Linnea Jackson, Board Chair

Linnea Jackson is a member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe in Northern California. Ms. Jackson is also descendant of the Karuk, Tolowa, Yurok and Wiyot Tribes. She serves as General Manager for the Hoopa Valley Public Utilities District (HVPUD), which manages the reservation’s domestic and irrigation water, solid waste management, broadband and energy projects. Linnea previously worked at Hoopa Land Management for eight years and was the Realty Specialist. She has worked on a broad range of issues relating to land and the environment. She was responsible for land acquisitions and tribal land assignments, including residential, grazing and agricultural. Additionally, she assisted tribal members with issues pertaining to allotments in coordination with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She also serves on the Hoopa Valley Tribe’s Land Commission, which is assisting with developing the Hoopa Valley Tribe’s General Land Use Plan, Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances.

Russel Zephier, Vice Chair

Russel Zephier is an attorney for the Oglala Sioux Tribe where he has worked for nearly 35 years. He advises all six committees of the Tribe, but has been primarily assigned to the Land and Natural Resources Committee. He has worked on more than 40 fee-to-trust applications, the Tribe’s Land Buy-Back Program as well as grazing codes. Mr. Zephier has served the Tribal government and its committees working with local, state, and county governments on issues such as easements, rights-of-way, and fee-to-trust. Zephier graduated from the University of South Dakota School of Law with a Juris Doctorate. He is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribal Bar and the State Bar of South Dakota.

Lea Zeise, Secretary/Treasurer

Lea Zeise belongs to Oneida Nation. She is a Program Manager for the United South and Eastern Tribes working with Tribes and Tribal farmers from the Northeastern Woodlands to the Gulf of Mexico to nourish Indigenous food systems. Zeise grew up on the Oneida reservation, attended tribal school and worked in various roles on the Oneida Nation’s organic farm, both as a farm worker and on the business side of the operation. She has extensive experience in outreach, involvement and leadership in a variety of community projects and events as well as experience in entrepreneurship and business planning. Zeise is a 2011 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Randall Emm

Randall Emm is a member of the Yerington Paiute Tribe in Western Nevada, and has lived his entire life on the Walker River Paiute Indian Reservation. Emm serves as Coordinator of Native Programs for the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension program. He is also a self-employed farmer and rancher, who has managed and operated a large feeder operation and a custom foraging business, and owns a herd of registered Black Angus Cattle. Emm formerly managed the Tribe’s livestock and farm operations and worked as an economic planner for the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada, as well as serving on numerous boards and commissions in Nevada. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Nevada-Reno.

Electa Hare

Electa Hare is a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and a descendant of the Ihanktonwan Dakota tribal communities. She is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research doctoral scholar in Agriculture and Rural Development at the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative at the University of Arkansas School of Law. She also serves as a technical assistance specialist for the Intertribal Agriculture Council, striving to bridge the gap between U.S. Department of Agriculture programs and services and Indigenous peoples. Hare, who was named to the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development 40 under 40 class of 2018, earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Family Science at Cameron University in Oklahoma and a Master’s of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis.

Philomena Kebec

Philomena Kebec is a member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Wisconsin and works as a policy analyst and attorney at the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. She provides technical assistance to the 11-member Commission board on law and policy for implementation of the Tribes’ off-reservation treaty rights to hunt, gather and fish within the ceded territories. She is a former staff attorney for the Bad River Band and served as an attorney at the Indian Law Resource Center in Washington, D.C. Kebec earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in American Indian Studies from the University of Minnesota, and is a 2008 graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School.

Tobi Jeans Maracle

Tobi Jeans Maracle is from the Matachewan First Nation in Northern Ontario, Canada. She currently resides in Alaska where she is a PhD candidate in Natural Resources and Sustainability at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. Maracle received a Masters of Environment and Sustainability from the University of Saskatchewan, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science & Geography from Memorial University in Newfoundland. She currently serves as a consultant working with tribal organizations to conduct client-specific research and analysis on policy, natural resource development, strategic planning, project management, infrastructure development, and business development. Maracle was formerly an adjunct professor at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in the areas of human relations, tribal management and natural resources planning.

