Dr. Cornel Pewewardy (Comanche-Kiowa) is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Central Oklahoma, Professor-of-Practice in the School of Education at Kansas State University, Professor Emeritus in Indigenous Nations Studies at Portland State University and former Vice-Chair of the Comanche Nation. He has a profound belief in the power of Indigenous education and in the power of higher education and has dedicated his life’s work to bringing those two forces together to improve both.

Pewewardy retired in 2017 from Portland State University, where he served as Director and Professor of the Indigenous Nations Studies Program. Prior to joining Portland State University, he taught at the University of Kansas and was a five-time recipient of the Big XII Outstanding American Indian Faculty of the Year Award; served as the first academic dean of Comanche Nation College; and founded two transformational, award-winning public magnet schools in Saint Paul, Minnesota and founder of the Comanche Academy Charter School in Lawton, Oklahoma.

Pewewardy began his career in education as an elementary teacher and principal on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. He is a founding member of the National Association for Multicultural Education, which brings together individuals from all academic levels and disciplines and from diverse educational institutions who have an interest in multicultural education and social justice education.

Throughout his career, Pewewardy has been honored extensively for his work recently receiving notice to be inducted to the 2024 Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame, 2024 Outstanding Role Model Award at the Oklahoma Native American Students in Higher Education Conference, 2023 Scholar of the Year Award by the Oklahoma Political Science Association, 2022 National Indian Education Association Lifetime Achievement Award for his commitment, dedication and service to students, communities and Native Education, 2022 Alumni Fellow Award from Pennsylvania State University, 2021 National Conference on Race and Ethnicity Suzan Shown Harjo Systemic Social Justice Award, 2021 Educator of the Year for the Oklahoma Council on Indian Education, 2019 AARP Oklahoma Indian Elder Honors Award, 2017 Oregon Indian Educator of the Year, 2016 Portland State University John Eliot Allen Outstanding Teaching Award, 2011 NAME Carl A. Grant Multicultural Research Award, and 2011 Portland State University’s President’s Diversity Award. Professor Pewewardy was named the 2001 W.T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence at the University of Kansas. He is a 5-time winner of the Big XII Outstanding Indian Faculty of the Year Award while at the University of Kansas.

Presenting the Transformational Indigenous Praxis Model for almost three decades at professional conferences across the U.S., Dr. Pewewardy has applied his theoretical model to the work of educational practice, primarily using case studies with Indigenous learners, systems and structures in efforts to nurture Indigenous epistemologies and ontologies for creating educational space for Indigenous self-determination.

Co-editor of the recent published book (2022) with Teachers College Press, “Unsettling Settler-Colonial Education” provides a sweeping portrait of evidence-based case studies and emerging praxis toward decolonizing structures in education.

Pewewardy remains locally engaged by generating a critical pedagogy of Indigenous community based on Indigenous knowledge. He discusses strategies for community to inform, heal, uplift, and raise critical consciousness. Dr. Pewewardy continues to serve his career through professional associations being the Founder of Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Lawton (OK); Founder of the Comanche Academy Charter School (Lawton, OK); Founding Board Member of the National Association for Multicultural Education; Board Member for American Civil Liberties Union-Oklahoma; First Americans Museum Knowledge Keepers

(OKC); Advisory Council for the Native American Gallery-Oklahoma History Museum (OKC); Red Earth Board Member; Jacobson Foundation (ex-officio); Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies Executive Committee (OK); and the American Indian Studies Advisory Board, Arizona State University. He is on the editorial boards of Tribal College and University Research Journal; Wicazo Sa’ Review: Journal of Native American Studies; Multicultural Perspectives; and Multicultural Magazine.

Gail, a visiting assistant professor at the Institute of American Indian Arts, is a mentor and role model to many. With an MA in Indigenous Peoples Law from the University of Oklahoma and a BA in Native American and Indigenous Studies and Political Science from Fort Lewis College, she is a respected academic in her field. Her dedication to the youth in her communities is evident in her volunteer work, where she serves as a liaison for Native American youth in matters of mental health and wellness, family engagement, and community involvement. 

CEO & Co Founder at Natuv Inc. | Human Advocate and Resource Activist | Rose State Alumni | Fort Lewis Alumni | MLS IPL OU College of Law Graduate

Yolonda Ramos is the Executive Director of the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Intertribal Land Use Committee. She has 19 years of accounting/management experience She is a Co-Director of Cultural Community Impact for the Community Culture and Drum Nights in Lawton, OK, the Treasurer for the PTA board for the Comanche Academy Charter School. and contributes to several other volunteer organizations. She has previously served as an elected officer on the boards for the Oklahoma Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and Canada (OAPT US&C), Government Finance Officers Association (GFOAO), and Oklahoma Municipal Court Clerks Association (OMCCA).

Eric Tippeconnic is an enrolled member of the Comanche Nation. He is the son of Norman Tippeconnic

Sr. and Kirsten Tippeconnic. He is the grandson of John Tippeconnic and Juanita Tippeconnic. He is the great-grandson of Tippeconnie and Wimnerchy. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Colorado State University, a Master’s Degree from the University of Colorado at Denver, and a Ph.D. in History from the University of New Mexico. Eric is currently a tenured track professor of American Indian Studies at California State University San Marcos. In addition, he is a professional artist.

Haa Maruaweka! Nu nahnia tsa Jaesa Michel. Nu nahnumunu tsa Mihecoby. Nu se Numu. Hello, my name is Jaesa Michel. My people are the Mihecoby family. I am 32, born in Whittier, CA and currently residing in Oklahoma City. I am the Director for the Tribal Youth Connections program with the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. The Tribal Youth Connections program focuses on suicide prevention, early intervention efforts, mental health awareness, underage drinking prevention, and substance misuse prevention for our Native youth. I have been in the prevention field for 4 years. When we commit to showing up consistently for our Native youth, we are able to foster authentic relationships with them allowing us to connect them to our culture as a prevention tool. I firmly believe that our young people are the future of our tribal communities, when we take the time to lead them with greater clarity and deeper compassion, we heal our communities.

Paul Boyd-Batstone, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus from the College of Education at California State University, Long Beach, where he served as Associate Dean and Chair of the Department of Teacher Education. He worked in public schools for over 30 years teaching in all elementary school grades; and created innovative bilingual programs including Spanish/English Gifted and Talented, and the first Title VII Cambodian Khmer/English programs in the State of California. He has conducted teacher development in Normal Schools in Mixco and Nebaj, Guatemala in a collaborative educational development project with ADICOGUA, a Guatemalan non-governmental organization, with funding by GTZ, a German Foundation. Paul authored a number of books on second language learning including:  Teaching ELLs to Read (2015) Routledge/Eye on Education; Helping ELLs Meet the Common Core: Assessment and Practical Strategies (2013) Routledge/Eye on Education; and Differentiated Early Literacy for English Language Learners: Practical Strategies, Pearson Education/Allyn & Bacon (2002).

Andy Reza (He/Him/His) serves as the Engagement & Belonging Specialist within the Multi-Ethnic Education & Engagement Center at the University of Dayton. He is a proud member of the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma, born and raised in Lawton, OK. He describes himself as a higher ed professional focused on DEI, student success, and changing the world and is humbled by his journey thus far. He graduated with his B.A. in Sociology in 2009 from Dartmouth College, his M.Ed in Adult and Higher Education - Student Personnel in 2017 from University of Central Oklahoma, and is currently working on my Ed.D in Organizational Leadership from University of Dayton.