Indigenous Visionaries

Bay Mills Community College

About Trinity

My name is Trinity Moran, or Waabshka Waagosh Ikwe (White Fox Woman). I am Wolf clan from Bay Mills Indian Community in Bay Mills, Michigan. I am a community-made Bay Mills tribal member. My current role at Bay Mills Community College is IT systems coordinator, where I help students and staff use technology to better support Indigenous education.

My current goals and aspirations are to continue working in this role, but also to finish my education and explore how I can further help my community. I am in my third year of the computer information systems program at BMCC. I am a new mother, jingle dress dancer, and I have three cats.

Fort Peck Community College

About Savanah

My name is Savanah Smith (she/they). I am of Anishinaabe, Metis, Nakoda, Irish, Swedish, and German descent, and have lived all my life at Fort Peck. As a mother of three, currently working towards my undergrad in communicative science disorders at the University of Montana, I am also working to reestablish cultural practices for myself and my children following the multigenerational boarding school colonization of my family. I currently work as a STEM student retention specialist at Fort Peck Community College where I also graduated with an associate in Native American studies. I have an intrinsic love of food that has given me the ability to not just feed those I love, but really nourish them as an act of love and kinship. The practice of preparing, sharing, and appreciating a meal with others keeps me grounded and connected to my ancestors while recognizing food as their act of survival and resistance, which has allowed me to be here today. It is through my reconnection with culture and spirituality that helping the community, especially women, members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and those with disabilities, to recognize their own ancestral and intrinsic abilities has really become important to me.

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University

About Kathleen

Aaniin Kathy Baker indizhinikaaz zhaaganaashi mowin. Animibatoo-ikwe indizhinikaaz Anishinaabe mowin. Makwa inddodem. Odaawaa zaaga’iganing indoonji-baa. Jiingwan endaayaan. Kathy Baker is my name in soldier’s talk. Animibatoo-ikwe (running away fast woman) is my name in the original people’s talk. Bear is my clan. LCO is where I am from. Meteor is where I live. I am an alumnus of the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University (LCOOU). I currently hold an associate degree in business with an accounting emphasis, a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in business. I am married to a husband who is now in heaven. I have three adult children, nine grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. I enjoy learning about my culture, scrapbooking, baking, making ribbon skirts, and being with my grandchildren. I grew up in the “white world”. I was not introduced into my culture until I started attending LCOOU. I have been there for all of these momentous occasions as a student, and now as faculty. I was in the first master’s degree program class to graduate from LCOOU.

I want to continue to make a difference in the lives of my students as well as those that are not in my courses but attend the University. I believe in our people and all we can accomplish if we get out of our own heads. What I mean by this is we are often our own worst enemies. We are capable. We are worthy. We are important. We are Indigenous Women.

It hasn’t been easy being brought up in the “white world” and then trying to fit into the Indigenous community. Many times, I feel as if I don’t fit anywhere. I don’t fit in the white world anymore, and I don’t fit in the Native world. I look more like my white side with my curly/wavy hair (not from braids), light-colored skin, and blue eyes. What I am learning is that my Native side is more accepting of me than my white counterparts. I am learning what it is to be Indigenous. I love my heritage. That has not always been the case.

I have learned many of our ways. When my husband passed away, I was taught by spiritual leaders in the community how to deal with my grief. I still grieve today and I know that I always will, but I know that I have a community of those that put down asemaa (tobacco) and say prayers for me. They have guided me on this “red road”. I am truly honored to be an Indigenous woman who can give back to her people. I am also honored to be part of this fellowship to learn from truly exceptional Indigenous women of impressive calibers.

Little Big Horn College

About Dorcella

My name is Dorcella Lizabeth Three Irons-Eastman. My first Indigenous Name was Joyous One, however later in my life it was changed to Prays Amongst a Crowd. Baalaahon Chiwaakiikuush was given to me by my paternal uncle (clan father), and it is based on the fact that he was asked to give a prayer in front of the National Baptist Convention in front of 6000+ people. He said he felt vigorous and strong when he prayed. I was born in Crow Agency Montana and enrolled at birth into the Crow Tribe of Indians. From birth I participated in all aspects of the tribe. I graduated from high school and went directly into college receiving my undergraduate degree before starting my adulthood. I grew up with a developmentally delayed little brother in the home although all authorities and doctors wanted my parents to submit him to an institution; my parents and brother and I agreed we would work together to raise him in our culture. We lost him due to Covid, but his memory keeps us sane.

