People
IndigenizeSNAC Project Team
Diana Marsh | Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor, University of Maryland, College of Information
Diana Marsh is an Assistant Professor of Archives and Digital Curation at the University of Maryland’s College of Information Studies (iSchool) and current member of the Society of American Archivists’ new Archival Repatriation Committee. She previously worked at the Smithsonian’s National Anthropological Archives and American Philosophical Society. Her current work focuses on improving discovery of Native and Indigenous collections held in colonial repositories.
Shelbi Nahwilet Meissner (Luiseño and Cupeño; first generation descendant of the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians) | Co-PI, Assistant Professor, University of Maryland, Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Shelbi Nahwilet Meissner is an Indigenous feminist philosopher. Shelbi researches, teaches, and consults on Indigenous research and evaluation methods, cultural and language reclamation, Indigenous epistemologies, Indigenous feminist interventions in critical social work, and land-based feminist coalition-building. Shelbi is fascinated by the intersections of Indigenous knowledge systems, caretaking, power, and trauma. Shelbi is a proud first-generation descendant of the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, and is of both Luiseño (Payómkawichum) and Cupeño (Kupangaxwichem) descent. She is an assistant professor in the Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at University of Maryland, College Park and the founding director of the Indigenous Futures Lab, a hub of Indigenous feminist research and evaluation.
Ia Bull (ᎦᏚᏩᎩ/Gaduwagi) | Graduate Assistant, PhD Student, University of Maryland, College of Information (ᎠᏴ ᎪᎳᏄ ᏓᏆᏙᎠ. ᏌᎶᎵ ᎤᎾᏓᏢ ᏂᎦᏘᏲ ᎠᏆᎨᎵ ᎨᏟᏙᎯᏃ. ᏥᏄᏓᎴ ᏥᏎᎩᏳᏍᏗ ᏥᎦᏚᏩᎩᏃ ᏥᎾᏥᏃ.)
Ia Bull (ᎦᏚᏩᎩ/Gaduwagi) is a second-year doctoral student at the University of Maryland iSchool PhD in Information. They have an M.L.I.S. & Archives Certificate from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in Cherokee Language Revitalization from Northeastern State University. Their work concerns evaluating information disciplines and academia more broadly for Indigenous self-determination through language and cultural revitalization efforts. They are currently the research assistant on the Indigenize SNAC project.
Their past work includes the lead developer of the Natchez Indigital Community Archive project, a collaborator with the Mapping Tahlequah History project, and an archive professional working at such institutions as the Helmrich Center for American Research at the Gilcrease Museum, the Cherokee Heritage Archives, and the American Philosophical Society.
Scotty Beland | Training and Outreach Coordinator, Graduate Student, MLIS, University of Maryland, College of Information
Scotty Beland is a recent graduate from UMD’s College of Information, earning a Master’s in Library and Information Science. Relevant archival work has centered around outreach and instruction which has included working with various Indigenous communities, curation of small and large exhibitions, creation of outreach and archival research skills content, and supervision of undergraduate and graduate internships.
Abigail Hardy (Monacan Indian Nation) | Research Assistant, Undergraduate Student, Anthropology, University of Maryland
Abigail is a current anthropology major at UMD with a focus on Indigenous and multicultural experiences. Awarded the #IndigenousUMD Ashley Minner Indigenous Art Award in 2023 and enjoys finding ways to create art based on passions and interests. When not working, I enjoy reading, playing rugby, and spending time with my cats.
Rebecca Ridge (Indigenous Chicana) | Research Assistant, MA, Native American Studies, University of Oklahoma
Rebecca Ridge is an Indigenous Chicana from San Antonio, Texas who currently resides with her two children in Norman Oklahoma where she is pursuing a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Oklahoma. Rebecca holds a Master’s degree in Native American Studies from the University of Oklahoma, and is currently serving as the Project Manager for OU’s Indigenous Media Portal. Rebecca is excited to join the Indigenize SNAC team as a Graduate Research Assistant.
Past Members
Lydia Curliss (Nipmuc Massachusetts) | Former GA
Amanda Sorensen | Former GA
Rachel Bickel | Former Project Manager
Indigenous Advisory Board
Angie Bain (Lower Nicola Indian Band) | Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs
Tiffany N. Chavis, MSW, MLIS (Lumbee) | University of Maryland, Baltimore
Alan Corbiere (m’Chigeeng First Nation) | Assistant Professor, York University, Department of History
Taylor Gibson (Cayuga) | Six Nations Polytechnic
Eric Hemenway (Anishinave/Odawa) | Director of Repatriation, Archives and Records, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indian
Keahiahi Long (Hawaiian) | Librarian, University of Hawai’i, Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies
Selena Ortega-Chiolero (Chickaloon) | Museum Specialist, Chickaloon Village Traditional Council
Veronica Pipestem (Otoe-Missouria) | Owner/Consultant, ItsimiVee LLC
Melissa Stoner (Diné/Navajo Nation) | Native American Studies Librarian, University of California, Berkeley
Kimberly Toney (Hassanamisco Band of Nipmuc) | Inaugural Coordinating Curator for Native American and Indigenous Collections, Brown University Library
Indigenous Description Group
Lindsey Chapman (Pawnee Nation, Cherokee Nation/UKB Descendant) | Museum of the Pawnee Nation
River Freemont (Turtle Mountain Chippewa and Omaha Descendant) | Digital Archives Specialist, National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
Evie Giaconia | Processing and Reference Coordinator, University of Maryland Libraries
Mik Hamilton | Simmons University
Worthy Martin | Acting Director, University of Virginia, Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities
Jerrid Miller (Cherokee Nation/Cherry Tree, Adair District) | Archivist, Cherokee Nation Language Department
Eden Orelove | Archivist/Historian, National Transportation Library, U.S. Department of Transportation
Jerica Scullawl-Gates (Cherokee Nation) | Child Welfare Specialist, Cherokee Nation
Liaisons
Fallon Carey (Cherokee Nation) | National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
Betts Coup | Harvard University Libraries
Alexander Duryee | Harvard University Libraries
B. Bernetiae Reed | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Jerry Simmons | SNAC Director