Amanda Montoya

Amanda Montoya is from Taos Pueblo in New Mexico. Since 2018, she has served as Executive Director of the Chamiza Foundation in Santa Fe, a private family foundation dedicated to providing support to New Mexico’s Pueblo Indian Tribes to help ensure the sustainability of Pueblo culture. Montoya is also a consultant for tribes and tribal entities on community planning, mapping and engagement, and formerly served as Community Development Planner for the Taos Pueblo. She holds an Associate’s degree in Geographical Information Technology from the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, a Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management from New Mexico State University, and a Masters in Community and Regional Planning from the University of New Mexico. She earned her PhD in Justice Studies from Arizona State University.

John Sirois

John Sirois is a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation where he serves as the Traditional Territory Advisor asserting the rights and responsibilities on the Tribes’ off-reservation lands and allotments. A former chair of the Colville Business Council, Sirois has extensive experience with such important issues as fee-to-trust, rights-of-way, land management, natural resources, renewable energy, hydroelectric power and cultural preservation. John earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History at Dartmouth College and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from the University of Washington. He has served on numerous boards and commissions throughout his career. He was an integral part of the early development and success of ILTF, serving on the board for eight years (2006 to 2014), including three years as Board Chair. Sirois returned to the ILTF Board in 2022.

Samantha Skenandore

Samantha Skenandore is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation and is serving her 4th term as Chair of the Board of Directors. Samantha is an attorney at the law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP in the Madison, Wisconsin office where she is a member of Indian Law & Policy Team and the Real Estate Practice Group. Samantha is a former Associate Justice of the Ho-Chunk Nation’s Supreme Court.  She began her career in Indian land in the 1990s with the Ho-Chunk Nation’s Department of Heritage Preservation. Since 2005, Skenandore has represented Native nations, entities and tribal organizations in legal practice involving real estate, cultural resources preservation, government affairs, tribal code development, economic development, corporate transactions and litigation. Samantha holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a J.D. from the University of Denver School of Law.

Gabriel Sneezy

Gabriel Sneezy is the former National Director for the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians (OST), Office of Appraisal Services (OAS), from 2003 to 2006, where his responsibilities included providing executive direction for all 12 regional appraisal offices across Indian Country. He worked in partnership with federal agencies, state governments and tribal governments to direct and coordinate programs. He developed, implemented and monitored national program standards and procedures for all BIA appraisal offices. From 1999 to 2002, Sneezy was the National Chief Appraiser for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, DC. Sneezy, who has extensive knowledge of trust resource management, formerly served on The Appraisal Foundation’s government advisory board.

Hans-Dieter Klose

Hans-Dieter Klose is from Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community in Arizona and has a long family history of land planning going back to his grandfather who helped draft some of the original land planning documents for Salt River. Mr. Klose currently owns a consulting business and advises on commercial development matters and leasing on Native American lands. He is a speaker and presenter for Native American Financial Officers Association, Leadership Education and Development program sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania/Wharton. A graduate of Dartmouth College, he has previously served as Director of Salt River’s Community Development Department and has consulted on American Indian trust property issues since 2005.

Randall Emm

Randall Emm is a member of the Yerington Paiute Tribe in Western Nevada, and has lived his entire life on the Walker River Paiute Indian Reservation. Emm serves as Coordinator of Native Programs for the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension program. He is also a self-employed farmer and rancher, who has managed and operated a large feeder operation and a custom foraging business, and owns a herd of registered Black Angus Cattle. Emm formerly managed the Tribe’s livestock and farm operations and worked as an economic planner for the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada, as well as serving on numerous boards and commissions in Nevada. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Nevada-Reno.

John Schweers

John Schweers is a participating adjunct faculty member at University of St. Thomas and an associate professor at University of St. Mary’s. In 2010, Schweers retired as senior consultant at DeMarche Associates, Inc., an investment consulting firm, after 12 years of service. Prior to DeMarche, Schweers was managing director and chief operating officer of a Twin Cities–based regional investment consulting firm. Before entering the consulting profession, Schweers served as treasurer of two multi–national manufacturing companies, The Trane Company and Donaldson Company. He was also assistant treasurer of a $3 billion global manufacturing company, American Standard, Inc., and cash manager and international subsidiary controller of a Fortune 100 company, Texas Instruments, Inc. His responsibilities have included worldwide treasury operations, commercial and investment banking relationships, foreign exchange and pension asset/liability management.

