Lillian Sparks Robinson
Rosebud Sioux
Mistress of Ceremonies
Lillian Sparks Robinson is the CEO and Owner of Wopila Consulting, LLC, an American Indian and woman owned small business that provides a wide range of specialized consulting and strategic development services to federal, state, and tribal government clients.
A member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Lillian has worked in Washington, D.C. for over 20 years, devoting her career to supporting the educational pursuits of Native American students, protecting the rights of Indigenous people, and empowering tribal communities. In 2010, Lillian was appointed by President Obama, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, to serve as the Commissioner for the Administration for Native Americans. In this role, she worked on programs and policy impacting Native languages and education, social development, and economic development for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. Prior to her service at ANA, Lillian served as the Executive Director of the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), where she worked extensively on education policy and appropriations impacting American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students. A former staff attorney at the National Congress of American Indians, Lillian has received numerous awards and recognition, including being named as one of seven young Native American Leaders by USA Today Magazine, one of “40 Under 40” from the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, and American Indian Woman of the Year. Lillian now serves as the Vice Chair for the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, Vice Chair for Native Forward Scholars Fund, Board of Directors for the American Indian Cancer Research Foundation, and Co-Founder of The Indigenous Fashion Collective.
A graduate of Morgan State University and Georgetown University Law Center, Lillian resides in Baltimore, Maryland with her husband, Corey and son, Connor.
DJ Element
Salt River Indian Community
Conference DJ
el•e•ment [el-uh-muhnt] – noun. A component or constituent of a whole or one of the parts into which a whole may be resolved by analysis.
DJ Element is an eclectic DJ from Phoenix, Arizona with a repertoire to encompass hip-hop, funk, soul, neo-soul, reggae, EDM, moombahton, trap, twerk, 80's, electro and everything in between. He has guested at worldwide events and venues in Korea, Japan, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy to name a few. He has opened for heavy hitters such as James Brown, A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Krs-One, De La Soul, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Slick Rick, The Roots, Jane's Addiction, Incubus, and Audioslave. DJ Element was named the B-Boy City King of Scratch Champion in 2019 and recognized in 2015 by the Native American Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona for his contribution and dedication to music. Notably, DJ Element was the official 2020-2021 tour DJ for Supaman. DJ Element is a member of the Salt River Indian Community and began his career in 1996.
Lumbee and Sappony tribes of North Carolina
Opening Plenary Discussion
Sunny Myers is a dynamic leader with a proven track record in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging (DEIB), Business Strategy, and Social Impact at industry giants like Palo Alto Networks, Amazon, and Fastly. With a strong background in engineering and technology, she excels in stakeholder management, data-driven decision-making, and leading impactful programs.
She volunteers her expertise with organizations such as the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) - Luce Rematriation program, Reboot Representation, Last Mile Education Fund, Rewriting the Code, and Triangle Women in STEM. She has also advised leaders and organizations including Melinda French Gates, Forbes, and McKinsey & Company.
Sunny is a proud member of the Lumbee and Sappony tribes of North Carolina and is passionate about spending time with her family, engaging Native youth in STEM, elevating womxn in tech, and expanding her earring and sneaker collections.
Dante Biss-Grayson
Osage
Sky Eagle Collection
Fashion Designer
Dante Biss-Grayson is a versatile artist and fashion show designer who is committed to pushing the boundaries of Native American art and fashion. His classical techniques and contemporary vision enable him to create unique art pieces that transcend mediums such as painting, holographic sculpture, poetry, and fashion design. He studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Holand and IAIA in Sante Fe, N.M., and apprenticed with Earl Biss, his adopted father, to further develop his skills.
Dante’s fashion brand, The Sky-Eagle Collection, is Native American and Veteran-owned. It reflects his belief in the power of clothing to inspire and empower. The collection is contemporary, modern, and aims to draw attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Dante’s mission is to inspire a new generation of warriors who walk in the modern world. His message is simple but powerful; WE ARE STILL HERE!
Dante’s brand has been featured in various publications and events. His work has been showcased in Cannes Runway show during the Cannes Film Festival, and in 2022, his fashion show in Sante Fe, “New Native Fashion: Empower” had two sold-out runway shows. Dante’s brand has been shown at New York Fashion Week and he has been a featured panelist for Native American-owned brands. He has been recognized for his contributions to the fashion industry by various publications, including Cowgirl Magazine and Tribal Business News.
