Our Leadership
Photo Credit: Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie (Seminole/Muscogee/Dine’)
Board of Directors
Helene Gaddie
Board Chair
Oglala Lakota
Jake Edwards
Board Vice-Chair
Onondaga Eel Clan
Deborah Sanchez
Vice President & Treasurer
Chumash, O’odham and Raramuri
Tāwera Ngaronoa Tahuri
Board Secretary
Ngā Ariki Kaipūtahi, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Uenuku, Tūwharetoa
Chris Peters
President
Puhlik-lah/Karuk
Dr. Luis Macas
Board Member
Saraguro
Henrietta Mann, Ph.D
Board Member
Tsetsehestaestse (Cheyenne)
Brian Monongye
Board Member
Hopi
Edward Wemytewa
Board Member
Shiwi
Advisors
Sandra Creamer
Advisor
Waanyi/Kalkadoon
Naomi Lanoi Leleto
Advisor
Maasai
Emeritus
Oren Lyons
Emeritus Board Member
Onondaga
Our Team
Executive
Tia Oros Peters
Chief Executive Officer
Shiwi
Ryder Perez
Executive Support
Yaqui
Administration & Operations
Eli Bargas
Special Projects
Ohlone/Yoeme/Apache/Cheyenne/Chicano
Teresa McGinnis
Chief of Staff
Yurok
Eileen Ragain
Office Coordinator
Yurok
Program
Rosa Campos
Affiliate Coordinator
Purepecha
Merry Kate Droz
Program Support
Wyandot/Anishinaabe
Louis Gordon
Program Director
Xicano/Purépecha
charles houston
Strategic Relations Coordinator
Karuk-va-araara
Lekishon Kanyinke
Program Assistant
Maasai/Ogiek
Jose Malvido
Senior Program Officer
Xicano/Yoeme/Tohono O’odham
Michael Raigoza
Program and Development Officer
Nomlaki
Mima Salas
Program Associate
Diné/Xicana/Gabrieliño Kizh
Advancement
Samantha Biasca
Philanthropy Associate
Haida, Tlingit, Inuit
Heather Freitas
Advancement Director
Lusitanian descent
Paula O’Rourke-Dickey
Advancement Assistant
Yurok
Fiscal
Kimberly Brown
Fiscal Director
Choctaw
Tyler Chalmers
Fiscal Officer
Choctaw Nation
Rebecca Lewis
Fiscal Assistant
Elizabeth Varelas
Empowered Roots Fiscal Assistant
Mexicana
Hector Sandoval Veliz
Fiscal Manager
Mestizo
