Meet Our Staff
Diana Cournoyer
Oglala Sioux Tribe
Executive Director
Direct Number: (202) 847-0033
E-mail: dcournoyer@niea.org
Through her passion and enthusiasm for supporting Native students, Diana has been a key driver in expanding NIEA's work beyond the halls of the U.S. Capitol to communities across Indian Country. She has helped shaped broader teacher hiring initiatives, created more opportunities for visits to tribal communities, acquired millions in grant funding for NIEA, testified before the US Congress in support of Native education, and inspired professional trust and collaboration among staff, colleagues, organizations and Native nations across the country. Her work has ensured that Native students have the best possible outcomes and educators have the best possible resources to support their efforts. Cournoyer directs the staff in carrying out the organization's Strategic Plan which includes: Advocacy; Building Tribal Education Capacity; Culture Based Education; Skilled Teachers and Leaders; Establishing Educational Standards, Assessments, and Accountability; and Post-Secondary Success.
Rusty Creed Brown
Lenape (Delaware Tribe of Indians)
Deputy director
Direct Number: (202) 847-0035
E-mail: rbrown@niea.org
Rusty serves NIEA as its Deputy Director. He has also worked as NIEA’s Field Operations Associate and its Compliance Manager. As Deputy Director, Rusty oversees all NIEA’s administrative and operational functions. As Field Operations Associate, Rusty worked with communities on the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and ESSA’s tribal consultation requirements. As NIEA’s federal grant awards increased, Rusty became NIEA’s Compliance Manager. As Compliance Manager, he worked on updating all NIEA’s internal policies and procedures including its fiscal policy manual, procurement policies, and created NIEA’s grant lifecycle policy and procedure.
Rusty has spent his career working with tribal governments and in Native communities. After graduating from the University of Tulsa with a JD and MS, he worked for the Osage Nation as its Natural Resources Manager and developed the Osage Nation’s policies and statutes for its Child Support Services. Rusty served the Sac and Fox Nation as its Policy Analyst writing white papers and providing policy analysis to the Sac and Fox Business Committee. He also served as the Sac and Fox Nation’s Tribal Administrator. Rusty spent eight years working with Alaska Native communities on a variety of issues including education, subsistence hunting, and oil and gas leasing and regulations.
Rusty is active in his tribal community – the Delaware Tribe of Indians. He participates in cultural activities, he attends tribal meetings, and most recently he assisted in developing the Delaware food pantry. The Delaware food pantry opened in July of 2022 and serves the local community. He hopes to continue assisting the growth of the food pantry by starting a tribal garden and bee farm.
Ellie Duff
operations manager
Direct Phone Number: 202-892-6935
Email: EDuff@niea.org
Ellie embarked on her professional journey after earning a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Virginia Commonwealth University. Initially taking on temporary roles at various non-profit organizations, she eventually found her home at NIEA. Serving as the Operations Manager, Ellie plays a crucial role in supporting all administrative and operational functions. Currently based in Washington, D.C., Ellie finds joy in reading and attending live theatre performances.
Terance Fields
Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma
Interior and Tribal Policy Associate
Terance is a proud member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. Terance grew up in the small town of Pawnee, Oklahoma where he graduated high school in 2014 and then continued his academy journey at the University of Central Oklahoma where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Minor in Pre-Law. Terance recently graduated from Oklahoma State University with a master’s in Global Studies with an emphasis in Public Diplomacy. During his studies Terance interned with the Dean of the House Congressman Don Young (R-AK), the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (CA-12), AT&T’s External and Legislative Affairs Team, and the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Terance recently finished up a Tribal Food Sovereignty Fellowship with the National Congress of American Indians.
Upon relocating to Washington D.C. Terance will be the voice on the ground for the National Indian Education Association. Terance will attend hearings and meetings on Capitol Hill and brief his colleagues on the bills and legislation being passed at the federal level.
Melanie Johnson
Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma
Director, Whole Child Initiative
Direct Number: (202) 878-6284
E-mail: mjohnson@niea.org
Melanie Johnson is Director of the Whole Child Initiative, a new department within the National Indian Education Association, that will focus on social, health, behavioral and environmental areas for native students. Melanie first joined NIEA as the Program Director in 2019, bringing her passion to create a framework that supports collaboration, engagement, creativity, and innovation promoting empowerment, resiliency, and educational sovereignty.
In addition, Melanie has been a strong advocate and an active participant, working to reduce the effects of underage drinking, non-medical use of prescription drugs, and suicide in American Indian communities for almost a decade. Melanie serves as a mentor for AI/AN Behavioral Health Professionals National American Indian & Alaska Native TTCs, sits on the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s Indigenous Peoples Advisory Council and is a member of the Opioid Response Network Indigenous Communities Workgroup.
Melanie holds a M.Ed. from the University of Oklahoma and is a substance abuse Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS).
