Suzy Chaffee (Laplander) – NAOTF co-chair, co-founder, executive director, Olympic skier, 3 X World Freestyle Champion, honored by Colorado’s SportsWomen Hall of Fame for leading the Title IX March, and pioneering Freestyle skiing and Native Ski Programs. As the first woman on USOC Board, she led successful reform of the Olympic rules in the 70’s that restored the integrity of the Ancient Games to the Modern. Through four decades of support for Title IX she helped save Americans a trillion in healthcare and welfare because sports and education opportunities empower girls to delay teen pregnancy and transform their families, communities and nations from poverty and productivity. She has worked on projects with seven U.S. Presidents, including 4 President Councils on Fitness, honored by many tribes.

Billy Kidd – (Abenaki) first American male to win an Olympic Alpine medal, World Pro Ski Racing Champion, Director of Skiing for Steamboat Springs Ski Area; pioneered their “N. Ute Future Olympians program,” and with his Olympic Coaching staff that has produced over 50 Mainstream Olympians, is assisting three Native American Olympic Hopefuls. He inspired the SnowSports Industry in 2002 to donate a half million dollars worth of gear that NAOTF distributed to over 45 tribes. He believes that Native skiers like Delany Tyon (Pine Ridge Lakota) and Mariah Cooper (La Courte Oreilles) and others will soon be a major force in Olympic snowsports.

Tex Hall – (Hidatsa-Arikara), former President of National Congress of American and Chairman of his tribe and the Great Plains Tribes, and while NAOTF Co-chairman 2000-2002 brought the foundation national credibility. As NCAI President he partnered with Ski Utah to fund NAOTF ceremony that ended the snow drought before the 2002 Utah Olympics, Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, tried out for Nuggets, teacher and currently a rancher.

Olivia Ellis PhD – (Cherokee), President of Nelson County’s Master Gardeners in Virginia, leads tours at President Jefferson’s Monticello Gardens, Groves and Orchards, teacher, writer, editor, orchestrated Children’s Peace Writing Project for UN, revealed the Free organic fruit tree school solution to help U.S. kick hunger, diabetes and obesity, celebrated in 2005 with a lifetime award for Youth Empowerment, and received commendations from the YWCA, California and Federal Legislative bodies, and Teacher-of-the-Year in Los Angeles County representing 80,000 teachers, skier who lives at the base of Wintergreen Ski Area in VA.

Nancy Penzkover Cooper (Lac Courte Oreilles) – teacher and nutritional advisor for her tribe in Hayward, Wisconsin, Blueberry Creek Arts & Crafts store owner and teacher, Ed consultant for BIA with Masters in Educational Administration and BS in Elementary Ed, now assistant principal at Ft Yates Middle School, ND. Nancy was right hand woman for Gosh Kabosh when he was President of the National Congress of American Indians. As mother of cross country Olympic Hopeful Mariah Cooper, she knows all the players and the network of support systems in Indian Country, and can help us slalom around the pitfalls of corruption to help ensure Native girls get the sports, as well as educational opportunities, of the proposed Native Girl Initiative. Member of selective service board for Sawyer County, and was a Girl Scout leader and singer & guitar player in a country Western band.

Mariah Cooper (Lac Courte Oreille-Oneida) – Native American Olympic XC Hopeful after placing 2nd in Jr Birkie with 14 countries and training under Olympian Billy Kidd at Steamboat, she is a role model thanks also to winning three golds in track in the North American Indigenous Games and becoming 2012 valedictorian of her mixed high school, No. 1 in her pre med class and honor student at U of Wisconsin, student Senate, nutritional rep for her dorm, coaches local Native youth and Elders in cross country, and 650 Alaskan Arctic youth in 2012, along with diabetes prevention talks as spokesperson for health and wellness and alcohol prevention for Indian Health Services. This 19 yr old brings priceless input to streamline the Native Girl Initiative.

