Our Board & Staff

 

The Reach The Rez Project is a program of the Association for American Indian Development, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The Association for American Indian Development – Board of Directors

LITEFOOT – CHAIRMAN/SPOKESPERSON

Litefoot is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. He is an entrepreneur, musical performer actor, author, and motivational speaker. Litefoot first cultivated his entrepreneurial spirit when he founded Red Vinyl Records in 1992.  Beyond music, Litefoot founded the highly successful Native Style® clothing and accessory line in 2001. In early 2011, Litefoot became the first Native American to develop, design and manufacture his own branded sneaker line named the Litefoot FlexArrow™. In addition to his own entrepreneurial pursuits, Litefoot has served as Vice‐President of Native Affairs for the Triple Five Group, owners of the world’s largest retail shopping malls; the Mall of America and the West Edmonton Mall.  Litefoot proudly serves as a Board Member of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED). Litefoot is also a feature film actor and has starred in several major motion pictures including, The Indian In The Cupboard and Mortal Kombat, Annihilation. He has also appeared on the television programs: C.S.I. Miami, Family Law and Any Day Now. Litefoot’s most recent incarnation is as a writer. In 2010, Litefoot self published his first book, “The Medicine of Prayer”; an inspirational and semi-autobiographical work.

 

ERNEST L. STEVENS – VICE CHAIRMAN

Ernie Stevens, Jr. is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. He is the Chairman and national spokesman for the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) in Washington, DC.   Stevens is currently serving his fifth two‐year term as the organization’s leader.   NIGA, established in 1985, is a non‐profit organization of 184 Indian Nations with other non‐ voting associate members representing tribes and businesses engaged in tribal gaming enterprises from around the country.  From 1993 to 1999 Stevens served as an elected councilman for the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin.  He is a former First Vice‐President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI).   As a respected leader in Indian Country, Stevens also serves on the Native American Rights Fund National Support Committee (NARF), is a Board Member of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED), National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA), and serves on the Native American Advisory Board of the Boys and Girls Club of America.  Stevens has earned an Associate’s degree from Haskell Indian Nations University, in Lawrence, Kansas and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Mount Senario College in Ladysmith, Wisconsin.

 

MARGO GRAY-PROCTOR – TREASURER

Margo Gray‐Proctor is a proud member of the Osage Nation. She is President of Horizon Engineering Services Co., an award‐winning, 8(a) Native American, woman‐owned civil engineering firm. The firm provides civil engineering consulting and design for gaming developments, hotels, hospitals, airports, transportation and master planning, as well as project management for projects.    She received her education at Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, OK and the Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.  In addition to many state and local activities, she currently serves as the Chairwoman of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) and is a Board member for the American Indian Business Network Board Member for National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA). She also Co‐Chair the Economic Development Sub‐Committee for the National Congress of American Indians, and is an active member of Women Empowering Women for Indian Nations.  Her leadership and determination has won her numerous prestigious honors and awards including the “Badger Award for Tenacity and Perseverance in Business” by the American Indian Business Leaders Association and the “Georgeann Robinson Humanitarian Award” presented by the Oklahoma Federation of Indian Women. Her background includes many years in tribal law enforcement and tribal government services. She is active in her Osage culture and holds the position of Head Cook at the “Jenny Gray Chapter” of the Native American church, a high honor for a woman in her Osage culture.

 

The Association for American Indian Development – Executive Staff 

CARMEN DAVIS - PRESIDENT

Carmen Davis (Chippewa-Cree, Yakama,Makah) is a successful businesswoman, dynamic motivational speaker and an inspirational Native American role model.

As President of the non-profit organization, Association For American Indian Development – Carmen worked with over 200 different tribes in the span of  just 12 months to coordinate and bring to life the nationwide “Reach The Rez” project.  It has since become the largest effort of outreach to positively impact tribal communities in the history of the United States of America. Carmen continues to manage and coordinate this massive project which has now traveled more than 150,000 miles and to over 450 tribal nations. As an entrepreneur, Carmen has made her Native Style Clothing and accessory brand into one of the most recognizable in Indian Country. She has successfully expanded the reach of Native Style Clothing to dozens of tribal casinos and resorts across the United States and Canada.  In 2009, Carmen was named to the very first class of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s “Top 40 Under 40” list of up and coming young Native American leaders. As a proud Native American woman, Carmen Davis is an example of the life skills, attitude and professional attributes necessary for success in todays world. She does not believe in limiting ones self nor that Native people should be confined to having relevance solely within the boundaries of Native American communities. Carmen knows that Native American people have much to offer the world and she is ready to share her knowledge and experiences with Indian Country to help strengthen and guide the next generation of its leaders. Carmen is a mentor, role model and an example of the possibilities that exist for today’s Native American people.

GERALD BIGELOW - DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT & OPERATIONS

Mr. Bigelow of African-American, Houma and Cherokee Freedman decent has served in various capacities in the non-profit arena from grant writing to most recently serving as the Executive Director of the Sitka Cultural Center in Sitka, Alaska. In 2000, Gerald and his family moved to Alaska. In 2001, Gerald began doing non-profit work on a regular basis. He ran computer training labs at Alaska Housing sites and numerous after-school art programs. In 2005, Gerald went to work full-time for the Juneau Indian Studies program. Since that time he has focused on non-profit grant work in the Alaskan Native community. Gerald has worked on grants for the Southeast Alaska Regional Resources Center, The Juneau and Sitka School Districts, The Sitka Tribe of Alaska, The Sitka Cultural Center, S.A.F.E Women’s Shelter and the Juneau Indian Studies Program. Mr. Bigelow attended Cal State University, Long Beach where he studied Fine Arts. Mr. Bigelow is responsible for the day to day administration of the Association for American Indian Development and managing its programs.