Shaun Grassel serves as the Chief Executive Officer for BNGA. Shaun brings a wealth of experience, having worked as a wildlife biologist for the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe for nearly 25 years. Shaun also has worked for the Nez Perce Tribe Fisheries Program and the First Nations Development Institute. Shaun’s experience includes project development, fundraising, research, advocacy, and program administration. Shaun lives on the Lower Brule Indian Reservation where he spends his free time hunting, fishing, and raising cattle and native grasses for seed production. Shaun has two children, Michael and Zoe, who are members of the Nez Perce Tribe.

Sunshine Claymore is a passionate mother and environmentalist with expertise in design, education, and community engagement. She is dedicated to promoting ecological practices and fostering a deeper connection to the Earth through our food and medicine. Skilled in organizational planning and grant management, she has experience in roles such as Community Engagement Specialist and Regenerative Land Management Coordinator. Sunshine advocates for a more mutually beneficial relationship between humans and the environment, striving to inspire others to embrace holistic living practices.

Antonio ‘Tony’ Morsette serves as the Land Conservation Program Officer for BNGA. Tony possesses extensive knowledge in project management, grant writing, and place-based spatial data analysis. He holds a Master of Science in Environment and Sustainability from the University of Michigan and has accumulated over six years of hands-on experience in various environmental fields. Throughout his academic and professional journey, Tony has demonstrated a commitment to fostering collaboration with and supporting Indigenous communities in their environmental endeavors. When not hard at work, Tony can be found playing video games or enjoying a stroll with his partner, three dogs, and cat.

Natalie serves as BNGA’s Financial Administrator. She is president of the Lower Brule Community College. Natalie has her doctorate in education from Northcentral University specializing in higher education leadership. In addition, she is a graduate of National American University with a master's in business administration. Natalie has many passions in life, but foremost is education. In her eyes, education does far more than provide credentials; it proves a person’s determination to seek a better life.

Natalie serves on several boards focusing on community and education. She continues to teach business courses for the Lower Brule Community College and Sinte Gleska University. In addition, she helps organizations with their financial management. Her focus is mainly non-profit organizations in Indian Country.

Leala Pourier serves as the Social Media Manager for BNGA. Born and raised in Colorado, she is Oglala Lakota and Cheyenne River and their family is from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Leala currently attends the University of Denver majoring in English and minoring in Critical Race and Ethnic Studies. Leala is deeply involved with activism and has given several keynotes educating others on the connection oil pipelines have with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. In addition, Leala has spoken on several panels, including speaking about diversity and stereotypes at Denver Comic Con, Indigenous representation in the mainstream media at Indigenous Pop X, as well as attending COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Marvin (Wes) Stops, Jr., is the Director of the Crow Environmental Protection Program (CEPP) of the Crow Nation. Wes and his team focus on the long-term questions of climate change and the implementation of contingency plans and tribal policies that reflect these future environmental concerns. An ecohydrologist by training, his research explored the impacts of best management practices in agroecosystems that coupled tile drainage and terraces. This and other research experiences led to publications in two international peer-reviewed academic journals, Chemical Geology and Agricultural Water Management. Wes is also a member of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES). These life and research experiences have led Wes to this unique collective of tribal nations that advocates for the protection of Native lands and resources and is proud to share in the vision of BNGA as a board member. Wes received his Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science at Haskell Indian Nations University and a Master of Science degree in Physical Geography at the University of Kansas.

Rachel Hanisch is a recently retired corporate attorney. She has practiced for profit / non-profit corporate law for nearly twenty years. Prior to practicing law, she was the Executive Director of the Northern Prairies Land Trust. Northern Prairies Land Trust operates in South Dakota and Nebraska, working to identify opportunities to protect and preserve threatened ecosystems, specifically, the tallgrass prairie. Prior to working for the land trust, she was employed by Enemy Swim District, one of the seven districts of the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, as planning coordinator and grant writer. She was born and raised on the Lake Traverse Reservation in northeast South Dakota and is non-Native. Rachel received a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies from South Dakota State University and her Juris Doctorate from the University of South Dakota.

She is excited to assist Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance with its efforts towards sustainable conservation for Northern Great Plains Tribes.

Jennifer Martel’s Lakota name is Wahukaze Nunpa Win, meaning Two Lance Woman. Jennifer resides and works on the Standing Rock Reservation where she currently serves as Coordinator of the Sitting Bull Visitor Center at Sitting Bull College. She has worked for the College 18 years and has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Management from Sitting Bull College and Oglala Lakota College. She is a mother of four grown children and grandmother of 4 takojas, whom she adores and loves dearly. Jennifer has planned, organized, and implemented art, food, and medicine classes for over seven years within the community of Standing Rock, including facilitating the making and preservation of traditional art forms, foods, and medicines. She also links Culture Bearers and local artists with community members to revitalize what was and what is to be in the community. Jennifer unites Indigenous peoples from across the world to stand together to bring awareness to the issues affecting Indigenous men, women, children, and two-spirited. Jennifer has stood with thousands during the Standing Rock Movement, spoken at the United Nations, and helped organize marches in Washington, DC. Jennifer has also worked with the Sicangu Treaty Council to help coordinate the annual Treaty Conference. She can be on a wild adventure with family or friends, on the road to some destination for work or pleasure but enjoys the Paha Sapa where she calls Home!

Monica is an aspiring Unci (grandmother) and resides on Quiver Hill, the north east corner of the Pine Ridge Reservation, where she happily toils in the soil, harvesting medicines, and enjoying the challenges of walking in two worlds. Her background is in economic development, policy development in ecosystems management, compliance for law enforcement. She joined the World Wildlife Fund’s Northern Great Plains program in 2017 to lead outreach efforts and has completed a reservation wide survey and formed a working group that is focusing on creating a declaration of priorities on Pine Ridge regarding the South Unit (Strong Hold), land owned by the Tribe and co-managed by the National Park Service. Monica is also an advocate of the Buffalo Treaty and has brought the Oglala Sioux Tribe to be a signatory and continues as a working group member tackling issues impacting Tribes and the buffalo relative. Monica works with her community bringing forth education on “Food as a medicine” to the community through education in planting, harvesting, and preserving foods. She participates in public service as the President of the Crazy Horse School Board and is a founding member of a Women’s Society – Ethics and traditional thoughts and philosophy.

Adriann is a proud wife, mother, sister, aunt, and grandma. She earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies and an M.S. in Resource Management. Adriann is a contractor with over 15 years of experience in the cultural and natural resources fields with projects in mercury education, indoor/outdoor air quality, black-footed ferret conservation and restoration, ethnobotanical/ethnozoological research, swift fox study, and black-footed ferret community education and outreach. She previously worked with Lame Deer Public Schools as a Gear Up Liaison and most recently completed an internship with AmeriCorps Vista. This endeavor included partnerships with World Wildlife Fund, LittleDog Wildlife and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe with efforts to begin the development of a community voice-based conservation black-footed ferret restoration plan.

Adriann started a business Charging Buffalo, LLC focusing on different aspects of cultural/natural resources, research, data collection, STEM education and outreach. Adriann also serves as a wildlife biologist and a cultural surveyor for the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. Outside work, Adriann is an assistant coach and the Team Director for the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) Northern Cheyenne Bison Mountain Bike Team and can be found enjoying outdoors recreating, hunting, and gathering with her family and friends.