LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
OPAL SPONSOR
MALACHITE SPONSORS
HOST SPONSORS
TRAVEL SCHOLORSHIP SPONSORS
SAN MANUEL
AISES Code of Conduct
The American Indian Science & Engineering Society (AISES) was established with the goal of developing Native professionals and leaders in the areas
of science, engineering and technology. In light of this goal, the first student leaders of AISES developed a set of principles that prohibited alcohol,
illegal drugs and harassment. These principles have become core values of the organization and are incorporated as the Code of Conduct.
The AISES Code of Conduct promotes professional development and personal growth by strictly prohibiting the use of intoxicating drugs or alcohol
and all forms of harassment and discrimination. This code is meant to reflect the ideals of our Native communities by establishing an expectation that
we agree to protect and promote the well-being and growth of all people. This code is expected to be honored when individuals are representing the
AISES organization and by all persons participating in AISES activities. To this end, each person is asked to consider the spirit of this code and promote
its intent by refraining from prohibited activities and encouraging others to do the same.
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2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Greeting from the CEO
Nawa! Thank you for attending the 2016 AISES Leadership Summit.
We have an excellent schedule lined-up with an amazing array of speakers, sessions and opportunities
for learning and participation. I encourage everyone to step out of those secure and familiar comfort
zones by attending sessions and capitalizing on opportunities that will challenge you. Reach out to
new people and make new contacts – a significant goal of the summit is to broaden our members’
support network. The summit very deliberately combines our professional members with our student
members in a smaller setting than the national conference to provide opportunities to form important
connections that will help our members now as well as in the future.
Finally, I would like to note that many members of the AISES Board of Directors will be in attendance and available for those who
would like to meet and engage in conversation with the AISES leadership. Each of our board members are deeply committed
to the organization and most interested in learning about our members’ questions, ideas and needs. Additionally, our student
representatives are also attending so be sure to connect with them. Please feel free to ask an AISES staff member for introductions
or to find out about other opportunities to meet any of the board members or student leaders.
Again, I thank you for attending the 2016 AISES Leadership Summit as well as for your commitment and support of AISES. I look
forward to a successful summit as well as the opportunity to see our members in action.
Ta’Tura Tsiksu (With Much Respect),
Sarah EchoHawk (Pawnee)
Chief Executive Officer
Guiding Principles For Equity In Organizations
1. Acknowledge that culture plays a predominate role in living, learning & working.
2. Recognize that conflicts exist [even if we can’t see them] between our professional discourses and the
discourses of our students, peers, and colleagues - especially those from non-mainstream [underrepresented]
cultures.
3. Acknowledge the benefits of diversity in perspectives, interpretations, solutions, and practices to improve our
practice, our science, our schools, and our businesses.
4. Make a commitment to regularly explore different cultures – and not with the intention of coming to know or
understand them [the other cultures] – but with an eye to understanding more about yourself.
5. Acknowledge how important it is to invite culture into your practice so people from other cultures are not
asked [unfairly] to check their identities at the door to be successful.
6. Cultivate a supportive community [both inside and outside of your organization] that supports and grows your
efforts toward equity.
2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
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2016 AISES Leadership Summit Agenda
THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2016
2:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Registration (All Attendees Must Register) • Location: Holiday Inn Hotel – Banquet Room
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Opening Reception • Location: Holiday Inn Hotel – Banquet Room
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Networking Session • Location: Holiday Inn Hotel – Banquet Room
8:30 – 10:00 p.m.
Movie Night: “The Cherokee Word for Water” • Location: Holiday Inn Hotel – Banquet Room
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2016
6:30 - 7:00 a.m.
Morning Blessing Ceremony with the AISES Council of Elders • Location: Outside directly behind
the Holiday Inn Hotel along the river
7:00 - 8:00 a.m.
Breakfast • Location: Holiday Inn Hotel – Banquet Room
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Registration (All Attendees Must Register) • Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
8:30 – 11:30
Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center
Location: Mayo Clinic
Professional Track
Student Track
All Audiences
Dream Big - It’s Your Career Presenters: Deborah Clairmont,
USDA-NRCS, and Lawrence Shorty, USDA-NRCS
TOUR: Mayo Clinic
Room: Main Classroom
*You must attend for the full
9:45 - 10:45 a.m.
three-hour timeslot.
Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center
The Tour Includes:
Professional Track
Student Track
Leveraging Covey to Lead Change
• College of Medicine and School
Presenters: Gage Hutchens, Wells Fargo Bank;
of Health Sciences
AD Cropper, Raytheon; and Nathaniel Todea, USDA-NRCS
• Celebration of Research and
Room: Main Classroom
Carreers
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• Simulation Experience
Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center
Professional Track
Student Track
Embracing Social Networks for Technical Professionals
Presenter: Martin Keen, IBM • Room: Main Classroom
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Corporate Advisory Council Meeting • Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center, Room: Zumbro Room
12:00 - 1:15 p.m.
Lunch • Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center, Room: Main Classroom
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2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center
Professional Track
Student Track
All Audiences
My Culture and STEM: Conversation with AISES Elders and Board
Dream Big - It’s Your Career
Presenters: Representatives from AISES Council of Elders
Presenters: Deborah Clairmont, USDAand the AISES Board of Directors
NRCS, and Lawrence Shorty, USDARoom: Main Classroom
NRCS • Room: Minnesota
2:45 - 3:45 p.m.
Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center
Professional Track
All Audiences
Watson: Developing New Skills
Leveraging Covey to Lead Change
in the Cognitive Era
Presenters: Gage Hutchens, Wells Fargo Bank; AD Cropper, Raytheon; and
Nathaniel Todea, USDA-NRCS
Presenter: Chris DeYoung, IBM
Room: Classroom 7
Room: Main Classroom
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center
Professional Track
Student Track
Outreach and Support to Youth Leadership and STEM Initiatives
Leadership Development Using
Emotional Intelligence
Presenter: Jared Ware, United States
Presenter: Rachel Yellowhair, Raytheon
Military Academy
Room: Main Classroom
Room: Minnesota
5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Finding Your Perfect Mentor/Mentee Match
Presenters: AISES Program Staff • Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center • Room: Main Classroom
6:30 p.m.
Dinner - On Your Own
SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2016
6:30 - 7:00 a.m.
Morning Blessing Ceremony with the AISES Council of Elders
Location: Outside directly behind the Holiday Inn Hotel along the river
7:00 - 8:00 a.m.
Breakfast • Location: Holiday Inn Hotel – Banquet Room
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center
Professional Track
Student Track
All Audiences
Impact of Leadership Styles
Career Opportunities in Healthcare
Embracing Social Networks
on Decision Making
Presenter: Jon Ninas, Mayo Clinic
for Technical Professionals
Presenter: Jim Wilkerson, CIA
Room: Main Classroom
Presenter: Martin Keen, IBM
Room: Classroom 7
Room: Minnesota
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2016 AISES Leadership Summit Agenda (cont.)
9:45 - 10:45 a.m.
Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center
Professional Track
Student Track
All Audiences
Creating Your Individual
Discovering the Leader in You
Development Plan
Presenters: Sony Preap, The Boeing
Local Leaders Panel
Presenter: Michelle Fletcher, Bristol
Company, and Cynthia Munnell,
Presenters: See Session Description
Bay Native Corporation
The Boeing Company
Room: Main Classroom
Room: Classroom 7
Room: Minnesota
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center
Professional Track
Student Track
All Audiences
Planning for the Success of Your
Rising Up from
Turning Conflict into Results
Chapter and Region
Technical to Management
Presenter: Karen Kiester, General
Presenters: AISES Student
Presenter: Marcellus Proctor, NASA
Motors
Representatives
Room: Minnesota
Room: Classroom 7
Room: Main Classroom
12:00 - 1:15 p.m.
Lunch • Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center • Room: Main Classroom
1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center IBM
Professional Track
Student Track
Great, You Landed An Interview…Now What?! Think Friday Story Time
Presenters: Cynthia Munnell, The Boeing Company,
Presenter: Kerry Langford, IBM
and Sony Preap, The Boeing Company
Room: Classroom 7
Room: Main Classroom
2:45 - 3:45 p.m.
Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center IBM
Professional Track
Student Track
All Audiences
Harness the Teamwork
I’m in graduate school and I don’t fit Remote Technical Support - Answering
Presenter: LCDR Greg Cady,
in…Now what? the phone is just the first step (includes
United States Navy
Presenter: Jennifer Waltman,
IBM Tour)
Room: Minnesota
Heritage Wellness Group
Presenter: Barbara Schepp, IBM
Room: Main Classroom
Room: Meet in Classroom 7
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Closing Talking Circle • Presenters: AISES Council of Elders • Location: IBM Executive Briefing Center
Room: Main Classroom
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Closing Banquet • Keynote Speaker: Jaime A. Pinkham (Nez Perce), Senior Advisor, Native Governance Center
Location: Holiday Inn Hotel
SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2016
TRAVEL DAY – BREAKFAST ON YOUR OWN
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2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
2016 AISES Leadership Summit Session Descriptions
Careers in Healthcare
Jon Ninas
I never wanted to be a doctor or a nurse, so I assumed
I would never work in healthcare. If I only knew how
wrong I was! Learn from my mistakes as a high school
student, college student, and young professional
in this fun and thought provoking session that
will surely have you excited for your future!
Cherokee Word for Water
The Cherokee Word for Water is a feature-length motion
picture inspired by the true story of the struggle for, opposition
to, and ultimate success of a rural Cherokee community to
bring running water to their families by using the traditional
concept of “gadugi“ – working together to solve a problem.
Set in the early 1980s, The Cherokee Word for Water
begins with the return of Wilma Mankiller to her rural
Oklahoma Cherokee community where many houses
lack running water and others are little more than shacks.
After centuries of being dehumanized and dispossessed
of their land and identity, the people no longer feel
they have power or control over their lives or future.
Based on the true story of the Bell Waterline Project, the
movie is about a community coming together to improve
its life condition. Led by Wilma Mankiller, who went on
to become the first woman chief of the Cherokee Nation,
and fullblood Cherokee organizer Charlie Soap, they join
forces and build nearly twenty miles of waterline using a
community of volunteers. In the process, they inspire the
community to trust each other, and reawaken universal
indigenous values of reciprocity and interconnectedness.
The successful completion of the waterline sparked a
movement of similar self-help projects across the Cherokee
nation and in Indian country that continues to this day.
Closing Talking Circle
AISES Council of Elders
The closing talking circle with the AISES Council of Elders
provides the participants the opportunity to collectively
reflect on and share about our time together at the Leadership
Summit and prepare participants to for their journeys home.
Creating Your Individual Development Plan
Michelle Fletcher
Building a road map and documenting the intended
goals of your life should be easy, right? Yet, students
and professionals still get de-railed from their personal
and professional path. Having a living document that is
constantly being updated to reflect important next steps
could be the key to keeping organized. This session will
explore your leadership style(s) which aid in developing an
individual plan for you, your colleagues, and subordinates.
Discovering the Leader in You
Sony Preap & Cynthia Munnell
I bet you know a natural leader. These are the people who
easily influence others. They build business results through
relationships and integrity. If you don’t see yourself as a
natural leader or a leader in any sense, think again. There
is a leader in everyone of us. Are you a good listener? Do
you empathize with others? Do you stand up for what
matters? If you answered yes, then you are a leader. In this
session, we will reveal your leadership qualities and traits
and how you can use that knowledge to succeed in life.
Dream Big It’s Your Career
Deborah Clairmont & Lawrence Shorty
Let’s prepare for success! As you prepare for your future
career to work in a professional or higher education
field you will need some key ingredients to become
successful. Leadership begins with a good foundation,
understanding how to take the opportunities that come
along and making the good choices. Come and see how
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
works and what working with the government can do for
your big Dreams. Do you know which internship that is
best for your career? How to write a good resume? Come
check out the USDA, let’s prepare and Dream Big!
Embracing Social Networks for
Technical Professionals
Martin Keen
Social networks such as Twitter and LinkedIn are where
technical professions interact, form relationships, make
decisions, and accomplish work. How well are you using
these tools? Are you interacting with the right people?
This session builds on best practices gleaned from a 4 year
program at IBM Redbooks to improve the social eminence
of its top technical professionals. You’ll learn how to use
social networks for business, learn what matters (and doesn’t
matter) when building your own social presence, and
learn about the tools you need to make this all happen.
Finding Your Perfect Mentor/Mentee Match
Joing AISES in launching our new Mentorship Program by
participating in a fun, interactive mentorship speed dating
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2016 AISES Leadership Summit Session Descriptions (cont.)
activity! Professional mentors will sit on one side of a line
of tables and student mentees will rotate through the
mentors every five minutes. This mentorship speed dating
activity will facilitate networking and relationship building
that can continue throught the Leadership Summit.
Great, You Landed An Interview…Now What?!
Cynthia Munnell & Sony Preap
So you’ve landed that job interview, now what? If you’ve
ever wondered what gets noticed and can seal the deal,
come, explore and get hands on with some experts to
help coach you through. We have real scenarios for you
to see both sides of an interview, and you’ll have an
opportunity to practice and participate in ‘live action’
interviews, featuring you….and an interview panel!
Harness the Teamwork
LCDR Greg Cady
Lead, Equip, Train and Motivate individuals utilizing the Navy
Leadership Competencies. An overview of how to implement
the 5 Navy Leadership Competencies into your everyday life.
I’m in Graduate School & I Don’t
Fit in . . . Now What?
Jennifer Waltman
Graduate school is exciting! Yet, for many scientists
obtaining an advanced degree is a “means to an end” and
“task” to complete along a career journey. Obtaining
advanced degrees are hard; not only in the classroom.
Students dream of sharing new knowledge and skills based
on community needs. How to survive academic needs?
How do students manage expectations and culture while
maintaining identity and purpose? This storytelling session
will share lessons learned along an academic journey
fulfilling an elders dream of her mentee becoming a doctor.
The presentation shares stories while offering ideas to
manage experiences along your academic journey.
Leadership Development Using
Emotional Intelligence
Rachel Yellowhair
As a new leader with two years as a technical lead and
two years in management, Rachel Yellowhair would
like to share her experiences and how she uses various
techniques to adapt her leadership styles based on current
environment and employee work style. The presentation
and discussion will revolve around leadership development
and focus in the areas of emotional intelligence.
Leveraging Covey to Lead Change
Gage Hutchens, Dr. AD Cropper, & Nathaniel Todea
Following a 5 minute primer on Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly
Effective People, audience members will engage with the
speakers to outline successful approaches to leading change
for technical, procedural and human conditions in the
workplace by leveraging a modified world café format. At
AISES National 2015 one session participant from a Fortune
500 said “Our company spent $300,000 and two months for
the same set of answers we just came up with in 60 minutes.”
Local Leaders Panel
A panel of local leaders from private foundations,
corporations, and educational institutions including:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Kerry Langford, IBM
Barbara Schepp, IBM
Martin Jennings, Northwest Area Foundation
Mike Laverdure, DSGW Architects
Wayne L. Ducheneaux II, Native Governance Center
Join leaders from Minnesota in a dialogue about
educational and career development. This session
will feature a short introduction by each panelist
and the opporunity to ask questions and engage in
converstaion around topics of interest to the audience.
Impact of Leadership Styles on Decision Making
MAYO CLINIC TOUR INCLUDES ALL
THREE OF THE FOLLOWING:
This is an interactive session demonstrating the impact
of leadership styles on the outcomes of decisions. The
session participants will participate in exercises that
demonstrate that both the method chosen to make
a decision and the leadership style of the leader will
impact the outcome of a decisions made by a team.
The participants will be able to identify leadership
styles, discuss the impact of their leadership style, and
describe the advantages of situational leadership.
Mayo Clinic Celebration of Research and Careers Tour:
Mayo Clinic researchers investigate today’s medical mysteries,
generating new knowledge and translating discoveries into
therapies to advance patient care. During this session, you
will explore several Research labs and meet a highly skilled
team of medical professionals, including scientists, medical
technologists, lab assistants, and other specialists. Experience
firsthand the exemplary environment of one of the world’s
leading health-care institutions and discover the possible
impact Research will create for future generations.
