Board of Directors
Maria Celestina Balan
Centro de Proyectos para el Desarrollo Integral Indígena (CEPRODI)
Affiliation: Maya Kaqchikel, Guatemala
Alternate: Francisco Cali Tzay
Alternate: Francisco Cali Tzay
Rodney Factor
Board Member
Affiliation: Seminole Nation, Oklahoma; Former Band Chief, Seminole Nation, Seminole Sovereignty Protection Initiative
Alternate: Jacquelynn Warledo
Alternate: Jacquelynn Warledo
Leonard Foster
Board Member
Affiliation: Dine’ Nation; Native American Prisoners’ Rights Coalition, Arizona
Alternate: Dwayne “Chili” Yazzie, President, Shiprock Chapter, Navajo Nation, traditional Dineh farmers
Alternate: Dwayne “Chili” Yazzie, President, Shiprock Chapter, Navajo Nation, traditional Dineh farmers
William A. Means
Board Member Emeritus
Affiliation: Oglala Lakota Nation, Wicahpi Koyaka Tiospaye, Pine Ridge, South Dakota
Alternate: Open
Alternate: Open
Faith Gemmill
Board Member
Affiliation: Venetie Tribal Government, Gwich’in Athabascan Nation, Alaska
Alternate: Venetie Tribal Chief Julian Roberts
Alternate: Venetie Tribal Chief Julian Roberts
Lisa Bellanger
Board Member
Affiliation: White Earth Anishnabe Nation, Three Fires Society, Manitoba Canada
Alternate: Rainey Gaywish, Ojibway
Alternate: Rainey Gaywish, Ojibway
Pu’uhonoa “Bumpy” Kanahele
Board Member
Affiliation: Hawaiian Nation; Spokesperson and Head of State, Sovereign Nation State of Hawaii
Alternate: Brandon Makaawaawa
Alternate: Brandon Makaawaawa
Saul Vicente Vásquez
Board Member
Affiliation: Zapoteca, Oaxaca México; IITC Board Secretary; Unidad de la Fuerza Indígena y Campesina (UFIC)
Alternate: Rocío Miranda Pérez
Alternate: Rocío Miranda Pérez
Maninaindi R. Roldán
Kuna Youth Movement, Panama
Affiliation: Kuna Nation, Panama; Movimiento Juventud, Kuna/Kuna Youth Movement
Alternate: Kibian Staley
Alternate: Kibian Staley
Juan Gregorio Jaime Leon
Board Member
Affiliation: Yaqui Traditional Authorities, Rio Yaqui Sonora Mexico/Autoridades Tradicionales Yaquis, Rio Yaqui Sonora Mexico
Alternate: Dolores “Tulio” Gonzales Buitimea
Alternate: Dolores “Tulio” Gonzales Buitimea
Rigoberta Menchu Tum
Honorary Board Member, Nobel Laureate
Aniwa Kohu
Board Member
Affiliation: Ngati Ranginui/Tauranga Moana/Ngati Kahungunu/Nuhaka, Maori Aotearoa Te Whanau o Te Rau Aroha
Alternate: Ngahuia Harawira
Alternate: Ngahuia Harawira
Staff
IITC Strategic Planning staff meeting, October 10-12, 2023, Thunder Valley Casino and Resort, United Auburn Indian Community, Lincoln California
Employees
Andrea Carmen
IITC Executive Director
Affiliation: Yaqui Nation, Tucson, AZ
Rochelle Diver
UN Environmental Treaties Coordinator
Affiliation: Anishinaabe - Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe
Janeen Antoine
San Francisco Office Co-coordinator
Affiliation: Sicangu (Rosebud), Lakota
Armando Alvarez
Fiscal and Administrative Coordinator
Affiliation: Yaqui Nation
Morning Star Gali
California Tribal and Community Liaison
Affiliation: Pit River Tribe
Jose Rafael Rivera
Administrative Assistant, Tucson Office
Affiliation: Yaqui Nation
Marina Hernandez
San Francisco Office Co-coordinator
Affiliation: Yaqui Nation
Aminta Menjivar
Lenca Nation, El Salvador, Human Rights Program Advocate and Researcher
Affiliation: Lenca Nation, El Salvador
Program Consultants
June Lorenzo
IITC Legal Counsel
Affiliation: Laguna Pueblo/Dine Nation, New Mexico
Saul Vicente Vasquez
Food Sovereignty Program Coordinator
Affiliation: Zapoteca, Oaxaca Mexico
Roberto Borrero
Communications Program Coordinator
Affiliation: Taino
Francisco Villegas
Environmental
Affiliation: Yaqui Nation, Vicam Pueblo, Sonora Mexico
Juan Leon Alvarado
Human Rights and Bio-Diversity Consultant
Affiliation: K’iche Mayan
Dionicio Canahui
Guatemala Office Manager
Affiliation: Achi’ Mayan
Tushka Hill
Oklahoma Tribal and Community Liaison
Affiliation: Apache/Choctaw Nations, Oklahoma
Angel Valencia
Environmental Health/Pesticides Program Advisor
Affiliation: Yaqui Nation, Arizona
Nicole Yanes
Food Sovereignty Program Consultant
Affiliation: Opata Nation
Anaru Fraser
Food Sovereignty Program Consultant
Affiliation: Maori, Aotearoa (New Zealand)
Amy Juan
Arizona Tribal and Community Liaison
Affiliation: Tohono O’odham Nation, Arizona
Onel Inanadinia Masardule Herrera
Food Sovereignty Program Consultant
