Jennifer Pechonick - Indigenous Native American Affairs

Jennifer is Board Member of Native Health Matters Foundation, a seasoned tribal leader with a diverse background in non-profits, organizational development, and Native American law. She is the youngest woman ever elected to the governing body of the Delaware Tribe of Indians. Served on the Delaware Tribal Council under three administrations, including her mother's, who was the first woman elected as the Chief of the Delaware Tribe. She is passionate about tribal sovereignty and has worked with numerous tribes to support a variety of issues. She has also spoken multiple times before the Department of the Interior on Native American issues. She is a gifted naturopath who studies relentlessly and attributes much of her knowledge to her ancestors. 

Pat Gwin is a Cherokee Nation Citizen and a fourth generation Oklahoman. His birth, upbringing, education, and career have all taken place within Northeastern Oklahoma. Mr. Gwin graduated from Northeastern State University with a BS degree in Biology. As a young child, his father gave him the ultimatum, “If you want to eat, you have to work the garden;” now, more than 50 years later, he still does. His entire professional and personal life revolves around the earth’s natural resources and their sustainability. He began his work with the Cherokee Nation in 1992 and has served in the Environmental, Natural Resources, Executive Administration, and Secretary of Natural Resources Departments. In 2005, He began a research project dealing with heirloom Cherokee crops. This initially theoretical endeavor evolved into a pilot project for securing botanical genetics and has now grown into the Cherokee Nation Seedbank Garden &amp, Native Plant Site, the largest such Tribal operation in the world. Serving as its Director, this Seedbank operation now distributes tens of thousands of seeds and live plant products from over one hundred species of Cherokee Plants. In 2018, the USDA selected (and was subsequently confirmed by the US District Court) to serve as a founding Board Member of the Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF – Keeps eagle). Mr. Gwin is the Cherokee Nation’s Sr. Director of Environmental Resources and works on numerous DOI/EPA/USDA-related projects dealing with environmental issues and policies.  

Kawenniiosta Jock is Kanien’kehá:ka, under the title family of Orenrehrekó:wa Wolf Clan from Akwesasne. She's a mother, land protector, master seamstress, artist and lover of all creation. Kawenniiosta has helped develop traditional support, cultural teachings and language preservation within her community and is a Onkwehónwe full-spectrum doula. She is here to bring ancient knowledge and teachings back to restore the collective balance within her people and all humanity. Kawenniiosta is an alumna of the Akwesasne Freedom School and is passionate about the restoration of her people's way of life. She carries a heart-felt desire to create a space of love and healing for each and every individual. 

Mr. Hatley is Native Health Matters Foundation Sr. Environmental Scientist and a co-founder of LEAD Agency, Inc., a grassroots group in northeastern Oklahoma, and served as the Board President from 1997-2003. LEAD Agency is a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance, and Mr. Hatley serves as the Grand Riverkeeper, patrolling the Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees and feeder streams of the upper Grand River watershed. Oklahoma’s previous Governors have appointed Mr. Hatley to serve on the Hazardous Waste Management Advisory Council for the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality from March 2007 - Apr. 2014. From Oct. 14, 2007-14, Mr. Hatley served on the Board of Directors for Oklahoma Sustainability Network and serves on the Steering Committee for the Western Mining Action Network “WMAN”, including the tribal caucus. WMAN serves grassroots organizations dealing with the impacts of hard rock mining & fossil fuel extraction in the lower forty-eight states, Alaska, and Canada. In addition, Mr. Hatley served on the Health and Human Services Regional Health Equity Board for Region 6, (which includes OK, TX, AR, LA & NM) from Apr. 2011- Aug. 2015.  

Swan the Supply Chain Development Director of Native Health Matters and is a member of the Indigenous Production Trade Alliance subcommittee She is Supply Chain Development Specialist for University of Minnesota Extension’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP). As a member of the RSDP Statewide Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems team, she provides technical assistance for regional food system and sustainable agriculture projects and acts as a conduit between Greater Minnesota community members, university researchers and industry partners. Her current work includes end-to-end commercialization strategy and supply chain development for emerging oilseeds and identity-preserved small grains, including hemp, winter camelina, specialty soy, hulls barley, winter barley and specialty wheat. Recent focus has been on assessment of processing capabilities and capacity in the upper Midwest, including onsite engagement with processors and product developers to better identify opportunities and address processing barriers for small-scale and BIPOC farmers.  

Dr. Wil is a Board member Native Health Matters Foundation work focuses on identifying and restoring the degraded conditions of natural homeostasis, particularly those caused by industrialization and the misunderstanding of the importance of microorganisms. He has a background in agriculture and has witnessed the negative impacts of industrial farming practices on both human and environmental health. Spencer is an advocate for nature and has applied his knowledge to reverse and heal conditions of health in humans, animals, plants, honeybees, and the environment. Overall, Spencer's work is driven by his belief that vibrant health is available to all who are willing to look beyond conventional paradigms and create a clean environment of harmonious energies. 

Dr. Jennifer Lewter is the Research Center Programs Director and Chief Plant Breeder at Native Health Matters, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving crop diversity, breeding high-value cultivars, and developing sustainable local food markets. She is an experienced plant scientist and educator with expertise in plant sciences biology. Her research background includes molecular genetics and population genetics, with a focus on insect genetics. She has developed diagnostic protocols for the fall armyworm using RFLP-PCR and performed DNA extractions and PCR for a population genetics study. Lewter's diverse teaching experience includes roles as Senior Instructor of Biology and Visiting Instructor of Biology at Arkansas Tech University, where she taught botany, human anatomy, physiology, and biology orientation. She has also taught at the undergraduate level as a Biology Teaching Assistant.

