In March 2019, Wendy was elected Vice Chairwoman for her Tribe, her third term as an elected tribal leader. Wendy also serves as Program Director of La Jolla’s Avellaka Program addressing safety for Native women on her Reservation. In this capacity, she organized the La Jolla Native Women’s Advisory Committee to host the first annual Inter-Tribal Sexual Assault Awareness Walk in 2010, which continues today traveling from reservation to reservation. One of Wendy’s passions is to assert and utilize tribal sovereignty to bring much needed services to her people.  Wendy is also a member of the San Diego County Sexual Assault Response Team Committee and a Tribal Subcommittee member of the Violence Against Women Act Committee. Wendy is a founding Board member of a non-profit tribal coalition, the Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition and the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, for which she currently serves as NIWRC’s Board of Directors’ Treasurer. NIWRC is a national tribal nonprofit dedicated to restoring tribal sovereignty to increase Native women’s safety. Throughout her career, she has advocated for Native LGBTQ/2Spirit youth and adults, tribal youth, health, education, land, environmental issues and safety for Native women, developing innovative ways to create Tribal responses and programs respective of her people’s customs and traditions.

Speaker: Simpson, Lucy
   Ms. Simpson brings a wealth of legal and public policy experience, having served as an attorney in Indian country for almost 20 years, with over 15 years of financial and administrative management and supervision experience. Before joining the NIWRC team, she served as the Public Policy Coordinator for Sacred Circle and as the Senior Staff Attorney for the Indian Law Resource Center, where she worked on, among other projects, the Center’s Safe Women, Strong Nations project to address the epidemic of violence against Native women in this country. She has substantial experience working with Indian nations to promote tribal sovereignty, tribal code development, and protecting Native women and their families.

Speaker: Sutton King

Presenter: Teller, Verna:
Verna Teller, Isleta Pueblo
   In the face of gender discrimination, Verna Williamson Teller of Isleta Pueblo ushered in a new era of leadership, becoming the first female Pueblo governor in 1987. By spearheading passage of a constitutional amendment requiring tribal leadership positions to be elected, as well as fighting to make tribal council meetings more open and accessible, Verna ensured that women's voices were not only heard but amplified within the Pueblo community of Isleta.  Following her tenure as governor, Verna continued to serve Isleta Pueblo as Chief Justice, President of the Tribal Council, and council member. Under her watchful guidance, Isleta Pueblo became the first tribe in the United States to assert their right under federal law to establish water quality standards to protect their community. Verna went on to serve as project manager for the Native Peoples-Native Homelands Southwest Initiative, a project sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to examine the effects of climate change on Native Americans. As Project Director for Tribal Tobacco Health, Education and Outreach, Verna helped develop cancer prevention programs through Indian Health Services, the Centers for Disease Control, and the American Cancer Society. She also ran a consulting business, ATV Enterprises; served as a member of the All Indian Pueblo Council; was named ``Indian Woman of the Year;'' and has received numerous other accolades. Teller, who served as Isleta governor from 1987 through 1990 as Verna Williamson, was the president of the Isleta Tribal Council for eight years. It is astonishing to think of all that Verna has accomplished in her life. In the face of adversity, discrimination, and uncertainty, Verna's determination to lead her community never faltered.
   In February 2015 as Isleta Pueblo was facing pollution of their sacred waters, impacting the tribe’s way of life and their religious ceremonies to the point they had to stop using the visibly polluted water of the Rio Grande. Verna was vocal about the fight for clean water, and it impact om Pueblo ceremonial practices. “Our ceremonies and our religious culture here in our community are of utmost importance to us,” she said.  “That’s what’s kept us who we are as a people. And so, when there’s any threat to that, it’s very frightening for our people. It’s a threat to our existence as far as we’re concerned.” (Published by the Indigenous Goddess Gang)
   Verna was also the first Native person to open the US House of Representatives with prayer in 2020 with Congresswoman Deb Haaland by her side.

