INDIGENOUS WOMEN’S COUNCIL

Britta Guerrero

Britta Guerrero currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Sacramento Native American Health Center, Inc (SNAHC), a AAAHC accredited, Patient Centered Medical Home certified (PCMH), non-profit urban Indian health center.

In economically challenging times, SNAHC has emerged as a leader in the provision of quality health care delivered through a culturally competent, family-centered and wrap around delivery system. To further demonstrate their commitment health leadership and to the patient centered philosophy, SNAHC was the first organization in the state of California to receive recognition as a AAAHC-Patient Centered Health Home.

Diane Merrick

Diane Merrick is dedicated to the healing of present and future generations by reclaiming and revitalizing culture, identity, language and history. She is an enrolled member of the Ihanktonwan Oyate (End Village Nation) and fluent speaker of the Dakhota/Nakhota dialect. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Alcohol Drug Abuse Studies from the University of South Dakota and has spent many years of her life as a traditional language and cultural educator. Diane introduced the iPad language app of the N/Dakhota dialect to her students which became available on iTunes. She served as a Tribal Business and Claims Committee Member for the Ihanktonwan Oyate and also facilitated a summer language immersion program to many Ihanktonwan preschool/elementary populations. She is a current board member for the nonprofit, Winter Camp, which is dedicated to natural healing via plants, herbs and organic practices. She served as Project Coordinator for the Keya Diabetes Project through SAMHSA which allowed her to work closely with three South Dakota tribes, utilizing technology to track nutrition and wellness. She has also served as Cultural Advisor to Sanford Hospital advocating as a tribal liaison for patient care services.

Lea S. Denny

Lea S. Denny, MS, LPC, NCC, NMT, CEO, Founder & Clinical Director at HIR Wellness Institute (HIRWI).  HIR stands for Healing Intergenerational Roots and is a grassroots nonprofit organization that provides a community-centered, healing informed and culturally rooted approach to restoring safety, trust, and healing after experiences of trauma, victimization, and other mental health concerns. At Ms. Denny’s organization, free, trauma-informed and culturally relevant mental health counseling, wellness services, and community gatherings are offered to urban American Indian and other underserved people. Denny’s vision is to establish HIRWI as a leading training site that supports and encourages the professional development and co-advocacy of the next generation of counselors, healers, and mentors. Ms. Denny presents locally, nationally and internationally on her research and work on Historical Trauma for Intergenerational Healing, her C.A.M.™  (Community Activated Medicine) events, CAMPsites ™ (mobile mental health outreach) and pathways towards decolonizing Mental Health Practices. She infuses Community Based Participatory Research and Practice Based Evidence to guide the development of HIRWI programming and to better identify community needs. She is trained in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) and will complete her next phase as an NMT Trainer this year. Ms. Denny is part of an international network of Indigenous professionals.  She actively participates in focus groups on community-based services for Indigenous people, and she provides regular consultation. She is a Mental Health First Aid Instructor and, through HIRWI programming, offers workshops and support groups at no cost to community members. She developed Community Activated Medicine (CAM ™ 2017) programming to create greater access to mental health resources and events specifically designed for communities to come together and learn together. Ms. Denny developed Community Activated Medicine Place (CAMP ©2017) sites, that are hosted at all HIR events and are frequently offered to participants during conferences where Ms. Denny presents. CAMP-sites are mental health outreach pop-ups that are staffed by trained professionals. Ms. Denny’s vision for CAM is to create spaces for communities to experience togetherness, belonging, and to hold space for healing opportunities that can extend beyond one person to impact future generations and where the relationships are the medicine. HIR’s motto is “Illness becomes Wellness when I becomes We, Healing All Nations- One Tribe”

Ruth Anna Buffalo

Ruth Anna Buffalo is a citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation (MHA Nation).  Originally from Mandaree, she currently resides in south Fargo with her husband and four children.  She was elected in 2018 and is serving a four-year term representing District 27 in the North Dakota House of Representatives.  

Shortly after receiving her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 2002 (Huron University, South Dakota) she served the MHA Nation in a community capacity building role as the Substance Abuse Prevention coordinator.   She helped to create and enhance local community coalitions for each of the six segments within the Ft. Berthold reservation.  There, she also led a young women’s group for the Boys and Girls Club and assisted with the annual Culture Camp.  

Not only was Ruth the first woman in United Tribes Technical College’s history to lead the Women’s Basketball program but also the first woman to join the Men’s Basketball coaching staff.  During her tenure at UTTC, she was Head Women’s Basketball coach for three years followed by one year as the Assistant Men’s Basketball coach. Her final two years with the UTTC Athletic Department were spent mentoring young women as the Women’s Assistant Basketball Coach. 

During her seven years at UTTC, Ruth was a Health and Wellness Adjunct Instructor and led the college’s Strengthening Lifestyles wellness program which served the campus community’s students, families and employees.  She later accepted a Susan G. Komen scholarship opportunity in Kansas City (KUMC) to study breast cancer among the American Indian urban population.  Ruth holds master’s degrees in management (University of Mary), Business Administration (University of Mary) and Public Health (North Dakota State University).

Buffalo, the first United States Woman PeaceMaker fellow (2019-2020) in 18 years of the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice program's history (University of San Diego), is a political healer, community organizer, public health professional and educator. 

Ruth volunteers on several local and national boards working to improve the quality of life for all people.  She has served on advisory councils focused on women's health, women's leadership development, and local food systems.  

 A former chair of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition, she received the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development's 40 under 40 Leadership Award.  The Forum of Fargo Moorhead newspaper named her among local leaders to watch in 2019.  Her consulting and independent contract work has included capacity building through local nonprofits and strengthening workforce development through the MHA Nation Summer Youth Employment Program.

Ruth works with the First Nations Women's Alliance where she advocates for prevention of violence through continued strategies of healing and reconciliation through education and relationship building. Ruth hopes her efforts will contribute to policy changes in all levels of government for future generations.  A community organizer for all people, Ruth works diligently to ensure all people are informed of the electoral and legislative process.  Her passion is safe and healthy communities.