Meet Our Team

Our Board of Directors

Cristina Danforth

Board President

Oneida Nation

VaRene Martin

VaRene Martin

Board 1st Vice President

Thlopthlocco Tribal Town
bio | varene@nafoa.org

Celina Phair

Board 2nd Vice President

Lummi Nation

Hattie Mitchell

Board Treasurer

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation

Melanie Benjamin

Melanie Benjamin

Board Secretary

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

Our Staff

Rico Frias

Executive Director

VaRene Martin

Director of Tribal and Corporate Relations

varene@nafoa.org

Cody Harjo

Director of Media and Learning Initiatives

Missy Dunne

Director of Conferences and Events

missy@nafoa.org

Bettina Cecilia Gonzalez

Director of Communications and Digital Engagement

bettina@nafoa.org

Nicholas Lovesee

Senior Policy Advisor

nicholas@nafoa.org

Dustin VanWinkle

Business Manager/ Corporate Relations Specialist

dustin@nafoa.org

Kellen Moore

Policy Communications Specialist

kellen@nafoa.org

Edna Wyena

Program Specialist