team

Brent (he/him) was an exceptional wildlife biologist and landscape ecologist with a laugh that could make a stone statue smile. Brent produced landmark work applying GIS & spatial analytics to conservation science, and he continued to do so through his very last days in this realm. Brent was beautifully devoted to Buffalo, working lands, and the people that cared for them. He was humble, thoughtful, and wildly funny, and he tended to his collection of carnivorous plants with a passion that awed our entire team. We are committed to carrying forward the many gifts that Brent gave to our movement, and we dedicate our work this year to him. Brent, we love and miss you more than words can express.

Blackfeet Nation

Ervin (he/him) is the Co-Founder and a Strategic Advisor to INDIGENOUS LED. Ervin currently serves as the Director of the Blackfeet Nation’s Buffalo Program and President of the InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC). The Blackfeet herd is managed to a conservation and cultural vision. Ervin has worked for decades to bring into reality a vision of bison ranging freely once again across Blackfoot Traditional Territory. ITBC was formed in 1990 to coordinate and assist tribes in returning buffalo to Indian country and has grown to represent 79 Tribal Nations. Ervin holds intimate knowledge of bison restoration from an Indigenous perspective, is an active cattle rancher, and has previously served on the Blackfeet Tribal Council.

Chiricahua Apache, Xicana, German

Stephanie (she/her) is the Conservation Science Lead and Ecologist for INDIGENOUS LED. She has worked in the fields of botany, forestry, fisheries, wildlife, and environmental education. She graduated with a Masters of Environmental Science degree and Natural Resource Conflict Resolution certificate from the University of Montana. Stephanie's research foci include: traditional ecological knowledge, human-carnivore conflict prevention, community-based conservation, and decolonial curricula development. Engaging communities in shifting perspectives of keystone relatives is what she is most passionate about. In the photo above, Stephanie stands within the deserts of the Ute and Southern Paiute people.

Blackfoot

Sara (she/her) is the Youth Programs Coordinator for INDIGENOUS LED. Sara’s professional experience has provided her the opportunity to work with youth across the Blackfoot Confederacy for the past 5+ years in overseeing youth employment programs in various public sector service environments. Sara's educational background lies within Agricultural and Marketing Studies. Sara’s Blackfoot cultural principles and morals have also been a significant influence to the driving force of her work. For INDIGENOUS LED Sara will design, implement, and coordinate youth programs with Team Iinnii for indigenous youth to advance ecological and cultural literacy, to connect with the more than human world, and inspire and empower youth voices and action.

Pame Chichimeca

Marleen (she/her) supports INDIGENOUS LED as a Narrative Strategy Consultant for Buffalo restoration. Marleen is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Social Justice Education Department at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, and a former Elementary school teacher. By bringing together Indigenous Studies, Environmental Education, and Social Justice Education, her work adds to discussions around water protection with a specific focus on the waters of Central Texas, Yana Wana. She has worked in various roles at cultural and social justice organizations including the Center for Story-Based Strategy and the Indigenous Cultures Institute.

Kelsey (she/her) most recently served as the Program Manager for WCS Rockies, holding core responsibilities for supporting the work through her administrative, operational, and logistical skills. Kelsey also regularly contributes to event planning and gatherings. In her new role with Indigenous Led, she will provide core programmatic and administrative support for Team Iinnii. Kelsey has a depth of experience working in the Rocky Mountains and has focused much of her energy and talents over the course of the last decade to the protection and promotion of bio-cultural diversity in the Rockies through social science and land-based projects.

Blackfeet

Ethan Running Crane, Misamii'kimaan, or Long Time Feather, (he/him) is a Buffalo Herd Technician/Ranch Hand for the Blackfeet Nation's Buffalo Program and a Youth Advocate. With INDIGENOUS LED, he is involved in strategic planning and advocacy to help Iinnii (Buffalo). Ethan is actively involved with learning Nipaitipiiyissin (Blackfoot ceremonial way of life) through connection with elders, participation in holy societies, ceremonies, and song. Ethan has come to know the significance of Inni'wa (Buffalo) to Nitsitapii (Blackfoot/Real People) and uses this knowledge in his daily work, where he is fortunate to be near and learning from these sacred animals daily.

Gavin Noyes (he/him) is the Arts, Advocacy, and Healing Program Coordinator with INDIGENOUS LED. Gavin has been celebrating lands, water, and wildlife on U.S. public lands while running nonprofits and programs at Save Our Canyons, Round River Conservation Studies, Utah Diné Bikéyah, and the Conservation Lands Foundation since 1999. With INDIGENOUS LED, Gavin supports community organizers who weave arts, local foods, language, culture, and spiritual practices into campaign strategies to strengthen community relationships and the engagement of all beings across Native American ancestral lands. Gavin was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, lands of Ute, Goshute, Paiute, and Shoshone People. He holds degrees in natural resources, Japanese language and culture, and public policy.

Métis/Sardo

Cristina (she/her) is the Co-Founder of INDIGENOUS LED and currently serves as its Director, with responsibility for strategic leadership & creative direction. She has 30 years of applied experience from the Arctic to the Antarctic leading campaigns & designing biocultural conservation strategies for non-profits, foundations & individual donors. She also serves as the Founder & Principle of the TERRAMAR collective, which provides strategic advice to foundations and non-profits interested in Indigenous-led conservation and the protection of biocultural diversity. She is vaguely obsessed with restoring Buffalo and her dog, Oberon.

Jake (he/him) is a second-generation Indian American. He recently completed his Master’s in International Conservation and Development at the University of Montana. Jake’s professional background in community-based conservation, protected area management, wildlife biology, and eco-tourism have centered his interests on decolonizing conservation – the restoration of lands and governance to colonized peoples. Jake supports INDIGENOUS LED by strengthening relationships between Team Iinnii and Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park to advance the goal of transboundary buffalo rematriation.

Blackfoot/Aaniiih/Dakota

Lailani (she/her) is an adventurer, filmmaker, photojournalist, writer, and teacher. Lailani works to capture stories that inspire people of all walks of life to consider their relationship with the natural world from an indigenous lens, while advocating to preserve traditional indigenous practices. She’s worked as journalist for over 20 years and has taught indigenous story-based video, writing, and podcast, courses at tribal colleges. Lailani is the founder of Iron Shield Creative, a consultancy fostering Indigenous storytelling in all aspects of work, including guided cultural hikes. Lailani adds to the INDIGENOUS LED team to produce a podcasts and blogs that spread in-depth understanding of our work.

Chantal (she/her) works at the synapses between storytelling, policy, and law. With INDIGENOUS LED, she contributes to strategy, research, writing, and design. Chantal draws on her educational background in Philosophy and Environmental Studies to inform her work, as well as her years of professional experience in digital storytelling and creative production.