SHanise ka’aikala
native hawaiian
legislative Analyst
Direct Number: (202) 847-0041
E-mail: skaaikala@niea.org
As the Legislative Analyst, Shanise supports NIEA's legislative team by providing research, policy analysis, and promotion of Native Education initiatives at the federal level. Shanise brings three years of Capitol Hill experience on both the U.S Senate and House of Representatives where she handled energy, water, and issues impacting Native Hawaiians, Alaska Natives, and Native Americans. Shanise earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Hawai'i in Hilo, Hawai’i.
Daphne Littlebear, MPA
TAMAYA PUEBLO, MVSKOKE, YUCHI AND SHAWNEE
Research and Evaluation Manager
Direct Number: (202) 892-6931
E-mail: dlittlebear@niea.org
As the Research and Evaluation Manager, Daphne will be leading the expansion of NIEA’s research and evaluation programming. In collaboration with NIEA’s leadership, Board of Directors and stakeholders, Daphne will focus on the development of NIEA’s education resource center, which will offer research-based education resources for educators, community members and students. Daphne has worked in Native education for over thirteen years with tribal education departments, school districts, state government and non-profit organizations. Most recently, Daphne served as the Deputy Director of Research with the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and an Education Administrator with the NM Public Education Department. Daphne holds a BA and MPA from the University of New Mexico. Daphne is currently completing her doctoral degree at Arizona State University studying social justice education, education policy and Indigenous education. She is an advocate for Indigenous educational sovereignty and aspires to practice reciprocity to the lands, waters and future generations.
Dezi Lynn
Diné Nation
Educator Initiative Manager
Direct Number: (202) 544-7290
E-Mail: DLynn@niea.org
Dezi Lynn is originally from Coppermine, Arizona and a member of the Diné Nation. Dezi started teaching Special Education in an elementary school in her hometown of Page, Arizona after graduating with her B.A. in Spanish/English Literature. This teaching position in a district serving a large population of Diné students motivated Dezi to obtain a Master of Education in Mild/Moderate Special Education focusing on Indigenous Epistemologies. After teaching in Arizona and Alaska, Dezi relocated to Utah and began teaching as an adjunct instructor at Utah Valley University in the English and History departments. She also obtained experience as a Project Manager with statewide educational technology implementations in Idaho and Utah. She is currently working on a doctoral degree at Fielding Graduate University focusing on reconciling the social injustices of the education system and empowering indigenous educators.
Dezi joins NIEA to support the Educator Initiative. In this role she will help lead our efforts to develop innovative strategies to recruit, train, and retain teachers to empower Native students. Dezi believes in the importance of having our epistemologies recognized and implemented for our children by the teachers that serve them. We also need those same epistemologies respected by the institutions that train and license these educators. Her work will encourage this in districts and institutions. She currently resides in Utah with her five children.
Nakina Mills
Oglala Sioux Tribe
Tribal Education Specialist
Direct Number: (202) 892 6935
E-Mail: NMills@niea.org
Nakina Mills is a proud tribal member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe from Pine Ridge, S.D. Her Lakota name is Tate’ Cik’ala Win, which means Little Wind Woman. In her professional career, Nakina has worked in state/tribal child welfare, secondary/post-secondary education, as an elected official for the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and as a patient advocate. She has always been an advocate that supports adequate resources to strengthen the future leaders in our communities no matter the adversities or challenges they have faced, ensuring that the next generations are equipped with tools to face hardships from the past while looking to make an impactful change for the future. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree from Creighton University and her Master’s Degree in Lakota Leadership & Management from Oglala Lakota College.
Nakina will work closely with the Program and Legislative team to implement culturally and developmentally appropriate standards in partnership with tribes. She will support the activities leading to college, career, and community-ready students at the tribe, national, and federal levels. She will assist with planning tribal education standards as promising practices to support the unique needs of native students. Nakina will collaborate and partner to help with resources to expand tribal education capacities within tribal communities. She will create professional development supports and maintain effective relationships with all those supporting tribal education in native communities.
WAQUIN PRESTON
Diné (Navajo Nation)
Tribal State Policy Manager
Direct Number: (202) 847-0034
E-mail: wpreston@niea.org
As the Tribal State Policy Associate, Waquin provides support to Tribes and local Native student advocates as they collaborate with states on education policy. Waquin supports the NIEA legislative team by highlighting priority education issues for Tribes and local Native communities and providing policy analysis and research. Through his career Waquin has worked with Tribal Leaders, Native communities, and Federal and State officials on a variety of issues that impact Tribes. Most recently Waquin served as the Manager for the National Tribal Water and Wastewater Operator Training and Certification Program and advocated for policy issues on behalf of Tribes in Arizona at the national level. Previously Waquin worked as the Program Coordinator for the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. where he coordinated advocacy activities with the Arizona Indian Education Association and Tribal Education Directors. Waquin resides in Phoenix, Arizona, and travels home to the Navajo Nation often. Waquin holds a BS & MS in American Indian Studies from Arizona State University.