Jim Wilkerson
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2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and
School of Health Sciences Tour:
Mayo Clinic is an internationally renowned academic medical
center that continually transforms clinical care, research, and
education. The Mayo Clinic College of Medicine provides
educational opportunities for learners who want to become
tomorrow’s outstanding professionals in healthcare and
biomedical research. This presentation will discuss various
pathways to enter health science careers in the Mayo School
of Health Sciences, to pursue a career as a physician within
the Mayo Medical School, and to become a research scientist
within the Mayo Graduate School. For more information about
these schools, please visit www.mayo.edu/education
Mayo Clinic Simulation Experience:
Mayo Clinic faculty and staff will guide participants
through a simulation of medical and leadership response
to crisis situations. The learner will have the opportunity
to be a member of a simulated relief team assisting with
casualties of a natural disaster. Learners will be divided into
teams of approximately 6 and be mentored by a medical
provider serving as faculty who will demonstrate some
techniques of the clinical care of an injured simulated
casualty (mannequin) and then have the team work
together to perform these skills. Skills demonstrated and
experienced will include, but not be limited to, control
of bleeding, airway establishment, circulatory support,
the primary and secondary survey of a casualty and at all
times working as a team with closed loop communication
and mutual support of team members in a safe learning
environment. No prior medical expertise is necessary for
learners. All pertinent simulation involves mannequins only
with moulage/make-up, except for possible demonstration
of ultrasound diagnosis on a volunteer faculty member.
Morning Blessing Ceremony
AISES Council of Elders
Yes, it’s early but this an experience you will never
forget! Start your day in a reverent, meaningful and
invigorating way and prepare yourself for positive
leadership summit experience. Join the AISES Council
of Elders in welcoming and blessing a new day.
My Culture and STEM: Coffee and
Conversation with Elders and Board
Representatives from the AISES Council of
Elders and the Board of Directors
Too often STEM students and professionals are asked
[unfairly] to “check their culture at the door” despite
evidence that shows that the inclusion of alternative
knowledege systems creates better science. Members
of the AISES Board and Council of Elders will engage
participants in a structured “world café style” conversation
to explore how they can include their cultural knowledge
in their STEM education and their careers. A larger group
debrief and discussion will follow the conversations.
Outreach and Support to Youth
Leadership and STEM Initiatives
Jared Ware
The Native American Heritage Forum (NAHF) supports
outreach events and community services projects for
the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity
(ODEIO) at the United States Military Academy, West Point,
New York. The forum host an annual Pow Wow at West
Point for the community and also supports leadership
and STEM-related community projects at various military
installations and in large cities across the United States.
The goal of the session is to provide baseline knowledge of
planning and organizing community service projects with
outside partners, and to outline some of the benefits of
teamwork and collaboration with partner organizations.
Planning for the Success of Your
Chapter and Region
AISES Student Representatives: Crystal Tulley-Cordova,
Kory Joe, Jason Slats, Raquel Kamalu, Nikki Tulley, Ashleigh
McIntosh, Hannah Balderas, Ben Oster, & Joi Owle
Creating a foundation to withstand the test of times for AISES
College and Professional Chapters and Regions. Sharing
ideas to identify, develop, and retain future leaders.
Remote Techical Support - Answering
the Phone is Just the First Step (Tour)
Barbara Schepp
IBM Rochester is the home of “World Class” Remote Technical
Hardware and Software Support. During this walking tour of
our Technical Support Center, you will learn how using conflict
resolution, change management, soft skills and problem
solving are used every day to tackle technical customer issues.
Rising Up from Technical to Management
Marcellus Proctor
In this interactive session, the audience will have the
opportunity to be part of scenarios where they see situations
from a manager’s point of view. They will also hear from
managers on how the transitioned into various levels of
management from within and outside of their own technical
organizations. The audience will come away on how to
become a successful manager & leader by understanding
the importance and function of active listening, providing
constructive feedback on employees’ performance, and
managing conflict from a personnel or technical perspective.
2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
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Think Friday Story Time
Kerry Langford
How to employ the ancient art of storytelling at work and
in your job in a positive and influential way. This session will
show 12 mini-stories about work-life balancing principles
in business and engineering that keep you effective and
productive throughout your career. These mini-stories
will then be broken down for the participants into the
visual components used to craft the imagery portrayed.
Turning Conflict into Results
Karen Kiester
Turning Conflict into Results! How you handle conflict
is integral to your performance as well as your personal
and professional Brand. In today’s fast-paced, high
intensity business climate, conflict plays a major part
in our everyday activities. How we handle ourselves in
different situations can be viewed by key stakeholders
as positive and if not handled well possibly negativate.
Let’s work on it together to turn conflict into results!
Watson: Developing New Skills
in the Cognitive Era
Chris DeYoung
The Watson group is essentially a small business startup
within IBM. The skills required for this team are a mix
of attributes and knowledge including bleeding edge
technology, business acumen, fearlessness and creativity. In
this session we’ll discuss what Watson is and does and the
unique leadership and entreprene Talking Circles or Circle
Talks are a foundational approach to First Nations pedagogyin-action since they provide a model for an educational
activity that encourages dialogue, respect, the co-creation
of learning content, and social discourse. The nuance of
subtle energy created from using this respectful approach
to talking with others provides a sense of communion
and interconnectedness that is not often present in the
common methods of communicating in the classroom. When
everyone has their turn to speak, when all voices are heard
in a respectful and attentive way, the learning atmosphere
becomes a rich source of information, identity, and interaction.
2016 AISES Leadership Summit Presenter Biographies
LCDR Greg Cady
Lieutenant Commander Greg Cady has been serving in the
U.S. Navy since 1985. His first portion of his career was in the
enlisted ranks, promoting to an Intelligence Officer in 2004.
In 2006, he deployed to Baghdad, Iraq for one-year, assigned
to a U.S. Army command in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom. Throughout his 30 years in the Navy, he’s been both
active and reserve duty. Currently, he has accepted a recall
to active duty assigned to recruit medical professionals into
the Navy Reserve. In his civilian career, he spent 18 years in
the corrections profession. Currently, he’s the Criminal Justice
Program Director and Instructor for Southeast Technical
College in Red Wing, MN.
Deborah Clairmont
Deborah Clairmont, Muskogee Creek/French Canadian Cree
decedent and started my journey with the USDA/NRCS on
the Flathead Reservation, Montana as Soil Conservationist.
Deborah graduated from the Salish Kootenai College
and have a Bachelor of Science-Environmental Science
-Environmental Restoration and currently serves as the
USDA/NRCS National American Indian Alaska Native
Special Emphasis Program Manager (NAIAN SEPM)/ Soil
Conservationist in the Normal, Illinois USDA Service Center
for a total of ten years. Deborah has worked with the
Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes in many capacities and
with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in Cortez, Colorado. She is
always happy to share her experiences and wisdom as means
to support others on their own personal journeys towards the
future.
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2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Dr. A.D. Cropper
Dr. A. D. Cropper, the AISES “2014 Professional of the
Year” recipient, is of Kalinago Carib decent and has been
a Sequoyah Fellow of AISES since 2002. Currently he is
an Electro-Optical, Infrared Engineering Fellow and a
Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) Technical Subject Matter Expert
(SME) within Raytheon’s Space and Airborne Systems (SAS)
and past President of AISES Publishing Inc. Board of Directors.
Prior to Raytheon he worked with next generation Disruptive
Technologies for ground, air and space markets for various
Aerospace / Defense technology corporations and in the
telecommunication and flat panel displays industries. He
provided technological innovation and solutions to the
Department of Defense and Intelligence Community and
worked as an Independent Reviewer for the Department
of Energy Nonproliferation Research and Development
programs. Dr. Cropper has been involved in AISES since
1992 and has presented at both the National and Regional
Conferences on Technical and Professional Development
topics since 1995. Dr. Cropper received his Ph.D. in Electrical
Engineering from Virginia Tech. In addition to his AISES Award
in 2014, Dr. Cropper has been recognized by the Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago with the “National ICONS in Science &
Technology” Award in 2005 and then with the “Caribbean
ICONS in Science Technology & Innovation” Award in 2006.