In completion of my undergraduate degree, I worked in the government entity for a couple of years. My sociology/anthropology degree meant many things to me and to the community that I lived in. One day the GED coordinator at Little Big Horn College (LBHC) asked me to work with a couple students because they were having it rough. Once meeting with the students, I worked on basic math skills with them. I determined that not only did the students need help with life skills to do their college work, but they needed compassion to complete their math. I remember walking out of that tutorial session proud that I could help someone emotionally to complete math, and a story was born. I started teaching a few more development math classes that fall including pre-algebra and intermediate algebra. I went on to teach a few more semesters and was approached by my Tribal Head Start program to work on a variety of things. I returned to LBHC after 15 years in tribal government to continue the story once again.

My motivation for teaching at the higher education level is the students. I see in them not only someone who completed a course or who completed a program of study, I see me in them. I am an only daughter who struggled in a room full of boys for attention, motivation, and acceptance. I have learned to teach mathematics in a way that makes students comfortable to learn. As an instructor I do not only teach mathematics, but I teach life skills, understanding of who we are, and I teach compassion. To be an instructor at any institution you need to be human to the students. I love to make mistakes, especially while I am teaching because it shows my students that it’s okay to make a mistake, and when I correct myself, I am showing them that no matter how much you have fallen it’s ok to get back up. In becoming the President of the faculty council, I learned patience and becoming a better person. This role has taught me how to focus on things.

My compassion for teaching came because I was the only girl in a family of boys and I had to teach my brothers to love and to understand me and also each other. We had to build a relationship with each other and with our parents. Day in and day out we ran cattle, we rode horses, and we learned life skills together. I believe that without an understanding of a person, you cannot learn mathematics. I work with my students to learn who they are and what their goals are. We also discuss their barriers, their motivators, and their inspiration. To receive my Master of Arts in Teaching Middle School Mathematics was an honor for those of us who struggled with ourselves to understand mathematics because before we can learn, teach, or understand, we must first learn who we are.

My ultimate goal in life is to comprise a Crow tribal mathematics curriculum that would help all people of all ages. I currently do have a few projects that my students work on during the semester, but this curriculum would help so much in getting students involved.
A few fun facts besides my family dynamic are that I love to hang out with my grandkids. The love they have is so amazing and when I do something for them, this Kaala (Crow word for grandma) is amazing and feels good. I love Pepsi and yes, I drink it for breakfast, though of course not every day. I love to read books and magazines and watch NCIS and Criminal Minds. Covid knocked me down, but I still do all that I can to live my life to the fullest; no use of an oxygen tank can take that away from me.

Nebraska Indian Community College

About Taria

My name is Taria Wolfe, My Umonhon Name is Gi’xpe’tha’xa and I’m from the Thatada Clan of the Omaha (Umonhon) Tribe of Nebraska. I am a mother of three, two daughters and a son. I enjoy coaching/watching my children play sports, traveling, and making memories with them.

My education includes a Bachelor of Science from Creighton University and a Master of Public Administration from Bellevue University. I worked in various positions within the Indian Health Service for 15 years, then switched gears and changed fields to education. In November 2022, I started as a full-time business faculty at Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC) in Macy, Nebraska. I am currently transitioning into the Business Division Head position.

A few personal achievements since joining NICC are that I completed the coursework to obtain my Nebraska Post-Secondary Teaching Certificate, and that I did not anticipate being promoted to Business Division Head so soon. However, I proudly stepped into it and intend to build up our program. I cannot wait to see our first graduating class of the bachelor’s degree program in business administration and tribal nation building.

My goals and aspirations include pursuing a doctorate. I have always aspired to be in a top executive position. Since changing fields, I went from wanting to become a CEO, to tribal college dean or president. But for right now, I enjoy teaching and interacting with students. It was nice networking with other like-minded Native women, receiving encouragement and support in an underrepresented line of work.

Northwest Indian College

About Sandra

My name is Sandra James, and I am a member of the Lummi Tribe and have a home community of the Makah Nation. I have strong connections to the land of seas of my homelands. Neah bay, Washington is where my intimate connection to the land and seas began. This connection was formed through vast knowledge holders that taught me to gather for the land and seas, knowledge that has been passed down since time immemorial. After receiving my high school diploma from Neah Bay High School and some detours along the way, I made it to Northwest Indian College (NWIC). I graduated with my Associate of Applied Science in 2014 and Bachelor of Science in Native Environmental Science in 2023. After graduating, I was honored to accept a position at NWIC as the Native environmental science advisor. My goals are to continue to support our NWIC students, providing a space to bring their full selves forward. I have recently been accepted to Johns Hopkins University to earn a Master of Science in Environmental Science and Policy. My educational goal is to obtain a doctoral degree in a similar field of study to use my education to serve my community.

My personal and professional goals and aspirations are intertwined with each other. My parents raised us off traditional meat proteins from the land and seas and I continue this practice by providing strictly traditional meat proteins for my family. I continually teach and immerse my children in the land in hopes that they will form an intimate connection. I want to use my education to look at the interconnectedness of culture and solving environmental problems through an Indigenous lens. I want to advocate for my people in protecting our cultural and food sovereign rights by expanding my understanding of environmental issues within the realm of decision making and policy. I wish to serve my community by being a bridge between environmental science, policy, and implementation to facilitate the protection of change necessary to uphold tribal sovereign rights.