  Register  |  Youth Waiver [ Complete and Return to jbelgarde@niwrc.org ]

Youth Track Agenda 2023
   The NativeLove youth track is happening concurrently within the NIWRC Women Are Sacred Conference 2023. These workshops are meant to create a valuable space for young activists and community members. Ages of participants range from 13-17. Youth participants will be focusing on consenting youth/teen dating relationships, how to create boundaries, identify healthy relationships, and how to create healthy lifestyles for themselves and their communities. The sessions will further provide insight for youth to increase their understanding and share their thoughts about how navigating relationships by having meaningful discussions with their peers. By doing this they can participate in raising awareness about ending violence and to restore balance for what they each deserve: healthy relationships and healthy lifeways! Our goal is to inspire, empower, and mobilize Indigenous youth to advocate against violence against Native people of all ages, and among their peers to create social change with the strength of our Ancestors to be good relatives to one another and our homelands.
   The secondary goal is to allow youth the opportunity to build skills around community care and community organizing to amplify their voices. The sessions are filled with culturally-themed interactive activities, workshops, indigenous games, peer-to-peer youth engagement, and arts/culture for connecting, healing, identifying resources, and growing the youth-led movement. Growing Native youth anti-violence advocates – these are Native seeds that sprout deep roots! The NativeLove Youth Track at Women Are Sacred 2023 will cultivate an environment of support, care, and growth. Youth will learn and discuss current issues like the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives crisis and how it’s related to Resource Extraction while drawing from the cultural knowledge and strength, languages, and resilience of our Ancestors and people to build skills to get involved and take action in their communities.
   Kuudaawoehaa! Thank you to The Women Are Sacred, NativeLove Youth Track Committee members: Denise Neal (NIWRC), Marquel Musgrave (NIWRC), Heather Bruguel (NIWRC), Kendra Root (NIWRC), and Jovita Belgarde (NIWRC).

Speakers & Presenters

Presenter: Avery, Orlando
   No Bio Available at this time.

Presenter: Barney, Crystal
   My name is Crystal Dawn Barney. I am Navajo from Chinle, Arizona but I grew up in the mountains of Bowl Canyon located near Navajo, New Mexico. The location of my family home site is called Narrowcreek, NM. It is named after the many creeks we have flowing through our land. My family currently resides in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. In the Navajo culture, we introduce ourselves with our clan system. My clans are Bitter Water (Tódích’íi’nii) born for Zuni clan (Naasht’ézhí) My maternal grandfather is Towering House (Kinyaa’áanii) and my paternal grandfather is Salt Clan (Áshįįhí). This is who I am, as a Navajo Woman. I am a mother of three children. I am currently pursuing my Bachelors of Science in Family and Child Studies with a focus on Early Childhood Multicultural Education at the University of New Mexico. I am working full-time as a Lead Pre-K teacher at the Child Development Center at the Pueblo of Sandia. I love to travel with my family and learn about all our beautiful cultures around the world. I truly believe living a diverse lifestyle is healthy for the mind. I have learned so much through my travels and am blessed to have gained many distant relatives along the way.

Presenter: Belgarde, Jovita
   Jovita Belgarde (she/they) is from the Ohkay Owingeh and Isleta Pueblos of New Mexico and the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Nation of North Dakota. She is passionate about working with Native youth and making positive social change in Native communities. Jovita received her B.A. in Criminology from the University of New Mexico and received her Prevention Specialist Certification from the New Mexico Credentialing Board for Behavioral Health Professionals. She has worked in the prevention field for seven years prior to coming to NIWRC, working with Native youth doing violence prevention, suicide prevention, substance abuse prevention, and experiential education. As Youth Program Specialist, Jovita will continue to work from a strength-based perspective that encourages growth, healing, and intentionality. She believes that youth engagement is key to creating strong healthy communities "Native youth are our future leaders and they deserve caring support. We should uplift their voices to advocate for their communities and eliminate violence against all of our relatives. Native Love should be a vehicle for Indigenous youth-led advocacy that can drive solidarity, kinship, and anti-violence work for future generations."