Chris DeYoung
Chris DeYoung is the Infrastructure Architect for Watson
assigned to the IBM/Softbank Partnership. His work involves
creating designs that support the common goals of both
Softbank and IBM in order to bring Watson to the Japanese
market. Besides language support, this project involves the
evolution of Watson from a static hardware solution into
Watson-As-A-Service on public, private and hybrid cloud.
Besides cloud architecture, Chris’ has broad and deep skills in
High Performance Computing and played a large role in the
delivery of the Los Alamos National Labs Roadrunner cluster;
the first computer to surpass the 1 petaflop barrier. Chris
has been involved with the INDN group within IBM for many
years and has worked to deliver IBM’s donation solutions for
Mt Edgecumbe, a Native American school in Sitka, AK as well
as IBM’s technology donation to the National Museum of the
American Indian in Manhattan.
Wayne L. Ducheneaux II
Wayne is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux
Tribe. He grew up on his parents’ cattle ranch on the east
end of the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. His work with
his Tribe included running the Cheyenne River Motel, a tribal
enterprise, serving two years as Tribal Administrative Officer
and serving the people of Cheyenne River as a District 4
Council Representative. He was also selected for a two-year
term as Vice-Chairman of the Tribe from 2012-2014. Wayne
now serves as the Executive Director of the Native Governance
Center a newly-established, Native American-led, nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting Tribal Nations in
strengthening their governance systems and their capacities
to exercise their sovereignty.
Michelle Fletcher
Michelle Fletcher is an HR Generalist at Bristol Bay Native
Corporation in Anchorage, Alaska. She graduated with a
bachelor’s degree in Business Management with honors at
University of Alaska Anchorage, and is a graduate student
at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign pursuing her
Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations degree.
Michelle is Yupik Eskimo and her maternal family comes from
a small fishing village called Clark’s Point in Bristol Bay, AK. She
is passionate about her community and serves on a variety of
volunteer projects and a former nonprofit board member of
Girls on the Run Southcentral Alaska.
Gage Hutchens
Gage Hutchens is of Cherokee descent and has served on the
board of the Cherokees of California, a 501(3)c since 2004. He
has been a Sequoyah fellow and associate member of AISES
since 2011 and this is his 8th AISES presentation. His academic
degrees are in social science (USC) and psychology (Antioch)
and he is currently completing his MBA (WGU). From 1999 to
2015 he was a San Francisco entrepreneur in the technology
industry, growing his boutique consulting firm to $2.5m in
annual service revenue, and seeding a sister operation of
developers in Romania. He has hired over 50 technology
personnel and consulted for well-known companies in the
financial, pharmaceutical and technology industries. In
Q3 2013 he led the creation, and launch, of a micro-cloud
appliance tech startup. In Q2 2015 he joined Wells Fargo Bank
as a Systems Architect where he also leads the California
chapter of the Team member Native People’s network.
Martin Jennings
Martin Jennings is an enrolled member of the Leech Lake
Band of Ojibwe Indians in Northern Minnesota. For the past
three decades, he has assembled, lead, or participated in a
variety of successful teams in business, economic/community
development, and government administration in Native
American and rural communities. He has worked widely with
Tribal governments and Native American communities and
been a strong advocate for Native issues on the local and
national levels. Jennings entered philanthropy in 2008, when
he joined the Blandin Foundation as a trustee in northern
Minnesota. In 2009 he joined the Northwest Area Foundation
as a program officer where his responsibilities have focused on
examining and strengthening the Foundation’s grantmaking
approach, especially to Indian Country and to other
marginalized populations. Prior to this, Jennings provided
organization and fundraising services to Tribal organizations.
He has worked extensively with the Mille Lacs and Leech Lake
Tribal governments in a variety of executive positions ranging
from community/business development and planning,
small business management and technical assistance,
government planning, gaming management, and housing
development administration. Martin believes in giving back
to the community and over the years has as served on various
boards and charities including: state regional development
commissions, community development corporations: local
Indian councils and regional Indian Housing associations: and
federal resource advisory and rule–making committees.
Tory J. Johnson
Tory Johnson joined IBM in 1982 at Rochester, Minnesota after
receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering
from the University of Minnesota. He has held a variety of
engineering, management and executive positions in disk
drive manufacturing, circuit packaging production, server
manufacturing and engineering and supply chain engineering.
Tory assumed his current role as Vice President, Supply Chain
Engineering, in July 2013. In this role, Tory works across
IBM Development and the IBM Supply Chain to deliver high
quality, innovative solutions that solve client needs.
In 2016, Tory was also appointed Senior Location Executive
for IBM Rochester. In this role, he strives to create and foster
an environment that supports innovative approaches to help
solve business and community issues.
Tory has been involved in many additional leadership roles
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2016 AISES Leadership Summit Presenter Biographies (cont.)
within IBM. He has led the IBM MentorPlace program,
the Executive Charitable Contribution Campaign for IBM
Worldwide Procurement and has served as the Rochester
Executive Leader for the Employee Charitable Contribution
Campaign. As part of IBM’s Centennial in 2010, Tory was
the Executive Champion for the IBM Rochester Celebration
of Service in which 1000 IBMers engaged in skills-based
volunteerism.
Tory has served on the board of the Olmsted County United
Way since 2013. He has also been a member of the University
of Minnesota Mechanical Engineering Advisory Council since
2013. In 2015, Tory was appointed as IBM’s representative on
The Conference Board Quality Council.
Martin Keen
Martin Keen works as Project Leader for IBM Technical Content
Services. He works with technical experts to create books,
guides, blogs, and videos. Martin has led the development of
dozens of externally published IBM Redbooks deliverables,
leads a social media and blog training IBM program, and holds
several patents.
Karen Kiester
Karen Kiester has worked in many roles in her 31 years at
General Motors. Spending most of her career in Human
Resources focused on Organizational Development and
Change Management has prepared her for her most current
position in Global Business Services. She leads a team of
Organization Change Managers, Project Managers and Lean
Enterprise SME’s professionals focused on building the skill
capability required transformation. Karen is a member of the
Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa Indians and a founding leader of
GM’s Native American Cultural Network. She has a Bachelor
of Science in Criminal Justice and Sociology.to achieve
organizational
Kerry Langford
Kerry Langford works as a Senior Software Engineer for the
Digital Services Group of IBM. He works with technical experts
to create and manage the Enterprise Content Management
(ECM) servers that deliver IBM product documentation to
customer over the internet. Kerry has led the architecture
and construction of 2 major ECM systems for IBM, has worked
in the Translation process, and has been an Agile coach for
startup teams within IBM.
Mike Laverdure
Mike Laverdure is the President and Partner of DSGW
Architects / First American Design Studio. He has a BS in
Architecture and Environmental Design, both from North
Dakota State University. Laverdure has worked on many
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significant projects and was the lead on the Turtle Mountain
Dialysis Center, Sky Dancer and Casino and Spirit Lake Elderly
Center. Through his work, Laverdure brings a culture and
spirituality of a people to architecture and always learns the
culture and history of a community before beginning the
design process. He is not only accomplished in his professional
career, but is also actively engaged in the community.
Laverdure is the Founding Member of the North Dakota Youth
Leadership Institute and has also been active on various
boards, including the Minnesota American Indian Chamber of
Commerce.
Cynthia Munnell
Cindy Munnell is in her 19th year at The Boeing Company, in
Bellevue, Washington, working as a Subject Matter Expert in
Change & Release Management and has extensive experience
as a Root Cause Lead Investigator and Special Project Manager.
She leads a Metrics Team, a Lean Team and is VP of the Puget
Sound Chapter of the Boeing American Indian Society. She is
the Boeing Company Deputy Focal for AISES and a Sequoyah
Fellow. In the community, Cindy is engaged with Northwest
Indian College, helping Native American high-school and
college students investigate various career paths in STEM and
is networking with her local Puget Sound Tribes and her own
Ojibwe Tribe in Leech Lake, Minnesota. Cindy has a Masters in
Project Management from George Washington University and
is pursuing further education in Business Management. Prior
to Boeing, she spent many years in utility construction and
maintenance of underground pipelines in natural gas systems.