Dante has completed several collaborations, including the “Warrior Wool Blanket” collaboration with 8Gen, which honors veterans and warriors. He is committed to using his art to bring attention to critical issues impacting Native communities. In 2023, he presented the “Native Avant-Garde” runway show in Sante Fe, which showcased one hundred looks. Dante’s work has been featured in various media outlets, including NM PBS, Indian Country Today, YAHOO!, In the Know, NBC-LA, and his brand has been recognized for its contributions to Native American Fashion. Dante Biss-Grayson is an Osage artist, activist, and veteran who uses his art to create a new narrative for Native American Fashion.
Brocade Stops Black Eagle
Crow-Mandan-Hidatsa
Brocade
Fashion Designer
Brocade Stops Black Eagle was born and raised on the Crow Indian Reservation where she currently resides with her husband and three sons (Danger, Rivers and Crimson). Brocade worked as a Registered Nurse for more than a decade providing an invaluable service for her Native Community. Taught by her mother at an early age, Brocade has been beading and honing her craft for over 30 years.
Brocades ready-to-wear apparel are a direct reflection of her beadwork and lifestyle. Brocades beadwork is inspired by old Crow geometric designs and color palate. Brocade is a Mountain Ultra Trail Runner and outdoor enthusiast, having to date accomplished several ultra marathons.
Cora Kay Chandler
Aaaniih and Descendant of the Cree people
Fashion Show Producer
Cora Kay Chandler is an enrolled member of the Aaaniih and a descendant of the Cree people. She makes her home in Billings, Montana, with her family. Her career has been as executive assistant to the CEO @ IHS-Billings area for 6 years, Native American Development Corporation for 4 years serving MT, WY, ND, and SD tribes in economic development, and the Business Manager for the 8(a) Company-American Indian Consulting Services for 3 years. She was an employee at Island Mountain Development Group as the Talent Development Manager, Communications and Marketing Manager, Director of Public Relations and is now the Business Development Coordinator at Montana Native Growth Fund. Her education is an A.A. and she is currently enrolled at MSU-Billings, and her major is Organizational Communications.
She has been the owner of Cora Kay Productions since 2016. Her mission has been to uplift Indigenous people who are in business and artists in fashion, comedy, music, and art by creating and hosting large-scale events throughout Indian Country. Cora Kay participates in community engagement with her volunteer-based, urban Indigenous powwow-style dance group for the past 7 years, producer of Big Sky Indigfest 2021-23, Big Sky Indigenous Women’s Gala 2022, featured in Yellowstone Valley Women’s magazine, hosts Indigenous community art markets. She also served as the Vice President of the MNGF CDFI Board of Directors, Indian Education Parent Committee, Billings First Church Board Member, Apsaalooke Native American Church Board Member. Indigenous Fashion Collective Board.
Served the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s Reservation Economic Summit ‘s (RES) 2021-24 as the Co- Producer of the Indigenous Fashions show producer. Her hobbies are sewing, beading, dancing, NAC, golf and traveling.
Photo by: Paul Casanova Garcia.Guadalupe Dance Company
Professionals Networking Reception Entertainment
The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center was founded in 1980 as a nonprofit, multidisciplinary organization. Located in the heart of San Antonio’s Westside, the Guadalupe is one of the largest community-based, multidisciplinary organizations in the U.S. The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center cultivates, promotes, and preserves traditional and contemporary Chicano, Latino and Native American arts and culture through multidisciplinary programming. Through Chicano, Latino and Native American arts and culture, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center revolutionizes how we imagine the world.
The Guadalupe Dance Company (GDC) of San Antonio, TX, founded in 1991, is the resident professional dance company of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. Under the direction of Jeannette Chavez and Belinda Menchaca, they are committed to maintaining its rich cultural traditions and artistic excellence. Unique among the nation’s dance ensembles, the Company creates and performs both original and traditional works in Mexican Folklorico and Flamenco dance. The history of the Dance Company is rich, and complex born out a vision for locally based, professionally trained Mexican American Folkloric Dance Company to represent South Texas, locally and abroad.