National Native Tobacco Prevention Speakers Pool
The National Native Tobacco Prevention Speakers Pool enhances tribal, village, state, and community advocacy by increasing access to Native-specific tobacco abuse prevention expertise. Speaker participation is voluntary and self-defined. For Speaker contact information, or to inquire about Speaker Pool participation, please contact Cassandra Frutos, Project Assistant, at 503.416.3257.
SPEAKERS
Linda Burhansstipanov, President, Native American Cancer Initiatives
Linda Burhansstipanov, MSPH, DrPH, CHES (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma) completed both graduate degrees from UCLA. She taught full-time at universities for 18 years. She developed and implemented the Native American Cancer Research Program at the National Cancer Institute from 1989-1993. She is the Grants Director and President of Native American Cancer Research, a non-profit community-based, American Indian operated corporation and President of Native American Cancer Initiatives.. She currently is the principal investigator of NIH grants such as, Quality of Life: Native American Cancer Education for Survivors. She serves on national boards such as: the Intercultural Cancer Council and Mayo Clinic Spirit of E.A.G.L.E.S. She has over ninety peer reviewed publications.
Areas of Expertise:
•Education
•Evaluation
•Materials Development
•Mentoring
•Review for Scientific and Cultural Accuracy
•Technical Assistance
Char Day, Tobacco Unit Director, SW Colorado Peer Mentor, San Juan Basin Health Department
Char Day is the Tobacco Program Director for San Juan Basin Health Department. She has over 15 years of experience in all phases of community development and capacity building including training and directing over 110 project volunteers. Ms. Day is the cofounder of the Durango Latino Education Coalition, awarded the 1997 Durango Area Chamber Resort Association award for Outstanding Contribution to the Community and the 1997 El Pomar Award for Excellence. Ms. Day has provided trainings with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and co-developed American Indian health fair packets. Also partnered with Southern Ute Indian Tribe Health Unit to assist in developing appropriate tobacco use and manufactured tobacco abuse curriculums for Southern Ute Academy. She is also the co-creator of the annual alcohol-free Cinco de Mayo Celebration and has initiated the Week of the Young Child, Mothers Against Drunk Driving group in Durango, Los Amigos Tutoring Program, the Study Connection, the Lasso Tobacco Coalition, and the Durango Youth Access to Tobacco Ordinance. Ms. Day was awarded the Leadership La Plata, Durango Area Chamber Resort Association, Barbara Conrad Leadership Award.
Areas of Expertise:
•Advocacy
•Capacity Building
•Cessation
•Coalition Building
•Education
•Materials Development
•Media
•Policy
•Prevention
•Second Hand Smoke
•Spit, Snuff, & Snus Tobacco
•Traditional Tobacco
David Gonzales, Co-Director OHSU Smoking Cessation Center, Oregon Health & Science University
David Gonzales, PhD is a Senior Researcher and Co-director of the OHSU Smoking Cessation Center, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon where he directs the clinical trials and training programs section. Since 1988 he has been providing treatment to smokers and researching pharmacologic and behavioral interventions for nicotine dependence treatment. He has conducted clinical trials of pharmacotherapies such as nicotine replacement, bupropion, rimonabant, dopamine receptor antagonists, a nicotine vaccine and varenicline. Much of his work has focused on translating leading edge research findings into clinical practice through professional education and community training programs. He has investigated smoking and quitting patterns, pharmacology use and re-use patterns, gender response to interventions and spirituality as an aid to smoking cessation. He has provided consultation to international, national, state and local tobacco control programs; the National Tobacco Cessation Leadership Network; Native American and Alaskan Native Area Health Boards; and Native American tribal health clinics. He conducts education programs for medical, dental, community health, mental health and pharmacy professionals in a variety of academic and community settings throughout the United States.
Areas of Expertise:
•Cessation
• Pharmacotherapy
Rick Haverkate, Director of Public Health, Michigan Inter-Tribal Council
Rick Haverkate, MPH, is an enrolled member of the Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. He graduated from Northern Michigan University in 1989, where he completed a B.S. degree in Community Health Education. In 1992 he re-located to Honolulu, Hawaii to begin work on a Masters in Public Health Degree, completing his MPH in December of 1993. During and between his academic endeavors Richard has worked in various positions in the field of Public Health including serving in the Hawaii State Department of Health’s HIV/STD Prevention Program as their Public Information Specialist. In 1997 Rick returned to Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan and accepted a position as the Public Health Advisor with the Michigan Inter-Tribal Council (MITC). Since 1999 he has been employed as the Director of Public Health for the Michigan Inter-Tribal Council responsible for a $6.5 million annual budget, twenty-eight staff people, and seventeen Native American-specific health promotion/disease prevention programs. In addition to his duties as MITC Health Services Director, Richard currently serves as on the Health Board for the Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, was the Chairperson of the National Native People of North American HIV/AIDS Planning Committee. He is also a board member of the National Healthy Start Association and was appointed by the governor of Michigan to sit on the state Mental Health Commission. Richard is a member of the Indian Health Service Literacy Work Group and a member of the I.H.S. Prevention Policy Advisory Committee. Richard also serves on the Board of Directors for the Chippewa County United Way and volunteers as a “Big” with the local Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization.