Cindy is an Ojibwe enrolled member of Leech Lake, Minnesota.
Jon Ninas
Jon Ninas is a Career Awareness Specialist with Mayo Clinic.
His focus is on helping students match their passion and goals
with formative experiences, working from career exploration
to career confirmation. He develops and maintains many
Mayo Clinic programs tailored for high school students, as well
as acts as a Mayo Clinic liaison for community partnerships
that focus on career readiness in high school students. Prior
to coming to Mayo Clinic, Jon worked and taught in higher
education, helping college students hone their job search and
employability skills. Jon has also created a website to help
students, parents, and educators - careerawareness.mayoclinic.
org
Jaime A. Pinkham
Jaime A. Pinkham is a citizen of the Nez Perce Tribe and AISES
Chairman Emeriti having served as Chairman from 1991-94.
He is currently Senior Advisor at the Native Governance Center
in St. Paul, MN, an entity created by the Bush Foundation.
Before joining the Center he was the Foundation’s Vice
President leading their Native nations’ strategy working
with tribes across ND, SD and MN as they redesigned their
governing infrastructure. Prior to moving to Minnesota in
2009, he directed the congressional affairs and regional
coordination efforts for the Columbia River Intertribal Fish
Commission. From 1990 to 2002 he was at home working for
the Nez Perce Tribe where he was elected twice to the Tribe’s
governing body and also led the tribe’s natural resource
programs.
He has received various awards including an Oregon State
University Alumni Fellow, the National Earle Wilcox Award
from the Intertribal Timber Council and the Native American
Fish and Wildlife Society’s Chief Sealth Award.
He has served on various boards in the private, public and
nonprofit sectors. He is currently on the Board of Trustees at
Northland College (Ashland, WI), the Governing Council of The
Wilderness Society, American Rivers Board of Directors, Alaska
Region Advisory Committee for the Yukon River Intertribal
Watershed Council, OSU College of Forestry Curriculum
Advisory Committee, and the Leadership Council for the
Federal Reserves’ Center for Indian Country Development.
Sony Preap
Sony Preap has been working for the Boeing Company for
ten years in Human Resources. She graduated from Central
Washington University with honors in Business Information
Technology. Sony spent the past five years supporting AISES
national conferences to hire new talents for Boeing. In her
spare time, she likes to travel, cook, and spend time with
friends and family.
Marcellus Proctor
Marcellus Proctor (Piscataway-Conoy) is the Assistant Chief
of the Electrical Engineering Division at NASA/GSFC. He
has earned a Master’s & Bachelor’s degrees in Electrical
Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and the University
of Maryland College Park (respectively). Marcellus was the
Chair of the GSFC Native American Advisory Committee,
member of the AISES National Capital Region Professional
Chapter, Co-Chair of the AISES Government Relations Council,
and an AISES Sequoyah Fellow.
Barbara Schepp
Barbara grew up in Minot, North Dakota and attended Minot
State College graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in
Secondary Education in 1986. After her graduation, she was a
substitute teacher for the Bismarck, ND public school district
until February 1988 when she began her career with IBM.
She started as a Customer Engineer for IBM in Bismarck and
was responsible for maintaining and repairing IBM hardware
equipment for numerous customer’s that included the Bank
of North Dakota, Basin Electric & State of North Dakota.
In February 1994, Barbara accepted a position of Service
Planning Representative for the IBM AS/400 in Rochester,
MN. In this position, Barbara was responsible for ensuring
cost effectiveness and serviceability of new IBM hardware
products. She continued to advance in this area and was
named a Senior Advisory Service Planning Representative and
was given the responsibility of creating education for the IBM
service community. Barbara accepted a position as personnel
and technical manager for the iSeries Hardware support center
in October 2005 and is now presently managing a Software
team within the iGSC (IBM i Global Support Center). Here in
the iGSC, we provide 24x7 hardware and software support for
IBM’s global customer base. We provide Level 1, Level 2 & Level
3 software and hardware support to customers such as Ebay,
Costco, Federal Express, Walgreens, Bank of America of many
more. The iGSC is a multiple winner of the SSPA Star Award
for Service Excellence. Barbara is an active member of the
Rochester community. She is on the board of the Rochester
Youth Volleyball Association, John Marshall High School
Booster member & high school youth church leader. She and
her husband have three children Taylor(works at Mayo as a
genetic research technician), Eric (pre-pharm student at SDSU)
and Kia (Senior at John Marshall High School) and keep busy
with attending sporting events & travel.
Lawrence Shorty
Lawrence Shorty has land-grant in his blood being of
Mississippi Choctaw and Southwestern Tribal ancestry.
Lawrence co-developed the Traditional Tobacco Seed Bank
and Education Program at the University of New Mexico
where he was its Associate Director. He later worked with
two Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at the University
of New Mexico and with the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill. Prior to his Washington, DC-based work at USDA,
Lawrence worked as the Director of Public Health Programs at
the National Indian Health Board and as the Health Content
Specialist serving Tribal Head Start programs. He currently
works with the US. Department of Agriculture managing the
USDA 1994 Tribal Land-Grant Colleges and University Program,
which builds the land grant capacities of tribal colleges and
universities.
Nathaniel Todea
Nathaniel Todea, Diné, holds a BA in Anthropology from Fort
Lewis College, Durango, CO, and a MS in Civil Engineering with
concentration in Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering
from the University of New Mexico. He primarily works on
watersheds, rivers, streams, channels, and dams as the State
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2016 AISES Leadership Summit Presenter Biographies (cont.)
Hydraulic Engineer in the NRCS Utah State Office. Time is spent
gathering hydraulic / hydrologic data (GIS, remote sensing,
and GPS surveys) and conducting hydraulic/hydrologic
analysis (developing / routing dam breach flows, natural
channel design, dam parameters, sedimentation studies, post
fire / flooding hydrology). He also served collateral duties as
the USDA NRCS National Civil Rights Committee American
Indian / Alaska Native Male representative. He was awarded
the 2008 AISES Most Promising Engineer award and is a
Sequoyah fellow.
Jennifer Waltman
The founder of Heritage Wellness Group, Jennifer has been
advising organizations for over a decade. Her consulting work
includes Tribes, government and non-profit organizations,
small businesses and Fortune 100 companies. Jennifer’s focus
includes individual and team coaching, as she completes
her doctorate. Her emphasis on workplace wellness applies
scientific assessment with inclusion of applied therapeutic
skills to promote health during times of transition and turmoil.
Jennifer’s passion around creating health and wellness at a
population level makes her a dynamic speaker and facilitator.
Jennifer earned a Bachelor Degree in Social Work, Master
Degree in Business Administration, pursuing her doctorate
in psychology, and is a 2014 Bush Foundation Fellow. She
holds certification’s in health and wellness coaching, MyersBriggs Type Indicator, MBTI®, Intercultural Development
Inventory (IDI®), and in the process of board certification in
neurofeedback. Jennifer is of multicultural heritage, Polish and
Standing Rock Lakota. She is a cancer survivor and passionate
about the application of traditional medicine to improve
wellness and eliminate health disparities in Indian Country.
She is in the dissertation process of her doctor of psychology
degree under the advisement of Dr. Dan Dickerson (Inupiaq),
researcher at UCLA and practitioner at UAII in Los Angeles.
Jennifer’s research is applying emerging neuroscience with
application of biomedical, Electroencephalography (EEG)
technology (electrophysiological monitoring method to
record electrical activity of the brain), in comparison with
neuropsychological assessment with Native American Women,
while creating a health assessment experience receiving care
from an informed culturally appropriate practitioner.
Jared Ware
Jared Ware currently serves as a faculty member in the
Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering
at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York.
