Director of the MHA Emergency Operations Center
Three Affiliated Tribes

I am an enrolled member of the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation, also known as the Three Affiliated Tribes. I was raised on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. I was raised with my tribes’ customs and beliefs as the core of my upbringing, while my parents encouraged me to learn as much as possible about the world around me. They instilled in me the principles of caring for others in need, respecting all cultures and religions, and developing a strong character. Many members of my family have served honorably in the military or in Law Enforcement, so this also strengthened my wish to serve and protect those in need as I grew older.

I attended both Elementary and High School in New Town, ND and graduated High School with Honors. After High School, I began working in the private Security field as a Security Officer, then was promoted to Security Shift Supervisor. In my late twenties, I decided to apply for the North Dakota Peace Officer Academy and was accepted. I graduated with the Class Recognition of Physical Fitness Excellence. After obtaining my ND POST License, I was hired at the Three Affiliated Tribes Law Enforcement Services as a Police Officer. I worked there for several years, before taking a job opportunity as a Deputy Sheriff at McLean County Sheriff’s Office, a neighboring agency. Being in law enforcement, I saw the need for additional pre-hospital medical training for myself, so I enrolled in an Emergency Medical Technician Course, and obtained my National Registry EMT-B Certification 3 months later. I found this additional training and skill set to benefit my patrol work immensely. I also took a special detail on the Sheriff’s Special Entry Team-which responds to High Risk Entry/Warrant Calls. When not working as a Sheriff’s Deputy, I also worked PRN as an EMT for three Ambulance Services, which allowed me to gain more experience as an EMT. Working in EMS also fostered a passion to further my training in the field, and I later was accepted into a state Paramedic Training Course.

Around this time, I took an interest in Incident Management and Emergency Management, so I began working on my college degree and also taking on volunteer work as a member of the National Incident Management Team for Team Rubicon, a nonprofit VOAD. In March 2020, when the Covid-19 Pandemic Emergency was declared, I initially volunteered my time to see if I could help our tribe somehow with my experience and skill sets. I was assigned as the Planning Section Chief, where I organized our incident response, and then became the Incident Commander for the next 2 ½ years. In that time, I was asked to create an Emergency Operations Center for the tribe, both as a department, and later as a facility. I accepted the position of the first MHA EOC Director and set myself to creating a department from the ground up. Later in February 2024-our MHA EOC was completed.

Working as the EOC Director, I understood that in order to do my job well, I had to have a better understanding and appreciation for all Emergency Services. In Summer 2023, I attended TAT Fire Management’s Wildland Firefighter Rookie Course, where I earned my Wildland Firefighter I Qualification. During my time as the MHA EOC Director, I was able to spearhead the creation of Indian Country’s first function and design specific Emergency Operations Center facility staffed with trained All-Hazards Incident Management personnel on duty 24/7 is something I was honored and privileged to do. Having a diversified professional career in Emergency Services, along with serving in a position where I can make positive innovative changes to how tribal nations approach Emergency Management and make it a priority to have quality emergency preparedness training and educational opportunities more accessible for our First Responders and community members.