OUR Team

A passionate and diverse group

The IndigenousWays Board of Directors is made up of distinguished Indigenous and non-Indigenous members who provide leadership, expertise and support from diverse perspectives. 66% of the board members are Indigenous.

Michelle Redmond (Diné)

President

Michelle Redmond, a Navajo/French/Irish woman comes from the Navajo Nation and lives in Pecos, New Mexico. Michelle serves as the IndigenousWays Board President, and works as a Navajo Advocate/Lawyer who practices Indian law out of the VanAmberg Rogers Yepa Abeita Gomez & Wilkinson Law Firm in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Michelle earned her MA in Business Administration and has been involved with Native youth enrichment, environmentally friendly living and sustainability. Michelle has a vision for her people on Black Mountain to have sustainable water for our elders and future generations.

Willa Shalit (Ashkenazi)

Vice-President

Willa Shalit – artist, author, social entrepreneur and philanthropist – has brought women’s economic opportunity, through reconciliation, to Palestinian and Israeli women, Rwandan genocide survivors, and artisans in post-earthquake Haiti. She’s created “purchase with a purpose” brands for Macy’s, Starbucks, and O the Oprah Magazine. As original producer of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues,” she co-founded V-Day which to-date has raised more than $110M (US) to help stop violence against women and girls. Ms. Shalit is adviser to multiple global organizations including the United Nations Development Fund for Women, Feminist.com and 18by.vote and is currently active as co-founder and board chair of the Let’s Win Pancreatic Cancer Foundation based in New York City.

Rachelle Pablo (Diné)

Secretary and Visual Arts Chair

Rachelle is of the Táchíínii (Red Running into the Water clan), born for the
To'aheedlíínii (Water Flows Together clan). My maternal grandparents are Tséńjíkiní
(Honey Combed Rock People or the Cliff Dwellers People clan), and my paternal grandparents are Tł 'ááshchí'í (Red Bottom People's clan). Culture, art, community, and prayer have cultivated my journey, and the ancestors guide me as I walk the Red Road. I'm a Dine' womxn artist, curator, and veteran. I am grateful to be a part of this grassroots organization with Indigeneity within the arts and the community at the forefront—Ahe' e'e'h'-Thank you.

Homer Hubbell (Diné)

Treasurer

Homer Hubbell’s clan is Dibéłizhiní (Blacksheep), born for Honágháahnii  (One Who Walks Around). My maternal grandparent’s are Táchíínii (Red Streak Running Into The Water Clan) and paternal grandparent’s are Tódach’íínii (Bitter Water Clan). Both sides of his grandparents’ clans are traditional rug weavers. Homer is currently the CEO of Hubbell Properties. He is also a board member of Diné Studies Conference, Inc. and has presented on Diné Blessing Way songs at the previous two conferences. Homer is the past-president of DSCI.

Homer’s desire is to contribute to the success of IndigenousWays’ venture of gathering and delivering much needed supplies to residents of Black Mesa and other Diné communities. His goal is to foster the growth of Indigenous arts and music.

Homer says, “As a life-long community volunteer, I am excited to serve as a board member of IndigenousWays.”

Kathryn Moss (Ashkenazi)

Director and Legal Chair

I have taught about the legal struggles and inequities to law school students, taught native pre-law students, and worked to get water and electricity to the homes of the Navajo people. I am grateful to be on the board of IndigenousWays and to be part of this cooperative and creative group that uses art to heal, art to grow, and to understand our world.

Nicole Oxendine (Lumbee)

DIRECTOR

Nicole Oxendine is an artist, cultural producer, and professional consultant. For over 30 years, she has been catalyzing progressive change for diverse and underrepresented people. As a consultant, Nicole helps clarify, communicate, and transform concepts and priorities into impactful strategies, programs, and initiatives. She currently leads several federal Tribal training and technical assistance efforts and has held senior positions at the National Women’s Law Center, Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, Children’s Defense Fund, and the New York State Assembly. In 2014, Nicole founded RiverShe Collective Arts, a creative spark, collaborative community, and independent press that nurtures, produces, and publishes new works by BIPOC, LGBTQ, and underrepresented voices. As an interdisciplinary artist, Nicole honors her Lumbee, Cuban, and Celtic ancestors as she explores Indigenous/Black/Queer/Femme wisdoms, healing, and transformation. Nicole has studied at New York University, Hunter College, Corcoran School of Art + Design, and received an MFA/Interdisciplinary Arts with a concentration in Indigenous & Decolonial Arts from Goddard College. She is a proudly enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