I enjoy keeping busy by living for the seasons. I enjoy learning new skills and challenging myself. I have dived back into cedar bark weaving and in the past year I weaved my own graduation cap and a Fedora hat made of cedar bark. Now that I am finished harvesting cedar bark for the upcoming year, I am ready to start canning the beautiful fruit, vegetables, and proteins that this season has to offer. I recently received a sewing machine as a gift, and I am excited to learn a new skill.

Salish Kootenai College

About Stacie

Hello! My name is Stacie Pretty On Top and I am an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation located in Washington state. My family comes from the Wenatchi, Okanogan, and Lakes Bands. I am a descendant of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribe and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.

I currently serve as the IT services operations manager at Salish Kootenai College (SKC), a tribal college situated on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Pablo, Montana.

After high school, I spent a year at Tacoma Community College, then returned home to begin my IT career as a computer coordinator for the Colville Tribe and Nespelem School District. Seven years later I moved my family from the Colville Reservation in Nespelem, Washington to Pablo, Montana. to return to school at SKC. During college, I was an IT Services Department intern until I graduated with an information technology bachelor’s degree in 2008. After graduation, I was offered a permanent position and have been with the IT Department ever since.
During my employment at SKC, I have served as IT department assistant director, systems administrator, and database management instructor, before assuming my current position as the operations manager in 2020.

A memorable professional achievement was being selected as one of the seven recipients of the 2023 Community Exchange Internet2 Inclusivity (I2I) Scholarships and attending the conference in Atlanta, Georgia where I gained new knowledge, support, resources, and a lasting friendship with the other scholarship recipients and mentors.
Academically I have always been proud of maintaining a 3.7 GPA while going to college, working, and raising a large family.

In my free time, I enjoy watching my kids and grandkids dance at powwows and play sports, bowling on a team with my husband, beading, and binge-watching way too many TV shows.

Turtle Mountain Community College

About Adriana

Yá’át’ééh. My name is Adriana Riggs. I am Diné from Birdsprings, Arizona, Navajo Nation. I received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona (UA). I am connected with the TCU network through working at Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC). For most of the past seven years, I have worked with federal grants that provide opportunities for high school Native youth to gain the knowledge and skills to improve their educational achievement and increase their readiness to pursue college. Currently, I am a program director for the Turtle Mountain (TM) Accessing Choices in Education (ACE) Program. The grant provides services that meet students’ individual needs, goals, and readiness to pursue college and career development.

As a first-generation college graduate, I can attest to the opportunities a college degree has provided me and my family. My professional aspiration is to earn a master’s degree, which will increase my knowledge and expertise as an educator. My biggest achievement has been attending college and receiving a bachelor’s degree. This is why I am passionate about guiding and empowering students as they decide about college and career pathways.

Outside of work, I enjoy running, camping, hiking, and gardening during the summer, and sewing and snowshoeing in the winter.

United Tribes Technical College

About Melarie

My name is Melarie Pretty Paint-Conway (Eagle Woman), I am an enrolled member of the Crow Tribe of Montana. I have been in health care since 2012, am currently the student health coordinator at United Tribes Technical College (UTTC), and I received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2022. I have worked in hospital, emergency, and clinic settings prior to coming to UTTC. My goal is to help people – I want to be a great nurse and make sure that people know their health is important and that getting appropriate care is something that can be done. I want to break that barrier of not trusting health care workers. A familiar face is important to build comfort and trust. My goals and aspirations have been to become a nurse and help in my community to better the community and myself. I want to take everything I learn from every role and help my community to be better. I hope to someday go back to school and get my master’s degree in nursing.

My education includes going to school on the reservation from head start to high school, then graduating from Lodge Grass High School in 2004. I attended Little Big Horn College (LBHC) in Crow Agency, Montana after high school. I took a little break and worked full time and finally returned to school at LBHC to receive my associate in pre-med in 2011. I then attended UTTC in 2015 and graduated in May 2017 with my Associates of Science in Practical Nursing. In the Spring of 2020, I returned to school to complete my Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Presentation College and graduated in 2022. Academic achievements, for me completing my Bachelor of Science in Nursing while pregnant with fourth child, working full time and online, is an achievement in itself. While working at UTTC, I was here less than a year and was asked to be interim health and wellness director by the VP of the college, because she felt I had the skills to take this role on while still doing my current role. I feel that was a professional accomplishment for me, that the VP felt I was the right person for this role until filled. A fun fact about me is that I can understand my Crow language, but I can’t speak it.