Beyond her academic work, Dr. Lewter has experience in the agriculture industry, having served as Director of the Russellville Community Market and Business Manager at Operon Biotechnologies, Inc. She has also held positions as a Nuclear Security Officer and Science and Technology Editor. Dr. Lewter is an accomplished researcher, having published several articles in peer-reviewed journals, including "High-density linkage maps and loci for berry color and flower sex in muscadine grape" and "Development and Characterization of a Molecular Marker Associated with Female Flowers in Muscadine Grape." She has been recognized for her work with grants from the ATU Undergraduate Research Office and the NASA Space Grant Consortium. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Dr. Lewter is an active member of the community, serving on the boards of various organizations such as the Arkansas Association of Grape Growers and the Russellville Community Market. She is a strong advocate for STEM education and has developed a high school-level science course called "Sciencepalooza," which exposes underserved high school students to a wide range of STEM fields. 

Jeremy is a global scholar-practitioner specializing in facilitating multi-national collaborations, focused in the areas of agricultural and ecological systems - including soil biome, nutrient cycling, and remediation of contaminants to provide healthier ecosystems for communities. He played an essential role with the Drawdown Hemp leading the academic research and life cycle analysis supporting the team as one of the top one hundred finalists in the XPrize competition. He is focused on supporting data collection and evaluating resources in communities to provide systemic solutions through sustainable systems to improve quality of life. This has led him to working with and supporting coalitions and university collaborations with governments and communities around the world. His mission is to provide access to affordable nutrient dense food, safe and secure shelter, and clean water in every community, while establishing infrastructure to support generational stability. He does this by combining his multidisciplinary science background to support physiological impacts from exposure to contaminants from an ecosystem. Jeremy Hale is a global scholar-practitioner driven by a mission: to ensure access to affordable food, safe shelter, and clean water for all. He approaches this challenge not just as an academic, but as a collaborative leader, bridging the gap between research and real-world impact.

His expertise lies in agricultural and ecological systems, with a deep understanding of soil health, nutrient cycling, and contaminant remediation. His passion for sustainable solutions led him to spearhead research supporting Drawdown Hemp's XPrize bid, proving its potential to improve ecosystems and provide vital resources. Jeremy believes true change comes through collective action. He facilitates multi-national collaborations, connecting governments, communities, and universities to tackle interconnected challenges. He empowers communities. His diverse scientific background allows him to translate complex environmental issues into tangible impacts on human health and well-being. He understands how contaminated ecosystems not only harm the environment but also affect communities disproportionately. Driven by a commitment to generational stability, Jeremy works tirelessly to build resilient ecosystems and empower communities to thrive. He is not just a researcher, he is a changemaker, leaving a lasting impact on the world, one collaboration at a time.

Celina’s professional career began after the Rio Conference, when she joined forces with Ella Cisneros to help build the Together Foundation, a network aimed to facilitate positive global change by creating methodologies and a logistical framework that inventoried and integrated the needs and resources of people, projects, and organizations in service to humanity and the earth. Sustainably driven, Celina dedicated herself to developing green methodologies and practices for major brokerages. Described as a "visionary, catalyst and storyteller" she helped facilitate Vermont's inaugural Green Real Estate Symposium, the Global Hemp Accelerator promoting hemp as an alternative crop, and Vermont's first Circular Economy Convening. Celina co-founded the Collective Well to catalyze triple bottom line climate projects such as Beneficial Biochar, among others. Celina is currently helping Anguilla Energy Freedom build the first local energy cooperative on the island of Anguilla to pilot a new model for island nations to own and operate their energy future. Celina's journey to Native Health Matters is a testament to her deep connection and commitment to the natural world, sustainable local communities, Indigenous wisdom, and future generations.  

Health and Wellness Programs Director Native Health Matters Sarah is the President of Integrative Healthcare Solutions, LLC. She is a former civil servant of the federal government within the Indian Health Services, where she was responsible for overseeing and delivering changes to promote patient centered care to services units throughout Indian Country and various parts of the United States. She has coordinated networking and education events as well as developing collaborative efforts with community and tribal organizations in numerous nations. Her unique position as both a Native American healer and western medicine practitioner enables SJ to engage in the implementation of holistic healing through regenerative practices and data analysis. Her involvement is highly fortified and directly related to the project developments of Medicine Clan and American Indian Microbes. 

Andrew has over a decade of experience in construction and carpentry, specializing in project planning and management. He is also a strong advocate for hemp, contributing to research and designing innovative products such as hemp rope bridges. Andrew is enthusiastic about environmental conservation and soil health, and he advocates for Indigenous ecological knowledge. Through the Indigenous Production Trade Alliance and Research Center, he promotes hemp production, education, and commercialization. Andrew believes in the importance of collaboration and partnerships and fosters relationships and shared knowledge within Indian Country. He is constantly learning and exploring new insights, guided by triangulation of focus, awareness, and kind intentions. Andrew's commitment to sustainability, innovation, and collaboration drives his mission to address environmental challenges and create a more sustainable future.