Areas of Expertise:
•Advocacy
•Capacity Building
•Coalition Building
•Education
•Materials Development
•Media
•Policy
•Community Readiness
Lori New Breast, CEO Mahnokini & Associates
Member, Native American Tobacco Coalition of Montana
Lori New Breast is a member of the Amskapipikuni (Blackfeet) Nation and resides on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana. She has over 18 years of experience providing culturally based prevention, wellness and advocacy services to American Indian, Alaskan Native, First Nations, and other indigenous communities in the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand. Lori has developed culturally based policy, programming and advocacy strategies hat guarantee and protect cultural integrity, and improve community health. Lori initiated the Blackfeet Tobacco Free Act 2005 of the Blackfeet Nation. She is the former Director of the Blackfeet Tobacco Program, and served on the Montana Governor’s Tobacco Advisory Board from 2004 to 2007. Lori currently is a member of the Native American Tobacco Coalition of Montana, and participates in the World Health Organization Indigenous Peoples Forum on tobacco use development. She serves as a national consultant and advocate to private, state, and public organizations, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Tobacco Policy Change Program, and participates in the National Tribal Tobacco Network activities. Lori is dedicated to sustaining the cultural, Pistax’kaan (tobacco) protocols of the Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot Confederacy), while dismantling the protocols of addiction associated with manufactured tobacco product uses and promoting optimum cultural wellbeing.
Areas of Expertise:
•Advocacy
•Capacity Building
•Cessation
•Coalition Building
•Education
•Materials Development
•Media
•Policy
•Prevention
•Second Hand Smoke
•State Programming
•Traditional Tobacco
Gerry RainingBird, Director, National Tribal Tobacco Prevention Network
Gerry RainingBird is RockyBoy Cree. MS in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Physical Education and Health. Gerry has been involved in leadership education and community development in Native communities as a Group Facilitator, Trainer of Trainers, Cultural Consultant, Presenter, Motivational Speaker and Humorist for the past 15 years. Utilizing traditional teachings and concepts, native myths and legends, extensive practical application, and fieldwork, RainingBird has conducted numerous trainings and workshops at local, state, regional, and national meetings and conferences on tobacco issues for the past 9 years. In 2003, Gerry was the recipient of the prestigious American Legacy Foundation Community Activist Award. He is also the proud father of Lindsay (Little Whirlwind Woman) and Jeremiah (Sits in The Sky).
Areas of Expertise:
•Advocacy
•Capacity Building
•Cessation
•Coalition Building
•Education
•Materials Development
•Media
•Policy
•Prevention
•Second Hand Smoke
•Traditional Tobacco
Cynthia Tainpeah, Director, Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tobacco Prevention Program
Biography and Expertise Forthcoming
Nicole (CoCo) Toves, Tobacco Policy Project Director, Fort Peck Tribal Health
Nicole Toves is an enrolled Hidatsa at the Three Affiliated Tribes in New Town, North Dakota, Assiniboine from Fort Peck/Fort Belknap and Chamorro from Guam. Nicole is one of the founding members of the Native American Tobacco Coalition of Montana (NATCOM). She has partnered with many diverse organizations such as Tobacco Policy Sharing Knowledge In Native Societies (TPSKINS); Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; American Cancer Society; and Many Voices, One Message. Nicole has presented at regional, statewide and national conferences. She has experience addressing the sacred use of tobacco. She presented at the Global Youth Advocacy Training in Washington D.C. in 2006. Some of her proudest accomplishments include passing the Fort Peck No Smoking Resolution for her Tribe, being selected to present at the Auahi Kore (Smoke Free) Conference in Aotearoa (New Zealand), and passing the Ohinni Candi Wakandapi/Chani Wakan K/Nusa Commercial Tobacco Free Ordinance for the Fort Peck Tribes. Nicole incorporates dancing (hip-hop, Indian, hula, Tahitian, salsa and more styles) into her youth prevention activities in schools, juvenile detention centers, colleges, and treatment centers. Her goal is to stop commercial tobacco abuse in her community for the health and happiness of her people.
Areas of Expertise:
•Advocacy
•Capacity Building
•Coalition Building
•Education
•Media
•Policy
•Prevention
•Second Hand Smoke
•Traditional Tobacco
•Youth Prevention
Danny Vollin, Educational Consultant, Red Hawk Consulting
Over the last 35 years Danny has worked tribal and Native organizations across the country. Danny emphasizes the importance of including tribal elders, Native healers and tribal spiritual leaders in the process of healing from tobacco abuse. This included the sharing of tribal knowledge from all tribes to develop a cultural healing base that reflected all Native people at a universal level. Danny focuses on bring an understanding of the sacred use of tobacco, as a medicine with strict instructional use, and how it differs from commercial use.
Areas of Expertise:
•Advocacy
•Capacity Building
•Coalition Building
•Education
•Media
•Second Hand Smoke
•Traditional Tobacco
Terresa White, Programs Coordinator, National Tribal Tobacco Prevention Network and Western Tobacco Prevention Project
Terresa (Michuar) White is the Project Specialist for the National Tribal Tobacco Prevention Network (NTTPN) at the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board where she began coordinating national disease prevention and health education efforts in 2002. She is Yup‘ik (Eskimo) and her family is from the village of Bethel, Alaska. She is a certified trainer in a number of tobacco cessation curricula including the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tobacco Prevention Program Second Wind: A Stop Smoking Program for American Indians and Alaska Natives, the University of Arizona Basic Tobacco Intervention, and the American Lung Association N-O-T on Tobacco and Freedom from Smoking. Terresa&rsquos; educational background includes the ways of knowing passed on to her by her Yup’ik (Granny) Clara, her coursework at Portland State University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English in 1996, and various professional training opportunities including completion of Introduction to Epidemiology at the Oregon Health & Science University 2004 Summer Research Training Institute for American Indian and Alaska Native Health Professionals. She has participated in a number of national committees, speakers bureaus, and work groups during her tenure with the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. Her publications include Anticipating Joyful Girl, Winds of Change Magazine, Spring 2004, Care and Feeding of Volunteers, Oregon Department of Transportation OTN Toolkit for Marketing, October, 2001.
Areas of Expertise:
•Cessation
•Education
•Materials Development
•Media
•Prevention
