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Celebrate Heritage in Action for Native American Heritage Month

   By Joshua Arce

Every November, Native American Heritage Month invites us to recognize the histories, cultures, and contributions of Native peoples. It is also an opportunity to learn about the many ways Native heritage continues to shape communities today.

Heritage is more than something we remember. It lives in the knowledge shared between generations, the responsibilities people carry for their families, and the relationships that bring communities together. Across Native Nations, people continue to put their knowledge and values into action, strengthening their communities while creating opportunities for future generations.

At Partnership With Native Americans® (PWNA), we see this through the Native-led organizations and community members we work alongside. Their stories remind us that heritage is not just about where we come from. It is also about what we choose to carry forward.

Leading by Example for the Next Generation

For Gabriel, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, carrying his heritage forward is part of everyday life. As a father of seven, he wants to set an example for his children. As a Tribal game warden, he serves his community and works in close relationship with the land. And as a cultural and spiritual leader, he helps keep Lakota language, songs, ceremonies, and traditions alive for future generations.

“The main inspiration was trying to be a role model for the younger generations,” Gabriel says. That commitment connects the many roles he carries, from teaching his children about emergency response and first aid to sharing the cultural practices that have shaped his life.

We met Gabriel through emergency response training provided by PWNA that helps community members build practical skills to respond to emergencies. His participation reflects the same sense of responsibility that guides his work as a father and community member: preparing himself and others to care for the people around them.

“I keep alive the ceremonies and traditions of the Lakota people. They look at me as a young Elder.”

Carrying Cultural Knowledge Into the Classroom

For Tania, an enrolled member of the Crow Tribe, preserving her Apsaalooke heritage means ensuring future generations have opportunities to learn their history, language, and traditions. As a mother of two and an aspiring teacher, she hopes to bring that knowledge into the classroom and help Native students feel seen, valued, and connected to their culture.

Tania’s commitment is rooted in her own experiences growing up in Billings, Montana, where Native history and culture were rarely part of her education. Her grandmother, Ruth, became one of her greatest teachers, sharing stories about her life and the challenges she faced. Today, Tania continues to study the Crow language and carry those lessons forward in her own family and community.

She hopes to return to her home community to teach, helping students understand where they come from and recognize the possibilities ahead of them. This commitment will pass knowledge to the next generation and into the future.

“I wanted to do Native American studies to keep that alive and bring that awareness to everybody else.”

Heritage Is Something We Put Into Action

Gabe and Tanya live in different communities and bring different experiences to their work and family lives. Yet their stories share a common thread: both demonstrate how knowledge, responsibility, and relationships can strengthen a community.

Heritage takes many forms across Native Nations. It can be found in cultural practices and language revitalization, in the guidance of Elders and mentors, and in the everyday efforts of people caring for their families and neighbors. It also lives in the work of Native leaders and organizations building programs that reflect their communities’ needs and priorities.

This Native American Heritage Month, we invite you to look beyond what you may already know about Native history and culture. Learn about the Native Nations whose lands you live on, listen to Native voices, and recognize the leadership and knowledge shaping Native communities today.

Becoming #NativeAware means approaching Native history and contemporary life with curiosity, respect, and a willingness to learn. It means recognizing the diversity of Native peoples and understanding that Native communities are not defined by the past alone.

At PWNA, we are grateful to work alongside Native communities and their local partners as they put their knowledge, relationships, and leadership into action. With your support, we can continue helping connect communities with resources that advance their priorities and strengthen their futures.

Join us in celebrating Native American Heritage Month. Share what you learn, encourage others to become #NativeAware, and consider supporting PWNA’s work with Native communities.

Together, we can recognize the knowledge carried forward across generations and support the people putting that knowledge into action every day.