Presenter: Cate, Pat
   Pat Cate is an Indigenous facilitator from the Pueblos of San Felipe (Katishya) and Santo Domingo (Kewa). He is also a United States Marine Corps veteran that graduated from the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training with a focus on helicopter mechanics for the 2nd MAW Helicopter Squadron HMLA/269. He has been in the Therapeutic Adventure field for almost a decade serving all populations in New Mexico. His focus is providing Indigenous youth with the opportunity to experience activities that they might have access to in their own lives. With a passion for survival skills as part of his teaching methods, he wants to inspire the younger generation to reconnect to the “old ways” through engaging them with ideologies that were given to him through past generations.

Presenter: Coriz, Alysia
   Alysia Coriz (she/they), comes from Kewa Pueblo (formerly known as Santo Domingo Pueblo) and currently serves the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women as the Director of Membership and Outreach. She serves as the Chair of the All Pueblo Council of Governor’s Youth Committee. Alysia is a 2020 recipient of UNITY's 25 under 25 Award, a former Uplift Climate Fellow, and an appointed co-founder/member of the NM Indian Affairs Inaugural Youth Council.  She holds the title of Miss Indian New Mexico LIV (54) for 2022-2023. She is passionate about creating empowerment through community building, revitalizing and maintaining Indigenous language and culture, and making positive social change in Native communities.  She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Native American Studies, with a concentration in Indigenous Learning Communities, and a minor in Business Management from the University of New Mexico. When she is not busy, she enjoys practicing tai chi, golfing, and making traditional jewelry and clothing with her relatives.

Presenter: Guerrero, Selinda
   Selinda Guerrero is an abolitionist organizer who says her main work is to “lift the voices of the voiceless” as a grassroots human rights activist and organizer. All of her work is intersectional with focus on Black Liberation and self-determination for all people while addressing underlying issues of generational poverty, access to housing, education, employment, and healthcare.

Presenter: Marley, Jennifer
   Jennifer Marley is a Ph.D. student in the American Studies department at the University of New Mexico. Jennifer entered the program having completed a B.A. with a double major in Native American Studies and American studies from the University of New Mexico (2019).
   Jennifer’s research interests include Queer Indigenous Studies, Indigenous feminisms, Third world feminisms, Indigenous Political Movements, Marxism, internationalism, Environmental Studies, Critical Indigenous studies, and settler colonialism. Influenced by her upbringing as a citizen of San Ildefonso Pueblo, Jennifer’s research explores the unique ways heteropatriarchy has manifested in Pueblo communities and how this shapes and re-shapes Pueblo Identity and kinship, as well as relationships to the state, other groups. In particular, Jennifer is interested in articulating a Pueblo/a/x feminist lens and contributing to the theoretical frameworks Indigenous feminisms have produced.

Presenter: Martinez, Ryan
   Ryan Martinez, LSAA is a psychology graduate from Northern New Mexico College. He is a member of Nambe Pueblo and the founder of Tewa Roots Society. His passion for outdoor behavioral health and experiential education was the inspiration that drove him to create the first and only accredited tribal mental health organization in the world. He comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience as a Lead Mental Health Program Facilitator and Operations Manager for the Mountain Center. Along with overseeing the direction of Tewa Roots Society, he also serves as the programs grant writer, and has brought in over $4,100,000 in grant funds since 2018. He strives to assure that our Indigenous people have access to high quality direct services and programs necessary to mitigate the soaring rates of substance use, suicide, domestic violence, and other mental health related issues. His goal for Tewa Roots Society is to continue expanding clinical service options, in order to assure Tewa Roots Society and the Pueblo of Nambe continue to build a reputation as one of the most dynamic mental health programs in the state of New Mexico.