He is a mentor to the academy’s Native American Heritage
Forum and also serves as a department Equal Opportunity and
Diversity Officer. He is a Lieutenant Colonel and an Engineer
Officer in the United States Army. He is a member of the
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Muscogee (Creek) Nation. He is one of four members of his
tribe to graduate from the United States Military Academy, a
group that includes David Moniac, the academy’s first Native
American graduate. He has served in the Army in various
leadership positions, most recently as a battalion commander,
deputy brigade commander, and division engineer at Fort
Bragg, North Carolina.
Jim Wilkerson
James E. Wilkerson, recently retired as a member of the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA) Senior Intelligence Service (SIS), and
is currently serving as an Independent Contractor for the CIA
as a Program Manager for Native American Outreach. In 2014,
Mr. Wilkerson received the Agency’s Donald B. Cryer Award
for Diversity and Inclusion, which is the Agency’s highest
award for diversity efforts. Mr. Wilkerson was also a recipient
of the Intelligence Community Diversity Award in 2002 and
twice received the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
Diversity Award. Mr. Wilkerson began his federal service with
a temporary assignment at the Centers for Disease Control. He
worked as a research Chemist for the Dow Chemical Company
and then joined the Agency in 1985 as a Chemist. Throughout
his career, he has held a variety of positions of increasing
responsibility across the DS&T, including the Office of Technical
Service, Office of Development & Engineering at the National
Reconnaissance Office (NRO), Office of Technical Collection,
Office of Global Access, the George Methlie School, and the
Office of TIO Development. These positions encompassed
a wide range of responsibilities ranging from program
manager, to group manager, to recruiting and hiring advisor,
to intelligence educator. Mr. Wilkerson served as an Instructor
in CIA University and led the Directorate’s Academic Outreach
Program during his last years at the CIA. Mr. Wilkerson received
his Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University and
received a Master of Science in Microbiology and a Master of
Science in Chemistry from Texas A&M University. He received
a Master of Science in Engineering Management from George
Washington University (GWU).
Rachel Yellowhair
Rachel Yellowhair grew up on the Navajo reservation in
Kayenta, AZ. After graduating high school, she attended the
University of Arizona and received her Bachelors of Science in
Mathematics, and later received her Masters in Information
Systems from University of Phoenix while employed at
Raytheon in Tucson, AZ. During her 14 year career she has
gone from technical to managerial. As an Infrastructure
Analysis Manager, she manages a team of Systems Analysts
in the unclassified area of Information Technology. She loves
being a mother to her 9 year old son as well as staying healthy
and active, both in self and within the Native community.
AISES Board of Directors and Elder Bios
Dr. Mark Bellcourt
Dr. Bellcourt is a proud member of the White Earth Nation
(Anishannabe), current member of the AISES Board of
Directors and liaison to the AISES Council of Elders. He is an
educator at the University of Minnesota with appointments
in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD)
and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Research
Sciences (CFANS). He teaches courses on multicultural
leadership and Indigenous environmental knowledge, is a
member of the Nibi Manoomin Working Group (a group and
Tribal members and University faculty that is working to
protect manoomin), board member of the North Star AISES
Alliance and Professional Chapter (Minnesota AISES Affiliate),
and mentor for aspiring STEM professionals.
Amber Finley
Amber Finley is an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa,
Arikara Nation, she is also Spirit Lake Dakota and Standing
Rock Lakota from her maternal grandmother. Although she
grew up in the Bay Area of California, she also considers Fort
Berthold her home. She is Ciicga or Prairie Chicken clan.
Amber has one daughter, one son, and raises her 3 nieces and
nephews full-time.
Amber graduated from Fort Berthold Community College
in 2001 with two Associate degrees; one in Science and the
other in Liberal Arts. Amber then transferred to the University
of North Dakota and graduated in 2006 with a Baccalaureate
of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology. Amber went on to
earn her Master of Science in Environmental Management in
2008 from the University of San Francisco.
Amber returned to Grand Forks in 2008 and along with some
other members of the Native American community, explored
avenues for cultural awareness, development, and expression.
In 2010 the group formally organized Northstar Council,
a state-recognized non-profit with the express mission of
empowering indigenous people through research, education,
and outreach. Northstar’s vision is to create a Native American
Cultural Center that serves the Greater Grand Forks Area.
Current work has focused on developing cultural awareness
through classes and workshops, offering traditional spiritual
service (i.e. sweatlodge, smudging, ceremony), teaching
traditional arts and crafts, integrating traditional knowledge
into the Grand Forks Public School system, offering mentoring
and leadership training to young Native Americans, and
producing quality cultural events for the community. Amber
serves as the Executive Director of Northstar Council.
Sheila Lopez
Shelia Lopez is Diné (Navajo) from Winslow, Arizona. She is a
Diversity Staffing VIP Program Manager for Intel in Chandler,
AZ. Sheila is one of AISES’ newest board members and a
Sequoyah Fellow. She has two passions in her life: increasing
the number of Native professionals in the STEM fields and
raising awareness to issues faced by LGBTQ individuals. Sheila
earned her bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from
Northern Arizona University, has worked in her field for nearly
two decades, and has helped recruit many people of color
and women for tech industry jobs. Lopez also co-founded the
only Native American chapter of PFLAG, the nation’s largest
family and ally organization supporting family and friends
who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ)
after learning that two of her three children are gay. The
chapter is known as “Native PFLAG” and has been supporting
the Phoenix and surrounding community since June 2011.
Sheila is also a HRC Safe Space presenter and has presented
numerous workshops at ASEE and AISES. Her passion and
dedication to the community and PFLAG’s mission lead her to
be named a 2015 LogoTV Trailblazer Parent and the recipient
of Intel’s 2015 Commitment to Diversity leadership Award.
Dr. Henrietta Mann
Dr. Henrietta Mann, Tsetsehestaestse (Cheyenne) was recently
elected to the National Academy of Education. Mann is the
now retired founding president of Cheyenne and Arapaho
Tribal College. She is among 11 elected for membership by
Dr. Michael Feuer, Dean of the Graduate School of Education
and Human Development at George Washington University
and President of the National Academy of Education (NAEd).
NAEd celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015, and has 199 U.S.
members and 11 foreign associates who are elected based on
outstanding scholarship related to education.
“I was astonished to be elected to this body of esteemed
educators, just as committed to education as any one of them,
yet, in my own unique cultural-based way. As my daughter
once described me, education has always represented the
true north on my compass,” Mann told ICTMN. “I came from
a people who valued education, which was nurtured in me,
and became my joy as a teacher and later as a university
professor. It was an educational journey from the home of a
great-grandmother, who was a healer of horses for peoples
who pursued bison across the northern and southern plains
to a journey throughout the halls of learning in such places
as the University of California, Berkeley; Graduate School
of Education, Harvard University; University of Montana;
Montana State University; and the Cheyenne and Arapaho
Tribal College located on the campus of Southwestern
Oklahoma State University. What a fulfilling educational
experience and contribution. Now, membership in the
National Academy of Education—my heart sings.”
Mann was the first person to occupy the Katz Endowed Chair
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AISES Board of Directors and Elder Bios (cont.)
in Native American Studies at Montana State University,
Bozeman, where she is Professor Emerita, but continues to
serve as Special Assistant to the President.
Eagle is a Ph.D candidate at the University of Washington in
Cultural Anthropology. Her new grandson is Tokana Ikpanajin
Spotted Eagle.
In 1991, Mann was named by Rolling Stone as one of the 10
leading professors in the nation, and in 2008, she received
the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Indian
Education Association.
In the western world, Faith earned a Master’s in Guidance
and Counseling in her early twenties at the University of
South Dakota, although she attended college at American
University in Washington, DC and Black Hills State College,
Spearfish, SD., also. Throughout her long career she has been
a high school counselor/teacher/principal; manager of Human
Services Programs and Youth Programs; Indian Child Welfare
Worker; Organizational Development Consultant; Teacher
in a Psychiatric setting; Peacemaker/mediator; Community
College Instructor; PTSD therapist and Community Activist.
She was also a women’s basketball coach in Idaho. As a
young student she was an intern in the office of Sen. Geo
McGovern; served as an intern with the National Park Service
in Glacier Park, Montana; provided student input to the early
development of Talent Search Programs in Chicago, Illinois.