Diana L. Schutter

Diana Schutter recently retired from her role as principal manager and senior investment consultant for Berthel Schutter LLC, a registered investment advisory firm in St. Paul, Minn. that she co-founded in 1996, and later merged with Advanced Capital Group. Diana advised clients on matters of investment fiduciary structure, investment policy and strategy, investment manager due diligence and ongoing portfolio monitoring. Her client relationships included Native tribal governments, foundations, retirement plans and family trusts. From 1984-96 Diana served as Investment Manager, Pension Plan Trustee and Chair of the Investment Committee at West Publishing. From 1974-83 she was an investment manager with the Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fund. Diana is a graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management and is a member of the CFA Institute and Minnesota CFA Society.

D'Arcy Bordeaux

D’Arcy Bordeaux (Sicangu Lakota) joined the Indian Land Tenure Foundation as its Accountant/Human Resources Director in 2003. In his role, Bordeaux provides accounting for all financial activities of the organization, provides human resource support, and oversees the Foundation’s information technology systems. Prior to joining ILTF, Bordeaux was general manager of the Rosebud Casino, where he oversaw day-to-day operations and accounting and designed the casino’s remodeling and expansion.  He was also the finance manager of Tribal Land Enterprise, an organization that acquires and manages land for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and has worked extensively in the banking industry. Bordeaux holds an associate’s degree in accounting from Haskell Indian Nations University.

Gabriela Campos

Gabriela Campos joined ILTF early in 2023 as an Accounting Assistant/Administrative Specialist. She provides assistance with various accounting functions and financial reporting, with the planning of meetings and events, as well as day-to-day general administration for the Foundation. Campos has strong organizational skills and extensive experience in administrative positions in healthcare and the legal profession. Prior to that, she worked in plant operations in the biorefining industry. An outstanding communicator in both English and Spanish, Campos is a native of White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

David Garelick

David Garelick has been working as a lawyer in Indian Country since 1998 and became Corporate Relations Officer with the Indian Land Tenure Foundation in 2013. Before joining ILTF, Garelick served as the regional supervisor for the Upper Great Plains during the claims processing phase of the historic class action lawsuit, Keepseagle v. Vilsack, in which over $42 million was paid out to Native American ranchers and farmers in the region for their claims of discrimination. Prior to Keepseagle, Garelick was an associate attorney at Larry Leventhal & Associates, a firm known for its Indian law practice and civil rights litigation. He has represented tribal governments, business entities, and tribal members in diverse matters on 16 different reservations. Garelick’s corporate experience includes 10 years of managing national sales efforts as director of the home healthcare products division of Garelick Manufacturing. He holds a bachelor of arts in English Literature from Bennington College and a J.D. from the William Mitchell College of Law.

Alexandra Henrich

Alexandra Henrich joined ILTF early in 2020 as a Communications Associate. Using her creative talent and extensive software knowledge, Henrich’s primary focus at the Foundation is on print and digital design, website and social media content, and creative project management. Ali studied at Bemidji State University where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in technology, art and design, with an emphasis in digital and exhibit design and a minor in visual arts. Prior to joining ILTF, Henrich worked in public education with special needs children and coached high school basketball.

Grant McGinnis

Grant McGinnis joined ILTF in 2016 and serves as Communications Officer. He is responsible for communications strategy, creative development, copy writing and project management. McGinnis has worked as a newspaper reporter, broadcaster, marketing consultant and business owner. He has extensive marketing and communications experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, including the fields of education, healthcare, technology and business. Prior to joining ILTF, McGinnis led the communications efforts for a large national nonprofit in Minneapolis. McGinnis studied at the University of North Dakota before graduating Summa Cum Laude from Texas Christian University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science.

Josh Meisel

Josh Meisel (Standing Rock) joined ILTF in 2022 as Project Director for the GIS Program at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, KS. Meisel graduated from Haskell with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science. He is currently a Doctoral candidate in the University of Kansas geography department where he previously received the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Master Thesis of the Year award. His past research includes sea level rise, 3d animations, glacier and ice sheet modelling, historical geography, Indian boarding schools and Indian land mapping.

Nicole Olson

Nicole Olson joined ILTF in 2018 as a Grants Administrator and Administrative Support professional. In this role Nicole provides general office administration and data management to the Foundation, as well as giving administrative support to the President. She works closely with Program team members on grant management activities and helps coordinate meetings of the Board of Directors. Olson has an extensive background in providing administrative support to business owners, executives and staff as well as healthcare clinicians in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors.