Karita Coffey (Comanche)

DIRECTOR

Karita Coffey is a Comanche ceramist. She is noted especially for producing ceramic replicas and sculptures that reference traditional indigenous objects. Karita lived in Lawton, Oklahoma before beginning her artistic training at the Institute of American Indian Arts as a teenager. She received her graduate degree from the University of Oklahoma and later completed teaching certification and a Master of Arts in education. Karita taught at the IAIA for twenty-five years before retiring to work on her sculpture. Coffey's work is informed by aspects of African art and the art of the Australian Aborigines as well as by her own heritage. Her work is represented in the collection of the National Museum of the American Indian.

Judy Shapiro (Ashkenazi)

DIRECTOR

For more than 35 years, Judy Shapiro’s professional life has centered on fights to preserve tribal sovereignty in courts and federal agencies, particularly in protection and restoration of tribal homelands, cultural preservation, and economic development.  She devoted some years to learning traditional Mesoamerican stories, and much of her heart to performance of medieval and renaissance music on wind and stringed instruments.  After decades of listening to important stories of indigenous North America, the sounds, colors, and thoughts blend together in one of the strangest libraries east of the Mississippi.  

She holds a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, a Master's in Fine Arts from Sarah Lawrence College in the performance of Early Music, and a Bachelor's degree in anthropology, with a focus on Mesoamerican ethnohistory, from Kirkland College, an innovative women’s college that briefly flourished on historic Oneida lands.

STAFF

Elena Higgins (Maori/Samoan)

Co-Founder and Executive Director

Elena Higgins, Samoan/Maori was born and bred in New Zealand before relocating to Australia for a teaching career, and eventually finding her home in the United States. Elena has been described as exotic, extravagant, eclectic, esoteric gorgeous, spirited, and so much more; the lasting impression Elena leaves in everyone’s hearts is her smile. Elena loves the outdoors and thrives on travel and new experiences. With her pitch-perfect bass alto voice on stage she captivates audiences; her prolific smile invites her world audiences into her wild joy and love for life. Elena is a woman of action; she has a vision, begins formulating strategies and teams to execute her vision, and off she goes. Elena is a born leader reminiscent of her Southern Pacific tribes. Elena is the Executive Director for IndigenousWays and her mission has always been about supporting the arts and music and bringing people together so we may all love and learn from one another.

Tash Terry (Diné)

Co-Founder and Artistic Director

Tash Terry is Tódichíinii (Bitter Water) and Tachii’nii (Red Streak Running into the Water) and French/Irish. Tash is an ASL interpreter, musician, and Artist Director of IndigenousWays. Born and bred on the Navajo Nation Tash spent a lot of time on Black Mountain with her masani (grandmother) and other traditional family members. Masani’s lifelong values of service shaped the course of Tash’s life work. When she is not busy with her work she loves to read and write. As the co-founder of IndigenenousWays, Tash says, “We didn’t know what we were getting into when it was recommended that we start a nonprofit… with music and food our nonprofit morphed into house concerts, festivals, and so much more. It’s all about passion and service, sharing in the arts, and in this we may give ourselves permission to love and heal.”

Destinee Rushing

IT Director

Destinee Rushing holds an A.A.S in Information Technology (IT) and Computer Science. IT is a huge passion for her! In her free time, she enjoys playing video games, spending time with her wife and animals, and coding her next projects. IndigenousWays is near and dear to her heart. Destinee says, “New and ever-expanding IT aspects of IndigenousWays’ projects keeps me on my toes. I appreciate how the team works with me! I feel very valued being apart of this team.” The future of IT is in Destinees’ hands.

Thank You

Ahéhee’ nihíká’ anajah dóó nihil nisoozí

In Navajo: thank you for your support and for standing together with us.

IndigenousWays is incredibly thankful to all our sponsors - their financial generosity allows us to bring this festival free to our community. We are equally grateful to all our partner organizations, who have helped put the IndigenousWays Festival on the map and provide us with wisdom. And a special shout-out to the scores of volunteers who lend their time and energy, month after month to the festival.