Presenter: Musgrave, Marquel
   Marquel Musgrave (they/she) is a mother, auntie, and tribal citizen of Nanbé Owingeh (the Pueblo of Nambe). She is joining the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center as the Covid TA Specialist after dedicating the last two years as the Membership and Communications Director at the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women. During their time at CSVANW, Marquel had the honor of being a member of the core work group that organized to pass the Indian Family Protection Act, effectively codifying the federal ICWA protections in the state of NM. Marquel’s recent advocacy work has focused on mutual aid projects, clean indoor air mitigation, and disability justice to support the collective and long-term health of tribal communities in the southwest region during the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing climate crisis. Prior to her work at CSVANW, Marquel was an outdoor experiential educator with the Mountain Center under the Native American Emergence Program and Therapeutic Adventure Program. Through this program, she focused on decolonial resilience and the reclamation of Indigenous knowledge systems as a pathway toward intergenerational healing. She presented on the concept of ‘Cultural Risk Management’ at the 2019 NOLS Wilderness Risk Management Conference. She served an elected term as Tribal Council Secretary for the Pueblo of Nambe in 2011. During this time, she also served as the Grants and Contracts Administrator, leading the creation and seeding of the Nanbé Owingeh Community Garden project which has continued to grow and feed the community for over a decade. Marquel has a BA in Business Administration and over fifteen years of community organizing experience. Marquel has a background in journalism, as a lead Reporter for OTR Global and regularly contributing writer and Creative Director for Indigenous Goddess Gang online Indigenous feminist magazine. Cultural and language revitalization are deeply important to Marquel. The core values that guide Marquel’s advocacy are ‘seegi’ and ‘agín’ or love and respect for her people and all relatives, human and non-human. She is currently a member of the Tewa Language Committee in Nanbé Owingeh, serves on the Board of Directors for Pueblo Action Alliance, and is a co-founder of the Rights of Mother Earth and Water Beings Coalition. Marquel is committed to a Tewa values-centered practice to fulfill the responsibility of being a good relative and lifelong learner/unlearner. She greets the sun each day with the prayer and intention of contributing to the health and well-being of current and future generations.

Presenter: Soderberg, Nicole
   Nicole Soderberg is from Nambe Owingeh who grew up in Los Angeles, California and moved to New Mexico in her youth. She graduated from Northern New Mexico College with her associates degree in gender education and her bachelor’s degree in integrated studies with an emphasis in Pueblo Indian studies. While attending NNMC she worked in the American Indian Center with Dr. Matthew Martinez as her mentor. She was president of the American Indian Student Organization for 2 years and facilitated multiple fundraisers to attend the Native American and Indigenous Association conferences in both Washington D.C. and Honolulu, HI. While attending the conference at the University of Hawaii she had the privilege of presenting her senior capstone. Nicole also worked with Pojoaque Valley School District as the Native American Liaison, where the need and support for our youth was fostered academically, socially, and personally. She witnessed and experienced the pressing needs of our youth. Her passion to help guide younger generations continues to remain her focus in life. She firmly believes that learning from one and other and sharing experiences is how we connect and grow.

 

More detailed info coming soon.

Powwow, WASTalks, Honor Wall, Murder in Big Horn Special Screening, and more.

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Grand Ballroom B
Tuesday, June 27, 2023 - Day 2
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm MDT

For Women Are Sacred (WAS) 2023 we are excited to continue WAS Talks!

WAS Talks provides a unique forum for survivors, advocates, researchers, the legal community, social workers, law enforcement, community/ family members, child welfare workers, philosophers, community leaders, politicians, and tribal leaders to:

• voice a statement
• speak your concerns
• express your creativity through poetry or staged reading
• talk about the future or direction of our movement, the role of advocacy, VAWA reauthorization, historical trauma, domestic violence practices, child welfare issues, sexual violence, missing and murdered, sex trafficking
• EVERYTHING!!!

WAS Talks will be RECORDED during the Women Are Sacred (WAS) Conference and is a project inspired by the national TED Talks: Ideas Worth Spreading. WAS Talks is an active reminder that our stories hold power in shining light on the issues of violence in our communities. It’s time to talk.

Exhibitor and Vendor Registeration

We are excited to open our call for vendors for our Women are Sacred Conference. If you are interested in exhibiting, tabling or vending at this conference, please use the link above to register.  Note: the hotel will provide one 6 foot table/space per vendor.  

There are limited number of spaces available so this will be on a first come first serve basis.  The registration fees for this 2 ½ day event are as follows:

• $100 - Individual Indigenous Artisans
• $150 - Tribal Non-profit Domestic Violence Organization
• $200 - Tribal Non-profit Organizations
• $300 - Non-profit Organizations
• $500 - Corporations and For-profit Organizations

Please contact gpackard@niwrc.org if you have any questions or need more information.

THANK YOU!  We look forward to seeing you in Isleta for WAS 2023!