Affiliation: Kuna Nation
Janene Yazzie
Food Sovereignty Program Consultant
Affiliation: Diné Nation
Summer Blaze Aubrey
Legal Advisor
Affiliation: Cherokee Nation
Taily Terena
Environmental Health Program Consultant
Affiliation: Terena Nation, Brazil
Ghazali Ohorella
Human Rights/Legal Consultant
Affiliation: Maluku
Billi Jo Beheler
Treaties and Standard Setting Program Consultant
Affiliation: Lakota, Standing Rock Tribe
Staff (Employees)
- Andrea Carmen
IITC Executive Director
Affiliation: Yaqui Nation, Tucson, AZ - Rochelle Diver
UN Environmental Treaties Coordinator
Affiliation: Fond du Lac, Anishnabe Nation, Minnesota - Janeen Antoine
San Francisco Office Co-coordinator
Affiliation: Sicangu (Rosebud), Lakota - Armando Alvarez
Fiscal and Administrative Coordinator
Affiliation: Yaqui Nation - Morning Star Gali
California Tribal and Community Liaison
Affiliation: Pit River Tribe - Jose Rafael Rivera
Administrative Assistant, Tucson Office
Affiliation: Yaqui Nation - Marina Hernandez
San Francisco Office Co-coordinator
Affiliation: Yaqui Nation -
Aminta Menjivar
Lenca Nation, El Salvador, Human Rights Program Advocate and Researcher
Affiliation: Lenca Nation, El Salvador
Professional Service Consultants (contracted non-representational positions)
- June Lorenzo
IITC Legal Counsel
Affiliation: Laguna Pueblo/Dine Nation, New Mexico - Saul Vicente Vasquez
Food Sovereignty Program Coordinator
Affiliation: Zapoteca, Oaxaca Mexico - Roberto Borrero
Communications Program Coordinator
Affiliation: Taino - Francisco Villegas
Environmental
Affiliation: Yaqui Nation, Vicam Pueblo, Sonora Mexico - Juan Leon Alvarado
Human Rights and Bio-Diversity Consultant
Affiliation: K’iche Mayan - Dionicio Canahui
Guatemala Office Manager
Affiliation: Achi’ Mayan - Tushka Hill
Oklahoma Tribal and Community Liaison
Affiliation: Apache/Choctaw Nations, Oklahoma - Angel Valencia
Environmental Health/Pesticides Program Advisor
Affiliation: Yaqui Nation, Arizona - Nicole Yanes
Food Sovereignty Program Consultant
Affiliation: Opata Nation - Anaru Fraser
Food Sovereignty Program Consultant
Affiliation: Maori, Aotearoa (New Zealand) - Amy Juan
Arizona Tribal and Community Liaison
Affiliation: Tohono O’odham Nation, Arizona - Onel Inanadinia Masardule Herrera
Food Sovereignty Program Consultant
Affiliation: Kuna Nation - Janene Yazzie
Food Sovereignty Program Consultant
Affiliation: Diné Nation - Summer Blaze Aubrey
Legal Advisor
Affiliation: Cherokee Nation - Taily Terena
Environmental Health Program Consultant
Affiliation: Terena Nation, Brazil - Ghazali Ohorella
Human Rights/Legal Consultant
Affiliation: Maluku - Billi Jo Beheler
Treaties and Standard Setting Program Consultant
Affiliation: Lakota/Dakota, Standing Rock Tribal Nation
In Memory
IITC recognizes all those whose strength of spirit and hard work built this organization and advanced the cause we believe in. We want to especially honor the IITC founders, Board members, staff and representatives who have left this world. Their words and their examples of struggle, achievement and love for the Peoples will continue to guide and inspire us.
Bill Wahpepah
Sac and Fox/Kickapoo Nations
Phillip Deere
Muskogee Creek Nation
Frank Fools Crow
Oglala Lakota Nation
Mathew King
Oglala Lakota Nation
Russell Means
Oglala Lakota Nation
Ingrid Washinawatok
Menominee Nation
Kawaipuna Prejean
Nation of Hawaii
Ed Burnstick
Paul Nakota Cree Nation
James Main Sr.
White Clay (Gros Ventre) Nation
Mickey Gemmill Sr.
Pit River/Wintu Nations
Greg Zephier
Yankton Sioux (Ihanktowan Nakota) Nation
Floyd Westerman
Dakota Nation
Kee Watchman
Diné Nation
Mariano Ochoa
Yaqui Nation, Torim Pueblo, Rio Yaqui, Mexico
Roberta Blackgoat
Diné Nation
Patricia Bellanger
Anishinabe Nation
David and Myra Sohappy
Yakima Nation
Jacquelynn 'Jackie' Warledo
Seminole Nation
Chris Honahnie
Hopi and Diné Nations
Hinewirangi Kohu
Maori Nation, Aotearoa (New Zealand)
We thank them… and many more.
“Our word is sacred to us and so are these Treaties. The US government came to us, not the other way around. They asked us to lay down our arms and to live in peace and friendship with them in perpetuity. They said they would respect our traditional land rights in return. We have held up our end of the bargain. When can we expect the same from them?”