Raquel Ramos
Comanche Nation
Prevention Specialist for the Whole Child Initiative
Direct Number: (202) 847-0040
E-mail: rramos@niea.org
Mrs. Raquel Ramos, a member of the Comanche Nation as well as the great-great-granddaughter of Quanah Parker, last chief of the Comanche’s, is the Prevention Specialist for the Whole Child Initiative, a new department within the National Indian Education Association.
Mrs. Ramos has worked with tribal communities and native youth in the field of Prevention for almost a decade. She co-founded the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) Indigenous People’s Advisory Council (IPAC) and sits on the Steering Committee.
Through Raquel’s prevention work in native communities, she received the 2019 “Preventionist of the Year” award at the Heartland Alcohol Substance Abuse conference, the 2017 “National Exemplary Award for Innovative Substance Abuse Prevention Programs, Practices, and Policies” in partnership with the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board, and the 2015 Oklahoma Drug and Alcohol Professional Counselors Association (ODAPCA) “Prevention Program of the Year Award.”
It is through innovative programs that focus on “Culture as Prevention” that Mrs. Ramos hopes to continue positively impacting the negative effects of substance use that often plagues Native communities while also working towards bridging the gap between education and prevention.
Donna Richey
Kiowa from Anadarko, Oklahoma
Tribal Communities In Schools Manager
Direct Number: (202) 847-0037
E-Mail: DRichey@niea.org
Donna serves as the Tribal Communities In Schools (TCIS) Manager for NIEA. This initiative supports culturally relevant tribal capacity building to surround Native students with integrated supports to positively impact their success in school and life. TCIS is a licensed partnership with Communities In Schools. Donna holds a Master’s of Education from Oklahoma City University and brings over 27 years of education experience to her role at NIEA. She previously worked as a Site Coordinator and Tribal Services Director for Communities In Schools of Mid-America supporting NIEA’s Native Youth Community Project (NYCP) pilot program in Anadarko. Donna is passionate about holistic education for Native students, meeting physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional needs and skills. To maintain her own good medicine, she enjoys running, gardening, and yoga in our Earth gym and spending time with her family in the mountains or on a beach. Donna is married to Scott and they have three daughters, Lauren, Abbie, & Dori.
Julia Wakeford
Muscogee/ Yuchi
Policy Director
Direct Number: (202) 597-5637
E-mail: JWakeford@niea.org
Most recently, Ms. Wakeford served as the Policy Lead for Cultural and Social Resources at the National Congress of American Indians. She has worked on issues including cultural and religious rights, language preservation, healthcare, education, Indian child and family welfare, agriculture, workforce development, and other social and economic related issues. She has focused her time on support for culturally relevant and grounded policy perspectives for Native families, children, and communities.
In her previous positions, Ms. Wakeford has served as technical advisor to the NIH Tribal Advisory Committee, the Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee, and to Interior’s Tribal Budget Advisory Committee, Education Subcommittee. During the Pandemic, Ms. Wakeford worked to achieve an unprecedented amount of funding for Urban Health Clinics during the early months of COVID-19.
Growing up, Julia was raised in her Muscogee and Yuchi communities as a member of the Duck Creek Ceremonial Ground and Montesoma Indian Baptist Church. Ms. Wakeford holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. Julia now lives in Washington, D.C.
Jennifer Wilson
Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians
Membership & Communications Coordinator
Direct Phone: 202-847-0036
Email: JWilson@niea.org
Jennifer Wilson is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, and resides in Reston, VA, with her fiancé and two children. Armed with a BA in History and a minor in Cherokee Studies, she takes pride in serving as the Membership & Communications Coordinator for the National Indian Education Association.
Jennifer is a resourceful professional with a background in coordinating creative projects across museums, educational institutions, and client-focused settings. With a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Cherokee Studies, she brings a deep understanding of cultural dynamics.
In roles such as Community Program Coordinator and Executive Assistant at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Jennifer has demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, event coordination, and membership management. Skilled in social media and database management, she excels in driving community engagement and program participation.
DR. Casie WISE, Ed.D
Senior Program Director
Direct Number: (202) 847-0042
E-mail: cwise@niea.org
As the Senior Program Director, Dr. Casie Wise brings 20 years of classroom, leadership, and consulting experience to NIEA. Casie specializes in culture-based curriculum and pedagogy, professional development for educators, best practices in assessment, and educational research. Including twelve years of teaching middle and high school ELA in the United States and abroad, Casie has also served as a K-12 school support director, instructional coach, core advocate for Tennessee, literacy advisor, and education consultant. In her role at NIEA, Casie oversees NIEA’s programs including the Educator Initiative, Research & Evaluation, Tribal Education Capacity Building, and Culture & Language in our Schools. Casie’s scope of work also includes developing curriculum and instructional resources, cultivating partnerships with other education organizations, and providing professional development.
Casie resides in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband, who is a retired Navy veteran, and her son and daughter. Casie has a BSE in Secondary English Education from John Brown University in Arkansas, an MA in Teaching English as a Second Language, and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instructional Leadership both from the University of Memphis.