Corey joined the PWNA Board in 2019, served as Treasurer for several years, and recently renewed his commitment to PWNA to serve as Board Chairperson. An enrolled citizen of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in Kansas, Corey has served 10 years as a Board Member for the tribe’s business enterprises, assisted with long-term strategic planning for business development, completed two major expansion projects, assisted with new business startups, and advanced long-term goals and acquisitions for other enterprises that impact Tribal programs and well-being on Native lands in Kansas. He also worked for (then) Harrah’s Entertainment (now Caesars), holding front-line, supervisory, and management roles. In his early career, Corey was commissioned as an Officer in the U.S. Air Force where he attended flight school and then amassed 18 years of military aviation experience. Corey also worked in the civil aviation sector for about 2 years. Today, Corey provides flight expertise, consulting services, flight tests, aircraft delivery, and flight/simulator training in multiple aircraft to domestic and international customers while also juggling part-time service in the U.S. Air Force Reserves at Randolph AFB, Texas. Corey holds a bachelor’s in business administration from the Washburn University School of Business in Topeka, Kansas, and a master’s from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. Passionate about making a continuing impact on Tribal nations, he brings to PWNA skills in business operations, Tribal government programs, strategic planning, finance and economic development, organizational restructuring, and international business.
COREY MZHICKTENO
COREY MZHICKTENOChairperson
A former AIEF scholarship recipient, MaKenley is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation tribe. She earned her bachelor’s in healthcare administration from Northeastern State University and her master’s from Oklahoma State University. MaKenley has been working in Tribal health care since college, completing job shadows and internships at W.W. Hastings Hospital, which is Cherokee-operated. She started her career with Cherokee Nation Health Services as an Administrative Officer for a value-based care program the Tribe participates in and then was promoted to Director of Patient Access Management to direct the scheduling and registration departments for the hospital and new outpatient health center. Since 2019, MaKenley has been serving as the Deputy Hospital Administrator for W.W. Hastings. She always wanted to work in healthcare but, more specifically, the health care system of her own Tribe. MaKenley brings her knowledge of healthcare (rural and tribal), finance, operations, and strategic planning to PWNA.
MAKENLEY BARTON
MAKENLEY BARTONVice Chairperson
A leading business development expert with extensive knowledge of institutional wealth for corporations and nonprofits alike, he is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Matt currently works with the Bank of Texas as Vice President and Senior Business Development Officer in their corporate division, and earlier with their institutional wealth team. His focus is building teams around middle-market business leaders and helping them meet their business’ operational needs through his bank or partner network. Prior to the Bank of Texas, Matt worked with BOK Financial for eight years, focusing on retirement planning, investments, and institutional wealth. He holds a bachelor’s in business administration with a major in financial management from Oklahoma State University, Spears School of Business. Besides his passion for connecting people for mutually beneficial relationships, Matt brings to PWNA skills in business development and financial management.
MATT HORINEK
MATT HORINEKTreasurer
Currently a senior director of Learning and Workforce Development with Disability:IN, Emily accelerates early career talent for professionals with disabilities, oversees the development of educational content for disability inclusion, and consults with Disability:IN partner companies through the Inclusion Works program. Formerly a senior leader of Walmart’s Culture, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (CDEI) team, Emily focused on enterprise strategy, brand identity, external relations, digital engagement, and benchmarking surveys for the Disability Equality Index and Global Disability Equality Index. Earlier with Walmart, Emily managed corporate strategy and stakeholder outreach for Native Americans and People with Disabilities. During her 12 years at Walmart, she also held roles in corporate communications, associate engagement, data insights and measurement, public relations, philanthropic program management, and the Tribal Voices: Indigenous Associate Resource Group. Prior to Walmart, Emily served as Executive Director of the Heritage Youth Development Center at the YMCA. In further support of Native youth, Emily serves as co-chair of the American Indian College Fund’s Next Generation Advisory Council to help increase the number of Native students who hold college degrees. She holds a bachelor’s from Missouri Southern State University and her DEI perspective is informed by her experience as a Native Hawaiian – Pacific Islander woman with non-apparent disabilities. Emily brings to PWNA expertise in diversity and inclusion, strategic planning and communications, effectiveness benchmarking, and empowerment of women and youth.
EMILY MCDONALD
EMILY MCDONALDSecretary
Jackie is an enrolled member of the Gros Ventre (Aaniiih) Tribe and a descendant of the Assiniboine (Nakoda) Tribe of Montana’s Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Her Aaniiih name is ‘Itha Gibi That’ (translated to English means’ Walking Woman’). Jackie graduated from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management with a bachelor’s in business. Jackie works as the Indigenous Communities Officer for Newman’s Own Foundation. Before her current role, she worked for her community’s tribally owned business, Island Mountain Development Group (IMDG), and she spent 18+ years with Nike managing their N7 Fund, building capacity for sport and physical activity, and providing grants to maintain or expand programming in tribal communities. Jackie enjoys traveling, attending Tribal ceremonies, and helping her husband manage their food truck. As part of her give-back to the community, she serves as a Board member for the Native Wellness Institute and the Aaniiih Nakoda Community Foundation, and she is a trustee of Harlem Public School District. Jackie brings to PWNA her knowledge of Tribal communities and experience in partnership building, grants, program management, and strategic planning.
JACKIE BLACKBIRD
JACKIE BLACKBIRDBoard Member
Joe is a citizen of the Puyallup Tribe of Tacoma, Washington, with 20 years’ experience in Native American communities as an administrator, teacher, and coach. He recently launched Strength-Based Consulting (SBC), a grant-writing, capacity-building, and consulting firm serving Native causes. Prior to SBC, Joe was Executive Director of the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project (ZYEP) for six years, drawing on his experience as a culturally responsive researcher, published writer, and award-winning coach to more than triple the size of their annual revenue, youth served, programs offered, and workforce. Joe believes that when youth sports are done well, they have the power to transform lives and unite communities. As Zuni High School’s head football coach, he led the team to three district championships, one district runner-up, and a team grade point average better than 3.0 in just four years. He holds a bachelor’s in Indigenous studies from Haskell Indian Nations University, a master’s in education from the University of Oregon, and a Ph.D. in sport and exercise psychology from the University of Kansas. Joe brings to PWNA his skills in research and consulting, along with strategies for helping Native people leverage their strengths in pursuit of their goals.
JOE CLAUNCH
JOE CLAUNCHBoard Member
Joshua joined PWNA as president & CEO in January 2020, our 30th year of serving Indian country. A citizen of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, he has more than 20 years’ experience in education management, social work, and business development. Most recently, he served as Chief Information Officer of Haskell Indian Nations University, advancing their IT infrastructure and services to better meet their mission. Other public sector experience includes Tribal law and governance; after-school, youth, foster care, and housing programs for low-income families; and diversity and inclusion. Josh has also volunteered for the Kansas court-based Citizen Review Board for child welfare and Lawrence+Memorial Hospital for health equity, diversity, and inclusion. Joshua earned his bachelor’s in social work from the University of Kansas and then a J.D. specializing in Tribal law, applied Indigenous leadership, federal Indian law, and Indian gaming law. Sincere and forward-looking, Josh actively supports the advancement of Native communities.
JOSH ARCE
JOSH ARCEPWNA President & CEO (Non-Voting Board Member)