STAFF

NAOTF Bookkeeper and Manager: Linda Dukin – University of DeVry Lombard, Illinois, Bachelor of Computer Science, College of Dupage Campus, Glen Ellen, Illinois, Associates Degree in Computer Science, AmeriCorps*VISTA WITC member and college recruiter for NC3 program, worked for IBM, office manager and bookkeeper for International Harvester, computer manager for APX Mortgage and Holland Floral, computer consultant for HeadStart, Tall Pines Marketing, and Dept of Work Force Development of State Vocational Rehabilitation, taught her La Courte Oreilles husband Michael to be internet savvy, computer instructor and budget for her dept at Lac Courte Oreille-Ojibwa Community College, a 501(C)3, bookkeeper for non-profit Jewish Temple, computer teacher for Girl Scouts, and volunteer for helping Native girl athletes. Nancy Cooper stands by her 12 year track record of integrity.

NAOTF ADVISORS

Dr. Stephen Schneider – the late 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Winner (with his Stanford team), who partnered with our Native American Elders, (as well as Hawaiian and Maori environmentalists through their Woods Institute), to help mainstream Americans understand how snowdances work. He publicly praised the tribes as well as ski areas for inviting nearby tribal youth to enjoy skiing, which inspires the Elders. “If it works, go for it,” he said in his parting gift to humanity. More on P. 7 http://naotf.org/articles/Elders-15-Green-MandatesRIO-20.pdf

Xiuhtezcatl (Shoe tez cot) Martinez – One of the hopes for humanity at UN’s RIO+20 Earth Summit in June, were the World Youth groups uniting. Xiuh, a Boulder, Colorado’s 12 yr old was a media star for walking into the closed “deciders” meeting and telling world leaders what the youth need to restore their “Climate Justice since it is our future, not the politicians being decided.” So leaders need to put integrity with People and Nature first, not corporations. They say the keys to Climate Justice are planting billions of trees, and the Arctic countries agreeing to make the Arctic a drill-free Sanctuary, since the British Parliament said that one spill under the ice and it’s all over. Xiuh is addressing the World Lawyer Conference to inspire them to help get the rest of the Arctic countries behind the Sanctuary. He was chosen to head up the UN’s Billion Tree Program for the U.S. Both will also help prevent the expected increasing droughts and prolong snowsports. The NRDC study found that the snow in Utah and Colorado will be gone unless we also make an emergency shift to renewables. www.Earthguardians.org.

French Princess Caroline Murat – After meeting in Aspen N. Ute Chairman Roland McCook, tribal host of the 2002 Utah Olympics, she became NAOTF’s European leader. At the end of the spectacular Native American Olympic Opening in Utah, Miss Indian World Ke Aloha Alo (Hawaiian-Apache), thanked the Olympic leaders for “Finally making it cool to be a Native American.” A renowned international concert pianist, Princess Murat honored this stunning law student-snowboarder at her prestigious Music Festivals in Gstaad. Then Alo met with the IOC at Lausanne about how to fulfill their RIO Agenda 21 recommendation by including more Natives in the Olympics to enhance their sustainability. Princess Murat has been the biggest supporter of inclusion of a sovereign Native American Olympic Team. Given the IOC resistance, we needed this closest descendant of Napoleon! In appreciation for Stew Young, Tulalip World Cup Speedskier and Chaffee safely teaching Princess Murat’s musical progeny of Europe to ski at her Veysonnaz Fest in the Swiss Alps, the ski area owner announced on Swiss TV that they want to host a Native American Olympic Training camp there.

Prince Albert of Monaco – Olympic Bobsledder, Lakota adoptee and Champion of Native Americans on the IOC, his Majesty was the first world leader to raise awareness of the melting Arctic glaciers. He led expeditions to the N. Pole in 2004 and 2006 (pre-VP Gore), where he also honored his great great grandfather Albert 1, who was adopted by the Lakotas. Spending time with Sitting Bull contributed to his founding the Oceanographic Institute over 100 ahead of the world.

Bill Bradley – Senator, Presidential Candidate, Knicks and US Olympic Basketball star, wrote the bill to give back the Lakotas their sacred Black Hills, researched why the Ancient Olympics at Olympia were successful for 1,000 years, as did Chaffee independently. Together with Muhammad Ali and Jack Kelly (AAU Prez/Grace’s bro), they successfully reformed the Modern Olympic rules in 1976, the same used today.

Phil Jackson – Time Magazine’s coverstory “Basketball Guru,” LA Lakers Coach who wrote “Sacred Hoops,” led a Native ceremony with Michael Jordan which helped their Chicago Bulls win the NBA playoffs.

