NIWRC Specialty Institute 2026: Full Schedule

9:00am EDT

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:00am - 9:30am EDT

Begin the NIWRC Specialty Institute with a meaningful cultural welcome featuring a live performance and a welcome from the Triangle Native American Society.
We invite all attendees to join us as we come together in a spirit of respect, reflection, and community to open the Institute!

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Grand Ballroom

Plenary Session

9:30am EDT

Introductions and Housekeeping

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:30am - 9:45am EDT

Grand Ballroom

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:30am - 9:45am EDT
Grand Ballroom

Plenary Session

9:45am EDT

Keynote Address

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am EDT

Grand Ballroom

Join us for the Keynote Address featuring Dr. Crystal Cavalier.

Dr. Cavalier will share insights to inspire meaningful dialogue and set the stage for the learning and community-building.

Speakers

Dr. Crystal Cavalier-Keck

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Grand Ballroom

Plenary Session

11:30am EDT

OVW Government-to-Government Tribal Consultation Preparation

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:30am - 1:00pm EDT

Grand Ballroom

The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) invites you to join an informational session on the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Government-to-Government Tribal Consultation. This session will give Tribal leaders, designated representatives, and advocates the space to reflect on and develop recommendations to guide federal agencies on administering Tribal funds and programs, strengthening the safety of Native women, improving the federal response to violence, and expanding Tribal access to criminal justice systems. During this session, participants will learn about the purpose and significance of the OVW Tribal Consultation, including key policy areas like Tribal jurisdiction, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR), training and resources, research, and options for providing testimony (oral, written, or pre-recorded).

Preparing Tribal leadership for consultation is critical to ensuring testimony is survivor-focused and informed by the experiences of advocates and programs directly serving survivors in Tribal communities. This session will also highlight resources available through the NIWRC Consultation Hub to support Tribal leaders and advocates in preparing recommendations and engaging in the consultation process.

Speakers

Jantzen Hale, MPP

Program Specialist, NIWRC

Jantzen Hale, Diné, currently serves as a Program Specialist with the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. Previously, she worked with the National Congress of American Indians, supporting the development of communication strategies and sharing stories of impact and need about Tribal communities... Read More →

Ryder Jiron

Policy Specialist, NIWRC

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:30am - 1:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Breakout Session

3:45pm EDT

Networking Mixer

Wednesday July 29, 2026 3:45pm - 5:00pm EDT

Grand Ballroom

Connect with peers, local community leaders, and NIWRC staff to exchange ideas, share resources, discuss the day’s sessions, and forge collaborative partnerships in an engaging setting over light refreshments. Enjoy vegetable crudité with hummus, artisan cheeses, spinach and artichoke dip, meatballs, Carolina pork sliders, chicken satay, vegetable spring rolls, tomato mozzarella skewers, lemonade, and iced tea. The Upper Courtyard will remain open throughout the mixer.

Wednesday July 29, 2026 3:45pm - 5:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Plenary Session

9:00am EDT

Tribal Leadership Panel: Exploring Effective Practices for Engagement and Collaborative Solutions

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

Grand Ballroom

Connecting with tribal leaders is vital for uncovering effective strategies that boost community engagement and foster cooperative solutions to tackle domestic violence. These leaders bring invaluable firsthand experiences and showcase successful initiatives that have catalyzed significant change within their communities. Participants will gain insights into targeted practices that not only enhance tribal programming but also lay a robust foundation for safety and support. By immersing themselves in these successful approaches, individuals can cultivate a deeper appreciation for creating a resilient and nurturing environment for everyone in the community.

Speakers

Chantel Greene

Chief Executive Officer, Xexus Greene Energy LLC.

Chantel Greene is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Xexus Greene Energy LLC. 100% Native American and woman-owned consulting company, and Founder of Non-profit GreeneLife Philanthropic. President of Sidney Resource Corporation, a publicly traded company, and a Nez Perce Tribal Member... Read More →

Nora Dial-Stanley

Chairperson, Guilford Native American Association

Nora Dial-Stanley is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of NC. She has spent over 40 years as an Advocate and a Voice for her Native American People traveling across the country as a Native American Storyteller. She has served as a Speaker and Consultant where she addresses issues, myths... Read More →

Vice Chief Pamela Young-Jacobs, BIS-APS

Chief Mission Officer, Boys and Girls Homes of NC

Pamela Young-Jacobs is a dedicated leader, advocate, and community servant who currently serves as Chief Mission Officer for Boys & Girls Homes of North Carolina and as Vice Chief of the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe. She is committed to advancing opportunities in education, economic development, and community wellness, with a strong focus on serving children, families, and tribal communities. Pamela holds an MBA from University of North Carolina... Read More →

Jantzen Hale, MPP

Program Specialist, NIWRC

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Grand Ballroom

Plenary Session

11:00am EDT

Collaborative Frameworks with Tribal Leadership to Address Domestic Violence and MMIWR

Thursday July 30, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT

Grand Ballroom

The crises of domestic violence and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) are deeply interconnected and addressing them requires coordinated, community-driven approaches that include collaboration with Tribal leadership. This panel brings together advocates and subject matter experts to discuss strategies for building effective partnerships with Tribal leadership and advancing solutions at the local, Tribal, and national levels. Attendees will leave with concrete approaches they can apply in their own communities and an opportunity to engage panelists directly through Q&A.

Speakers

Carmen O’Leary

Director, Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains

Carmen O’Leary is the Director of Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains. She is a citizen and a resident of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe where she has gathered her experience and expertise to develop programs that serve native women experiencing violence. Carmen is a trainer on advocacy... Read More →

Leanne Guy

Executive Director, Southwest Indigenous Women's Coalition

Leanne Guy is a citizen of the Navajo Nation and currently lives and works in the Phoenix area of Arizona. Leanne is the founding executive director of the Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition, the first statewide tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalition in Arizona. Prior... Read More →

Chantel Greene

Chief Executive Officer, Xexus Greene Energy LLC.

Kim Zahne

Program Specialist, NIWRC

Kim Zahne or “Sah-Povi” is Tobacco clan (Sah-Towa/ Pipwungwa) from the Village of Tewa, and a member of the Hopi Tribe. Kim is currently the Program Specialist for the National Indigenous Resource Center. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in American Indian Studies, with an emphasis on Federal... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Plenary Session

2:00pm EDT

Visualizing Statistical Data to Engage Tribal Leadership

Thursday July 30, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

Grand Ballroom

The purpose of this presentation is to provide insight into how cloud visual platforms can be leveraged to visualize data that has been collected in spreadsheets (such as Excel, Google Sheets, Airtable, etc) to effectively engage with Tribal leadership and communities. This presentation includes a live demonstration of taking data stored in a spreadsheet to diagram, depict, and create visuals in Miro/Canva. This demonstration will also include a general overview of the options available within each platform, the potential for AI automations when using these platforms, as well as any information that may be pertinent to the decision making process when choosing a platform to present the data (i.e. specific considerations, any potential limitations, etc.). NIWRC is available to provide assistance on other platforms through our Tech Bundles technical assistance offering.

Speakers

Celina Gutierrez

IT Support Tech, NIWRC

Thursday July 30, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Breakout Session

3:30pm EDT

Closing

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT

Grand Ballroom

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Plenary Session

9:00am EDT

9:30am EDT

9:45am EDT

11:30am EDT

3:45pm EDT

9:00am EDT

11:00am EDT

2:00pm EDT

3:30pm EDT

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