She worked with the groundbreaking Coalition of Indian
Controlled Schoolboards in Denver, Colorado, the organization
which played an important role in returning Native control of
schools. She was one of the early instructors at Sinte Gleska
College in Rosebud. She did the early work of repatriation
and cultural resources work at White Swan in her homeland
at Ihanktonwan in a historical Section 106 foreclosure on
the Corps of Engineers for disrupting a burial grounds. She
works in Native communities with her model Healing from
Red Rage, which has been widely used in Native Communities
in the US and Canada. She also contracts with the Veteran’s
Administration utilizing this model. She is a trained mediator/
peacemaker and incorporates traditional peacemaking
with western approaches of peacemaking Her priority is the
preserve the good medicine of the Dakota Culture for the
future.
The College Board, Native American Student Advocacy
Institute presented Mann with its first Lifetime Achievement
Award in 2013, and has since created the Dr. Henrietta Mann
Leadership Award to acknowledge and thank leaders for their
advocacy in improving lives within Native communities. In
2014, MONEY Magazine named her a MONEY Hero Award
Winner, one of 50 Unsung Heroes/50 States, conferred for her
extraordinary work with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal
College in improving the financial well-being of others.
Dr. James H. May
Dr. James H. May currently serves on the Board of Directors of
AISES and is its Treasurer. In 2000 he received AISES’s highest
award, the Ely S. Parker Medal. He has a BS in civil engineering
from Stanford University, an MBA from Harvard University,
and a doctorate from Columbia University in library and
information science. May currently is Chairman of the Board of
Native American Public Television.
Dr. May served as the first Community Technology Coordinator
at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of the
American Indian from January 2000 to April 2002. Before that
he was California State University Monterey Bay’s very first
recruited faculty member and its first Dean of Instruction
and founding Dean of Science, Technology, and Information
Resources. He had also been an administrator at two other
CSU campuses starting in 1974. He served as Treasurer of the
California Faculty Association for 4 years. His first academic
appointment was at the University of Denver from 1972 to
1974 where he directed a Center for Communication and
Information Research. Prior to his academic career he served
as an officer in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps in the U.S. and
abroad and then was co-founder of a publishing company
which became Macmillan Information Corporation.
Faith Spotted Eagle
Faith Spotted Eagle is a 65 year old grandmother who lives on
Ihanktonwan Dakota Territory (Yankton Sioux) in Southeastern
South Dakota. She is a fluent speaker of the Dakota Language
and a member of the Ihanktonwan, although she descends
from the Sicangu, Hunpati, Hunkpapa and Mdewakantonwan
and has French/Irish blood through her grandmother Julia
Deloria and John McBride. She has two children. Kip Spotted
Eagle is a Dakota Language Instructor and Brook Spotted
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In the Dakota/Native world, she has been active in teaching
the Dakota language in language nest settings; been a 20year member of a revived traditional Brave Heart Society;
comes from a Sundance family; and has helped revive the
Isnati Awicadowanpi (Coming of Age Ceremony) for the last 18
years across the Seven Council Fires. Her Red Rage Model has
been utilized in the Brave Heart work. She has been active in
leading resistance against Tar Sands Development and the KXL
Pipeline. As the Chair of the Ihanktonwan Treaty Committee
and Brave Heart Society Grandmother , she helped bring forth
the International Treaty to Protect the Sacred against the
KXL Pipeline and the Tar Sands. She is the volunteer Manager
of the Brave Heart Lodge on the Ihanktonwan Reservation,
which seeks to preserve Dakota cultural beliefs for the future.
Brave Heart recently cooperated with other entities to revive
Lacrosse/shinny in the Ihanktonwan homelands. She has been
a delegate of the Treaty Committee NGO at the United Nations.
She is the current Chair of the Ihanktonwan Treaty Steering
Committee. She helped create an important cultural survey of
Ihanktonwan lands along the Missouri River in South Dakota
and other Treaty lands. Her priority has been to battle for
the preservation of Sacred Sites through Brave Heart Society
support of the World Peace and Prayer Day, represented by
Bundlekeeper, Arvol Looking Horse. She will be a featured
speaker at World Peace and Prayer Day in June of 2014 in New
York.
Richard “Rick” D. Stephens
Rick is currently the chair of the AISES Board of Directors. He
served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and
Administration at The Boeing Company, from September 2005
to March 31, 2013 and served as its Member of executive
Council. Mr. Stephens served as Senior Vice President of
Human Resources and Administration at Boeing Commercial
Airplanes, Inc. since September 2005. He served as Senior
Vice President of Boeing Co., since November 11, 2003 and its
Executive Vice President for Internal Services since December 3,
2004. He was responsible for companywide Human Resources
and company administration and is a member of the Boeing
Executive Council.
Rick served as Senior Vice President for Internal Services and
President of Shared Services unit from November 11, 2003
to December 3, 2004. He was responsible for providing crossenterprise services, including global computing and network,
payroll, employee programs and benefits, security and fire
protection, safety, travel, facilities and real estate and nonproduction procurement. Prior to that, Mr. Stephens served as
the Vice President and General Manager of Homeland Security
and Services for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.
In a career with Boeing that spans 25 years, he has led a
number of businesses, including Space and Communication
Services, Reusable Space Systems, Naval Systems and Tactical
Systems, submarine combat systems, Space Shuttle, and a
number of service and support-related programs. He is also a
former U.S. Marine Corps officer. He is an enrolled member of
the Pala Band of Mission Indians and served as tribal Chairman
from 1988 to 1989. He served as a Director of World Business
Chicago. Mr. Stephens serves on a number of nonprofit and
business focused boards and has been recognized for his
long-standing leadership to local and national organizations
regarding the use of science and technology education
programs to develop the workforce of the future.
In September 2005, he was appointed to the Secretary of
Education’s Commission on the Future of Higher Education
and since 2003, also serves with other American leaders on the
Private Sector Senior Advisory Committee of the Department
of Homeland Security Advisory Council. Mr.
Stephens is Vice Chairman of the Orange County Business
Council. His honors include the American Indian Science &
Engineering Society’s 2004 Professional of the Year Award, and
the National Management Association Gold, Silver Knight and
Excellence in Leadership Awards. He is an Associate Fellow of
the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics in
1974 from the University of Southern California and his Master
of Science degree in Computer Science in 1984 from California
State University, Fullerton. Mr. Stephens has completed Master
of Business Administration from the Claremont Graduate
School of Business.
Antoinelle Benally Thompson
Antoinelle was born and raised on the Navajo Reservation in
Shiprock, New Mexico with three brothers and three sisters.
Without the love and support of her parents she would not be
who she is today and is thankful every day for their teachings.
Her mother, Phyllis Benally, is originally from Beclabito NM
and her dad who passed away in 1999, Lee Delwashie Benally,
is originally from Red Valley, AZ. Antoinelle is Tachii’nii (Red
Running Into Water), Tsin Sikaadnii (Twisted Tree Clan), her
maternal grandfather’s clan is ‘Áshįįhi(Tree Clump Clan), and
her paternal grandfather’s clan is Naakai Dine’e (Mexican Clan).
Antoinelle has a bachelor’s degree in Biology which she
obtained from California State University, Hayward while
working at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).
She was given this great opportunity to work at LLNL under
Steve Grey’s program from Diné College. It was a great
experience working in the Biomedical and Health Services
Division at LLNL. Antoinelle’s biggest accomplishment is
working with the Fond du Lac Tribe helping them develop
their Injury Prevention Program and working with kids in
Head-start to high school level. She loves working with young
kids and seeing how enthusiastic and excited they are about
new ideas and concepts. She is constantly learning from the
younger generation and that is one reason why Antoinelle
loves AISES. The kids that attend the conference and also the
ones can’t attend are all so smart and innovative. She enjoys
seeing their enthusiasm and loves hearing what they are
learning at school and the research they are working on.
Antoinelle is married to Bret Benally Thompson who she
met at an AISES conference and they live in Middleton, WI.