Stew Young – (Tulalip) Member of the Native American Olympic Ski Team, World Cup Speed skier, “Fastest Veteran on Skis in 1999,” launched the Native American Olympic Team inclusion at the 2006 Torino Olympics on behalf of NCAI President Joe Garcia, led the Sovereignty Run across America mentoring youth all the way, masters in child psychology, and professor of Videography at Oregon State, helped launch Native Ski programs in the Pacific Northwest.

Ambassador Gilbert A. Robinson (ret.) – Offered to provide the top fundraiser in DC for a possible Native American Olympic Benefit honoring “Native Sports Heroes, Past, Present and Olympic Hopefuls.” As Order of the Arrow Scout he studied Indian Law one summer living in a tipi. He helped open trade between US and China, and US Corporations and Russia after helping save 1,400 orphans during the change to Capitalism, with the late NAOTF board member Florian Halazon and supported by the late Senator Ted Kennedy.

Barry ZeVan – Former board member, beloved TV host and weather man in the DC and Minneapolis areas. Won Peabody award for “Indian Homelands,” where Indian leaders explain the devastating Dawes Act, produced documentary of the Queen of Iran skiing with Olympians Billy Kidd and Suzy in 1978 that recently went viral worldwide. PR for three Minnesota tribes over 12 years, PR for 2002 Sovereignty Run, helped raise Suzy’s consciousness with Cheryl Tyon (Ojibwe) who founded Minnesota Indian Tourism, 18 years ago that led to her co-founding NAOTF.

Dr Gabriel Cousins – Modern Day Essene Priest (Jesus & Moses were Essenes) who opened the Telluride Awareness Festival with the 4 Directions Hebrew Prayer, which is similar to the Native Americans, World renowned Naturapathic doctor who showed us through Kirlean Aura photography shafts of energy coming off organic foods, while pesticided ones look black, works also with tribes at the Tree of Life Center in Arizona. In 2012 his study found that “one month of raw, organic fresh fruits and vegetables can end diabetes, including in obese people.”

Dr Jay Sanders – Emeritus of the renowned Johns Hopkins that discovered that sugar feeds cancer. Pioneer of Telemedicine and Teleeducation, offering to bring that capability to US Tribes.

Tom Colter – US Olympic Boxing Coach, wrote Olympic Boxing Rules, Boxing coach for Foxwood’s Native American Olympic Boxing Team that competed as their own Nation in Finland in 2006, and soon again in 2009 with former .

Rick Bard – Editor-publisher of Manhattan Magazine, a Golden Gloves Champion, honored with a World Eco Award by the UN.

Dr Alex Kaufman – Aspenite who helped NVF’s ski programs go national, Founder of “Seeds of Peace Sports Camps” for Arab and Israeli kids with Clinton, Arafat and Israeli leader, founded Herman’s Sporting Goods, and developed lubricant for jets.

Cara Daniel – descendant of Texas Comanche Chief Quanah Parker, whose friendship with Teddy Roosevelt led to starting our National Parks System. She wrote and performed a one woman show at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics on the capture of Quanah’s mother, and transformation from white to Native consciousness.

The late Scott Halazon – Former NVF board member that helped get our wonderful webmaster, Debby West. He helped Ambassador Robinson save 120,000 Russian orphans thanks also to funding from Senator Ted Kennedy, during Gorby’s shift to democracy. He helped pioneer US Biodiesel and Aspen’s Energy Institute.

ELDER ADVISORS

Chief Arvol Lookinghorse – (Lakota) Keeper of White Buffalo Prophesy Pipe, Pro Bronco Champion, guided our Native American Olympic Protection Ceremony at Salt Lake, led by S. Ute Chairman Roland McCook and supported by Muhammad Ali, which protected the 2002 Games from terrorism expected by psychics and Elders. Led Snow Gratitude ceremony following their Elders miracle snowfall the night before as he dramatically opened with his Spirit Riders our ‘Ski Celebration of the Great Plains Tribes” in 2002. Suzy taught the Chief to ski with his Lokota kids. That planted the seeds for Delaney Tyon (Pine Ridge Lakota) to win the National Nastar Championships after Billy Kidd put him under his wing in Steamboat. Arvol also host of World Peace and Prayer.

