The National Native Network instituted a resource distribution project in an effort to bring together a group of champions, or representatives, from across Indian Country who are committed to the health of tribal communities with special focus in commercial tobacco abuse prevention.  The Champions will assist the National Native Network to effectively communicate its message throughout Indian Country, training others to use National Native Network resources such as the Keepitsacred website as a tool to help their constituents, and will also play a vital role in advocating for policies that increase American Indian/Alaska Natives’ access to resources in promoting health and preventing disease.

Champions include:

John J. Johnson - (Bay City, MI)   John is a Certified Prevention Consultant-M from Bay City Michigan with 20 years of experience in the field of substance abuse prevention, and currently serves as a Prevention Consultant for the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan.  John also served as an Associate for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Central Region Resource Team.  John has provided Prevention education trainings to other Native American Communities, and was the Drug and Alcohol NCO for his Active Army and National Guard units.

Keisha Robinson

Keisha Robinson serves as an Epidemiologist with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. Tribal Epidemiology Center. In this position she develops tribal community health profiles, conducts assessments and evaluations of health programs, and co-facilitates epidemiological training courses for tribal staff members. Also, she builds and maintains professional relationships with public health practitioners, tribal staff members, and community members by regularly attending task force and surveillance meetings.  Ms. Robinson obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Howard University in 2007.  In 2009, she obtained a Master of Public Health from the University of Arizona.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CoCo Villaluz is a Community Development Manager for ClearWay Minnesota. CoCo is an enrolled Hidatsa from the Three Affiliated Tribes, she also has heritage from the Assiniboine Tribe and Chamorro people.

CoCo has over eight years of experience in all phases of community development, capacity building and mobilizing. She also has experience in addressing the sacred use of tobacco. CoCo is one of the founding members of the Native American Tobacco Coalition of Montana (NATCOM) and has partnered with many diverse organizations, such as Tobacco Policy Sharing Knowledge in Native Societies (TPSKINS), the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Cancer Society and Many Voices, One Message. She has presented at regional, statewide, national and international conferences, including the Global Youth Advocacy Training in Washington D.C.

Some of CoCo’s proudest accomplishments include passing the Fort Peck No Smoking Resolution for her tribe, being selected to present at the Auahi Kore (Smoke-Free) Conference in Aotearoa (New Zealand) and passing the Ohinni Candi Wakandapi/Chani Wakan K/Nusa Commercial Tobacco-Free Ordinance for the Fort Peck Tribes. Her overall goal is to promote indigenous cultural wellness of our communities for generations to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Antoinette Medina

Meyiha! I am Antoinette Medina, of the Gabrielino Tribe of California Mission Indians. I work for the California Rural Indian Health Board (CRIHB) as a Health Education Specialist II. Currently, I am working in conjunction with the National Native Commercial Tobacco Abuse Prevention Network on a tobacco surveillance and monitoring project.

My background includes an AA in Business Management, a BS in Business Law, and a Masters in Public Administration.  I also possess certification to facilitate White Bison’s Daughters of Tradition program, as well as the Native Wellness Institute’s Healthy Relationship curriculum. 

I am very pleased to be part of this collaborative endeavor which benefits the Native population nationwide!  We`e Ne`hinken- All my relations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

June Maher, BS, MHA

June Maher is a Cherokee native from Tahlequah, Oklahoma.  She has worked at Cherokee Nation for 34 ½ years. Fourteen years in the WIC program and 20 years in the Health Services Department for Health Promotion Program. 

 

June now is the Manager of the Tobacco Prevention Program for the Cherokee Nation and manages the CDC Tribal Support Centers Grant, CPPW Tobacco Grant, and the Oklahoma State Health EMPOWER Grant. She is the proud mother of one son (Brad) his wife (Amber), one wonderful 2 ½ year old grandson Connor and help raise her daughter-in-laws sister Ondreyia who is 17 years old.

 Teresa K. Barber, Masters in Education

Teresa K. Barber is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, with heritage from the Lac Courte Oreilles Chippewa. Teresa is the Wisconsin Native American Tobacco Network (WNATN) Program Director. She utilizes best practices; respecting the unique cultural and ceremonial role traditional tobacco has in Indian Country.  Through collaboration with the 11 Tribes in Wisconsin she aggressively pursues to eliminate second hand smoke, promote cessation, and prevent commercial tobacco abuse and eliminate commercial tobacco abuse, in Native American communities.

Teresa has a Master’s degree in Education.  Before joining the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council she taught in school districts including, Lac du Flambeau, Lac Courte Oreilles and Oneida Nation of Wisconsin.  She still teaches today but in a different capacity and to a wider variety of people. Teresa has presented to elders, grade school students, and communities throughout the region at conferences, meetings, and trainings. Teresa holds onto her culture by attending pow-wows, living the Anishinabe way of life and teaching what she knows about her tradition. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Casandra Frutos (Warm Springs)- Project Assistant for the Northwest Tribal Comprehensive Cancer Program - Project Assistant for the Western Tribal Diabetes Project

I am an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Indian Reservation located in Central Oregon. I joined the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board in March of 2008 as a Project Assistant for the National Tribal Tobacco Prevention Network (NTTPN). My biggest success working in NTTPN was coordinating the National Tribal Tobacco conference in Portland Oregon that had over 200 attendees. In September, 2009 I joined the Epicenter as the Project Assistant for the Western Tribal Diabetes Project (WTDP) and the Northwest Tribal Comprehensive Cancer Program. I coordinate the trainings, conferences, project activities, and assist with data collection, data entry, administrative support functions, and other duties.

The main focus of my work with the tribal cancer project involves survivor issues for tribal communities. I currently sit on the Warm Springs Breast Cancer survivor group, and I have organized our employee team for the Race for the Cure in 2010. I have also completed the Romp to Stomp for Komen with my coworkers. I am currently a volunteer at Komen where I will attend conferences and workshops. I coordinated a Pink Shawl event with NARA for the annual New Year’s Eve Powwow in Portland, Oregon. The Pink Shawl Project honors the AI/AN Breast Cancer survivors and will be held annually.