Currently, her full-time job is a mom to two beautiful smart
girls - Norma, who is 15 years old and Tena who is 10 years old.
She looks forward to spending time with the AISES family and
continue to provide support for the younger generation that
needs it when they are away from home.
“Thank you to Grandpa for seeing the vision of passing the
torch on to Bret even though we feel we are not capable of
being in this position. I am both honored and humbled to be
asked to serve and to stand beside my husband to be a part of
the Council of Elders. Ahéhee’ (Thank you).”
2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
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AISES Board of Directors and Elder Bios (cont.)
Bret R. Benally Thompson
Bret is Anishinaabe, a member of the White Earth Band of
Ojibwe in northern Minnesota. He is originally from northern
Minnesota but grew up in several different states as his family
moved for work, mostly Minnesota, Montana and Nebraska.
Bret’s father’s parents lived on the Red Lake Reservation and
he spent much of his time with them as a boy and young
man. Some of Bret’s uncles were very traditional and gave him
teachings that formed who he would become as an adult.
Bret enlisted in the Army National Guard at age 18 as a military
policeman and eventually went to Officer Candidate School
and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry. He
served a variety of roles both active and reserve, operations
officer for Joint Task Force Panama leading up to the invasion
of Panama; served as the commander of a counter-narcotics
unit on the Texas Mexico border; and taught Officer Candidate
School.
Bret’s civilian careers included deputy sheriff for 10 years
in Texas, and several years as an EMT in the mountains of
Colorado. In his thirties, with the encouragement of his family,
AISES and his elders, Bret decided to return to college to do his
pre-med coursework. Antoinelle and Bret met as students at
their first AISES conference in 1993. They were married during
Bret’s first year of medical school which he started at age 40
at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He completed Family
Medicine residency and a fellowship in Palliative Care and
Hospice Medicine in Alaska.
Bret’s passions are helping young people pursue their dreams,
and being a physician who helps people deal with serious,
usually life-threatening illness. When their disease can no
longer be cured with western or traditional medicine, Bret
finds it a privilege to care for people as they enter their last
months and days. His spiritual teachings keep him centered
for this beautiful, rewarding work. Bret reenergizes himself
each year by helping at his tribe’s original ceremonies,
also by attending pow wows as a traditional dancer, and
of course by being part of the AISES family. Bret has been
privileged to know the AISES Council of Elders when he started
volunteering to take care of them at the conference in 1995.
The humbling role of being on the AISES Council of Elders was
passed down to him by our grandfather, Horace Axtell, who
asked the Council that Bret take his place when he was no
longer able.
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2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Crystal Tulley-Cordova
Crystal grew up on the Navajo Nation; the vast area where she
grew up afforded her the opportunity to be an explorer and
scientist. Her interest in science started in the fourth grade
with a water filtration science project. She has a Bachelor
of Science in Earth and Planetary Sciences and Master of
Water Resources with a concentration in Hydroscience from
the University of New Mexico. She currently is a doctorate
student in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the
University of Utah. Crystal is knowledgeable about the Navajo
people’s relationship with and dependence on water. Her
research interests include learning more about the interactions
of precipitation, surface and ground waters. Her current
research focuses on North American Monsoon precipitation
and associated water resources in the Navajo Nation situated
in the Four Corners region of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
She is currently leading two water projects collaborating with
Navajo Tribal Utility and Navajo Nation Water Management
Branch’s Water Monitoring and Inventory Group. Crystal has
a passion for working with tribal communities. She realizes
the importance to help tribal nations dependent on water
resources understand the effects of hydroclimatic changes
on their tribal homelands. Crystal hopes the knowledge and
experience gained will help her assist tribal communities to
use their current knowledge about water to build sustainable
water projects, seek research funding and examine past
hydroclimate trends in hopes of understanding future water
trends.
Crystal Tulley-Cordova is an enrolled Navajo tribal member
who grew up on the Navajo Nation. She is a Ph.D. candidate in
the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University
of Utah. She received a Master of Water Resources with a
concentration in Hydroscience and a Bachelor of Science
in Earth and Planetary Sciences from the University of New
Mexico. Her research focuses on examining stable isotopes of
North American Monsoon precipitation and associated water
resources in the Navajo Nation, situated in the Four Corners
region of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
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2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
19
EVERY GENERATION
NEEDS ITS LEADERS.
As a farmer-owned cooperative, we help lead the agricultural industry by promoting
the most innovative, responsible farming practices available today. And we want to
make sure that the next generation of leaders is well trained for tomorrow. That’s why
we proudly support youth leadership programs like FFA. It’s also why we’ve invested in
scholarships and countless land-grant university initiatives across the country. At CHS,
we know every generation needs its leaders. And every potential leader needs a little
help becoming one.
Visit chsinc.com/stewardship to learn more about our ongoing commitment to leadership.
©2015 CHS Inc.
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2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
渀愀瘀礀⸀挀漀洀⼀挀愀爀攀攀爀猀
㄀ⴀ㠀　ⴀ唀匀䄀ⴀ一䄀嘀夀
2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
21
22
Save The Date November 10-12, 2016
2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
AISES Council of Elders:
AISES Staff
Faith Spotted Eagle (Ihanktonwan Band of the Dakota/Nakota/
Lakota Nation of South Dakota)
Sarah Echohawk (Pawnee)
Chief Executive Officer
Mary Kahn (Navajo)
Bill McIntyre
Chief Finance Officer
Phil Lane Jr. (Yankton Dakota and Chickasaw)
Stan Lucero (Laguna)
Cecelia Lucero (Acoma Pueblo)
Henrietta Mann, PhD (Southern Cheyenne)
Mona Polacca (Hopi/Havasupai/Tewa)
Antoinelle Benally Thompson (Navajo)
Ruben Hernandez (Rosebud Sioux)
Chief Technology Officer
Kellie Jewett-Fernandez (Cheyenne River Sioux)
Director of Business & Program Development
Dr. Kathy DeerInWater (Cherokee)
Director of Special Projects & Research
Bret R. Benally Thompson, MD (White Earth Ojibwe)
Lisa Paz (Pawnee/Comanche)
Director of Membership & Communications
AISES Board of Directors
Katherine Cristiano
Events Officer
Rick Stephens (Pala Band of Mission Indians)
Board Chair
Dr. Twyla Baker-Demaray(Three Affiliated Tribes)
Vice Chair
Dr. James May (United Keetowah Band)
Treasurer
Paul Kabotie (Hopi/Santa Clara Pueblo)
Secretary
Angelika Silva
Finance Officer & Human Resources Officer
Melanee Stevens
Programs Manager
Emerald Craig (Navajo)
Membership & Communications Manager
Dr. Mark Bellcourt (White Earth Ojibwe)
Elsie Montoya
Finance Assistant
Amber Finley (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Nation and is Spirit Lake
Dakota and Standing Rock Lakota)
Debbie Derryberry
Executive Assistant
Lisa Lone Fight (Mandan, Hidatsa, Sahnish)
Sheila Lopez (Navajo)
AISES Student Representatives
Senior National Student Representative:
Crystal Tulley-Cordova (Navajo),
University of Utah
Region 4:
Ashleigh McIntosh (Cherokee),
University of Oklahoma
Junior National Student Representative:
Kory Joe (Asa’carsarmiut),
Northern Arizona University
Region 5:
Hannah Balderas (Three Affiliated Tribes),
University of North Dakota
Region 1:
Jason Slatts (Chevak Native Village),
University of Alaska-Fairbanks
Region 6:
Ben Oster (Mohawk),
Cornell University
Region 2:
Raquel Kamalu (Native Hawaiian),
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Region 7:
Joi Owle (Eastern Band of Cherokee),
Western Carolina University
Region 3:
Nikki Tulley (Navajo),
University of New Mexico
2016 - AISES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
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AISES National Headquarters
2305 Renard SE, Suite 200
Albuquerque, NM 87106
Telephone: (505) 765-1052
Fax: (505) 765-5608
AISES Colorado Field Office
1225 Ken Pratt Blvd., Suite 206
Longmont, CO 80501
Telephone: (720) 552-6123
Fax: (720) 526-6940