Chief Oren Lyons – Leader of the Onondaga Nation of Iroquois Confederacy, Lacrosse Grand Master and Chief supporter of the Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse Team that placed 3th recently as a Nation against the Superpowers in the World Championships, inspired the Prime Minister of Sweden to transform from nuclear to alternative energy. As historian, he contributed to the history of the 10 sports that Native Americans invented the roots of, along with the former curator of the Smithsonian, plus Woodie Vaspra, (Hawaiian-Chinese), a former pro baseball and football player turned President of the World Council of Elders, and Chaffee.

Valerie Nunez (Apache) – Gifted Earth healer who helped end Southern California’s 7 Year drought in 2004, brilliant researcher, former banker.

Loya Cesspooch – N. Ute Elder/skier, unity leader, teacher, Diabetes Board, and Dance troop leader. Instrumental in launching Native Ski Programs in Colorado and Utah that snowballed across America.

RobertJohn Knapp (Seneca) – Led Europeans from seven countries down the rivers of Italy to the Vatican where he inspired Pope Benedict to declare in 2008 that “It is a sin to poison the water.” Lectures worldwide including to the Canadian Parliament.

Roseanne Abrahamson (Shoshone) – Sakajawea’s descendent honored at the White House, teacher, organized ceremony with NVF that ended the snow drought before the 2002 Utah Olympics, Native American Foundation Board member that helped open the 2002 Utah Olympics honoring the First Americans, and MC of the Awards Ceremonies, came up with the name of our Whistler video, “Mt Spirit Celebration” to showcase the amazing Native talent and inspire the Oneness of Nature to return to the Modern Olympics.

Akima Casteneda (Chumash) former NAOTF board, a founder of Earth Day in Santa Barbara (which Suzy honored him for there), actor (Hidalgo…) star at the Universal Studios of the First Californians, dancer, speaker/performer/dancer troop leader at schools, and Indian talent agency.

HONORARY INSPIRATION

Daniel “Rollingbears”Quintana (Lakota, Tewa, Pueblo, Azteca) – His four weather miracles after teaching him to ski with a complimentary ticket from Telluride SkiCo, made me realize Mother Earth listens and I found myself organizing the first “Ute Welcoming Home Ski Celebration” along with the late and great Southern Utes, Eugene Naranjo and Oren Box, and Ute Mountain’s late Tony Tallbirds, plus Terry Knight and Norman Lopez (Ute Mt). Thanks also to founding attorney Marie Adamo.

Michael Saftler – a NVF founder in Telluride, Rabbi, ski instructor, guardian of Telluride’s wetlands and beaver pond, first to create a bridge between the ski town’s ecologists, City Council and tribes to solve environmental challenges almost overnight; a founder of “Steps to Awareness,” which featured Native Americans like John Trudell and NVF Advisors like Dr Gabriel Cousins; invented the town’s “Free Box,” where the ski communities share and recycle goods (which nearly eliminates crime), which he dreams of doing for Indian Country

FORMER NVF/NAOTF CO-CHAIRMEN

1996-2000 Alden Naranjo, (S. Ute Colorado Unity and spiritual leader, Co-founder and First Co-chairman of NVF, invented name of Native Voices Foundation, his late brother Eugene Naranjo planted the seeds for this.

2000-2002 – Tex Hall, former NCAI President

2002-2004 Brian Wallace, Washoe Chairman, 2004-2006 Ed Hall, ND Affiliated Tribes and

2006-2007 Gary Lake, Shasta Vice chairman

2008 Charles Vargas – Chiricahua CEO – changed NVF name to NAOTF

2008 Kelvin Frank PhD (Cree-Chippewa), Muckelshoot sports director

2009-2012 Ken Bellmard (Kaw), USA Judo Board and Counselor

SPECIAL THANKS to San Juan Pueblo Governor Joe Garcia – runner, NCAI President for his Olympic leadership on behalf of the youth by launching the initiation of a sovereign Native American Olympic Team at the 2006 Olympics at Torino, Italy, and Stew Young (Tulalip) World Cup Speedskier, member of the Native American Olympic Ski Team, who represented him there and at the IOC meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland

CONSULTANT:

Ken Evans – Non-profit development consultant, Webmaster for Arizona Non-profit fundraisers, pilot, NASA trained.

NAOT ATHLETES ADVISORY COUNCIL– To be developed