NIEA Committees

Governance

The Governance Committee will support the establishment, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of NIEA’s Strategic Plan and tactical plans by: a) Strengthening the organization by working alongside the Executive Director to establish, implement, monitor, and report NIEA’s governance; b) Overseeing the Board of Directors’ candidate selection, election, and orientation; c) Strengthening the Board of Directors’ capacity to operate knowledgably, proficiently, morally, legally, and appropriately; d) Reviewing and aligning the activities of the Board of Directors and organization with its policies and procedures; e) Periodically reviewing and refining NIEA’s Constitution, Bylaws, policies, and procedures, and when appropriate, provide a process for revisions that include membership; f) Conducting with the President NIEA’s annual Board of Directors’ and Executive Director’s review and provide a general report to the membership; g) Overseeing the Board complaint and resolutions processes; and, h) Conducting other duties as assigned.

Members:
Jason Dropik (Board Co-Chair) , Dr. Lori Quigley, Patricia Whitefoot, Teresa Sarabia, Dr. Jolene Bowman

Dr. Sylvia Hussey – (Member Co-Chair), Sherry Johnson, Rachel Watson, Sam Zimmerman, Sean Parrish, Robin Butterfield, Marita Hinds, Eva Menefee, Derrick W. Leslie, Michael Vendiola

To contact a committee member please email niea@niea.org.

Meetings occur monthly, every third Friday, at 12pm EST

Advocacy

The Advocacy Committee will support the establishment, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of NIEA’s strategic direction and tactical plans by: i. Strengthening the Organization by working alongside the Executive Director to establish, implement, monitor, and report NIEA’s forward direction through its advocacy; ii. Monitoring, reviewing, and providing commentary to National, State, and Local legislation that impacts Native education across the United States; iii. Activating with the Organization legislative and policy work that supports and advocates for the education of NIEA’s constituency – American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians; iv. Overseeing the resolutions process at NIEA’s Convention in-line with the Organization’s policies and procedures; and, v. Conducting other duties as assigned.

Members:
Dr. Connie Locklear (board Co-Chair), Jason Dropik, Dr. Lori Quigley, Ka’ano’i Walk, Alison Black, Dr. Jolene Bowman, Patricia Whitefoot

Sonya Skan – (Member Co-Chair), Teresa Parker, Justine Flynn, Melissa Wassana, EPICS, Rachel Watson, Mark Roseberry, Brooki Beasley, Derrick W. Leslie, Shawna Becenti, Kimberly Daingkau-Begay, Alicia Begolin, Dr. Stanley Harper, Elena Farden, Namaka Rawlins, Sherrick Roanhorse, Tammie Yazzie, Winter Marshall-Allen, Robin Butterfield, Amy Sazue, Ronald H Brower Sr

To contact a committee member please email niea@niea.org.

Meetings occur monthly, every second Wednesday, at 3:30pm EST

Native Control of Native Education

The Education Committee, lead by 1st Vice President Dr. Connie Locklear, will support the establishment, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of NIEA’s Strategic Plan and tactical plans through its three (3) sub-committees:

Native Educator Education Development

1. Strengthening the Organization by working alongside the Executive Director to establish, implement, monitor, and report NIEA’s education strategies; 2. Working with the Organization to increase the accessibility, quality, and quantity of Native approaches to curriculum, instruction, assessment, and classroom practice; 3. Enhancing the accessibility, quality, and quantity of Native approaches to teacher preservice/education, educational leadership, and educator professional development; 4. Increasing viable and sustained ways to ensure the renormalization of Native language education; 5. Conducting other duties as assigned.

Members:

Jason Dropik – (Board Co-Chair), Sedelta Oosahwee, Ka’ano’i Walk, Dr. Pam Carter, Bernice Gover

Keiki Kawai'ae'a – (Member Co-Chair), Denessa Littleaxe, Lenora Carpluk, Carmelita Lamb, Kimberly Daingleau-Begay, Janice George, Sperry Ash, Teresa Parker, Brandon Thoms, Mischa Jackson, Samantha Benn-Duke, Danielle Lansing

To contact a committee member please email niea@niea.org.

Meetings occur monthly, every fourth Wednesday at 3:05pm EST

Native Educational Systems

1. Strengthening the organization by working alongside the Executive to establish, implement, monitor, and report NIEA’s education strategies; 2. Supporting Native charter schools – networks, creation/development, curriculum, teacher/leadership development, etc; 3. Creating and sustaining native accreditation models that validate native education; 4. Building and expanding capacity, quality, accessibility, and quantity of tribal education – early childhood education, higher education; 5. Improving programs, initiatives, policies, and funding that supports Native approaches to educating NIEA’s constituency in public education systems; and, 6. Conducting other duties as assigned.

Website Here

Members:

Tesia Zientek, Alison Black, Patricia Whitefoot, Carrie Whitlow, Bernice Gover

Jonathan Santos-Silva – Member Co-Chair, Angela Davis, Esther Nystorm, Sean Parrish, Dan Jesse

To contact a committee member please email niea@niea.org.

Meetings occur monthly, every third Friday, at 4:00pm EST

Native Research, Assessment, and evaluation

1. Strengthening the organization by working, alongside the Executive Director to establish, implement, monitor, and report NIEA’s education strategies; 2. Advancing research on Native ways, language, methods, well-being, and other areas that impact the education of NIEA’s constituency; 3. Strengthening assessment of Native students, families, and communities beyond deficit models to strength based, indigenous epistemological, Native axiological and ontological, and other Native-grounded approaches; 4. Improving systems of evaluation that ensure equity, sovereignty, and respect for Native education; and, 5. Conducting other duties as assigned.

Members:
Dr. Pam Carter – Board Co-Chair, Jason Dropik, Sedelta Oosahwee, Teresa Sarabia, Carrie Whitlow

Samantha Benn-Duke, Lauren Rowley, Carmelita Lamb, Kamoa'e Walk, Julia Mosconi, Christopher Bordeaux, Molly Wolk, Sean Parrish, Deborah Bordeaux, Valerie Clark, Tiffany Wisdom, Nicole Bowman-Farrel, Dan Jesse, AnnMaria De Mars

To contact a committee member please email niea@niea.org.

Meetings occur monthly, every fourth Thursday, at 1:00pm EST

Fiscal

The Fiscal Committee will support the establishment, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of NIEA’s Strategic Plan and tactical plans by: a) Strengthening the organization’s by working alongside the Executive Director to establish, implement, monitor, and report strategies to increase NIEA’s financial sustainability; b) Overseeing the organization’s financial status, reporting, and accountability; c) Ensuring the financial solvency of the organization; d) Expanding funding sources to support the growth of the organization; e) Providing to NIEA’s membership reports (2 annually) on the organization’s fiscal performance; f) Overseeing the organization’s annual financial audit process; g) Monitoring personnel policies and procedures in respect to the well-being of the organization’s staff; and, h) Conducting other duties as assigned

Members:
Dr. Jolene Bowman – Board Co-Chair, J. Dropik, C. Locklear, P. Whitefoot, J. Bowman, T. Zientek, L. Quigley

Michael Vendiola – (Member Co-Chair), Rachel Watson, Sean Parrish, Alicia Begolin, Sylvia Hussey, Ricky Lind, Darrick Franklin, Robin Butterfield

To contact a committee member please email niea@niea.org.

Meetings occur monthly, every third Wednesday, at 12:00pm EST