Cris Stainbrook

Cris Stainbrook (Oglala Lakota) has been working in philanthropy for 25 years and has been President of Indian Land Tenure Foundation since its inception in 2002. As the Foundation’s president, Stainbrook provides leadership, strategic direction, management, fundraising and policy oversight to the organization with an emphasis on the successful implementation of the Foundation’s mission. Before joining ILTF, Stainbrook spent 13 years at Northwest Area Foundation, where he held several positions. As program officer, he managed grant making programs in sustainable development, natural resource management, economic development and basic human needs. During his final four years with Northwest Area, he served as the community activities lead, overseeing a rapidly growing staff and implementing new programs aimed at developing community-directed plans.

Stainbrook was a founding member of Native Americans in Philanthropy and served on the board of directors for 11 years. He was also a founder and longtime advisory committee member of the Two Feathers Endowment of The Saint Paul Foundation. He currently serves on the board of the Minnesota Community Foundation and The Saint Paul Foundation. In addition, he has served on a number of committees within the Council on Foundations and the Minnesota Council on Foundations. Stainbrook holds a bachelor of science from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree in fisheries science from Oregon State University.

Bryan Van Stippen

Bryan Van Stippen (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin) is Program Director for the National Indian Carbon Coalition and provides education, training and technical assistance to tribes and Indian landowners who are interested in entering the carbon credit market. Van Stippen joined ILTF from the Ho-Chunk Nation where he served as a Tribal Attorney for the Department of Justice before transitioning to the Legislative Office. As a Legislative Attorney, he was responsible for land acquisition and other land issues, including fee-to-trust, leasing, right of ways, and easements. He is a graduate of the University of North Dakota School of Law (J.D.); the University of Tulsa College of Law (LL.M. in American Indian and Indigenous Law); and the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law (S.J.D in Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy).

Susan Waukon

Susan Waukon (Ho-Chunk) joined ILTF in 2022 as Program Manager for the National Indian Carbon Coalition (indiancarbon.org), an ILTF program committed to helping tribal nations and individual Indian landowners develop carbon sequestration and offset projects. A citizen and former elected legislator of the Ho-Chunk Nation, Waukon is a graduate of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a bachelor’s degree in Geology. She has served in tribal liaison and business relationship roles with the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), energy companies, and as economic project development administrator for United South and Eastern Tribes. Waukon lives in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

2021 INTERN

Calico Ducheneaux is a member of the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation and an undergraduate student at Stanford University in California. At ILTF, Calico did extensive research on the Indian Competency Commissions of the 1920s, and how these harmful policies still impact Indian trust lands today. She grew up on a ranch on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota, and plans to attend law school with a goal of working on agricultural law and policy that can benefit Native farmers and ranchers.

PREVIOUS INTERNS

Summer 2016: Talia London, University of Massachussetts-Amherst. Natasha Myhal, University of Kansas.

Summer 2015:  Sophia Gutterman, University of Minnesota. Josh Isaacson, University of Minnesota.

Summer 2014:  Aileen Clarke, Macalester College. Christine Myers, Fort Lewis College. Gabriel Siert, Augsburg University. Ella Phillips, William Mitchell College of Law.

Summer 2013:  Maija Glasier-Lawson Maija California State University-Chico. Christine McCleave, Augsburg University. Agata Miszczyk Agata, University of Minnesota.

Summer 2012: John Marian, Montana State University. Charlie Thayer, Hamline University.

Fall 2011: Cecilia Knapp, William Mitchell College of Law.

Spring/Summer 2011: Jean Lam, Stanford University. Angela Richards, University of Minnesota-Morris. Julius Snell, Syracuse University.

Summer 2010: Gwendolyn Gillson, Gustavus Adolphus College.

Summer 2009: Melissa Lorentz. Minnesota State University-Mankato.

Summer 2008: Avery Armstrong, Cornell University. Broderick Dressen Carleton College. Adam Flood, Hamline University School of Law.

Summer 2007: John Reynolds, University of Minnesota. Laurie Smith Small-Waisted Bear.

Summer 2006: Melissa Buffalo, University of Minnesota. Lavette Holman, Heritage University. Leah (Lussier) Sixkiller, Harvard University. John Reynolds, University of Minnesota.

Summer 2005: Christina (Tina) Deschampe, Hamline University School of Law. John Reynolds, University of Minnesota.

INDIAN LANDS IN INDIAN HANDS