Swaia - Indian Market

Stephen Wall is an enrolled member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe/White Earth Reservation. Stephen was born in Roswell, New Mexico and was raised on and near the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation in southern New Mexico. After graduating high school he attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Upon completing his B.A. in Anthropology, Stephen attended law school at the University of New Mexico and graduated in 1975. Stephen has worked with the American Indian Law Center as research analyst, worked with the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board as a community development specialist and served as Behavioral Health Coordinator for the Tohono O'odham Health Department in Sells Arizona. In Mescalero, New Mexico, he served for 11 years in the Mescalero Apache Tribal Court as the Prosecutor and Chief Judge. In May of 2006, Stephen was appointed Department Chair for the Indigenous Liberal Studies Program at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Stephen is also an award winning artist whose work focuses on sculpture and jewelry.

Stock joined the SWAIA Board of Directors after serving the organization as a volunteer for over seven years. He brings to SWAIA over 20 years of consulting experience with Towers Watson, a global professional services firm, including several years managing its international Sales and Marketing Consulting Practice. An accomplished classroom presenter for WorldatWork, a professional association serving Human Resource executives, he has also developed coursework for them. Stock speaks frequently to industry and professional groups and conceived and edited a best-selling business text. In addition, New Mexico's Governor appointed him to an oversight Board that deals with the efficacy of search and rescue activity in the state. Stock holds a MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and an undergraduate degree from Auburn University in mathematics and languages.

(Navajo)
Bidtah Becker is an attorney with the Navajo Nation Department of Justice Water Rights Unit. She is married to Paul Spruhan and they have two beautiful children, Bahe and Tazbah.

Jenny Auger Maw returns to the SWAIA Board with a wealth of corporate and non-profit experience. A native of England, Jenny has lived in Santa Fe for over ten years. A former healthcare executive, Jenny held the position of Senior Vice President, Organization Development with Hillcrest Healthcare System in Tulsa, OK. Jenny holds a Doctor of Education degree from Oklahoma State University. She earned her B.S. and M.A. degrees from the University of Tulsa. An active community volunteer, Jenny has served on local, regional, and national boards. She recently served as President of the Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra Board and was Secretary of the Santa Fe Community College Board.

For more than a decade Richard has served the national art community as a principal of Santa Fe-based Altermann Galleries & Auctioneers. Specializing in American western art, Altermann Galleries conducts three auctions annually in addition to its local retail business and has sponsored periodically specialized auctions for contemporary and antique American Indian art. Richard was a student of contemporary art at Sotheby's Art Institute in London and earned a degree in Business Administration from Centenary College of Louisiana. Aside from his SWAIA Board responsibilities, he is also involved with Santa Fe's prestigious School for Advanced Research.

Bernstein comes to SWAIA as former Board of Directors member (1990-1996 and 2002-2007) in addition to his volunteering as judge, evaluator, and receiver at the Santa Fe Indian Market for the past 25 years. He is a curator at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. From 1997 to 2005, Bernstein served as the Assistant Director for Cultural Resources at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. Previously he was the Director and Chief Curator at Santa Fe's Museum of Indian Arts and Culture; his directorship oversaw the building and installation of the Bloch Wing and the permanent exhibition, "Here, Now and Always." He has also held positions at the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, and the University of New Mexico's Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. He has published and curated exhibitions widely on American Indian art. He and his wife, Landis Smith, have two children, Elliot and Isabel.

(Comanche)
Burgess is the great-great grandson of Chief Quanah Parker, and grew up in a family where art surrounded all parts of his life. He holds an Associate of Fine Arts degree from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha, OK, where he majored in studio painting and minored in Native American art history. Burgess is a regular participant and award winner at the Santa Fe Indian Market, Eiteljorg Indian Market and Heard Indian Fair. Other recent success includes a piece being chosen to grace the August '06 cover of the Santa Fean magazine. When not painting, he works as the Student Activities Coordinator at the Institute of American Indian Arts.

Jed Foutz is the owner and principal of Shiprock Santa Fe, an internationally acclaimed resource for Native couture and mainstream design influence. The gallery features Navajo textiles from the mid-19th century to present, as well as vintage and contemporary jewelry, pottery, basketry, and sculpture. Also featured are Native American fine and folk art complemented by historic and contemporary furniture. Jed is a fifth generation trader from a well-known and respected family trading around the Shiprock area of the Navajo Nation; thus, he continues a tradition begun in 1894 by this great-great grandfather.

Roger Fragua (Jemez Pueblo) is currently the President of Cota Holdings, LLC, whose primary mission is to support Tribal communities and economic development in the energy and telecommunication sectors. Roger has also worked with the Western Governors' Association and the National Tribal Environment Council on State and Tribal relations as it relates to environmental issues. Roger has dedicated his professional career to the advancement and development of American Indian communities and has served as the Deputy Director of the Council of Energy Resource Tribes, based in Denver, Colorado, and the manager for Enron Corporation (Houston). Ultimately, Roger's commitment to Indian Country can be attributed to the position he held as his own Pueblo's Tribal Administrator. Roger states, "I hope to represent a breath of fresh air and challenge the status-quo and stretch the board, as a body, to reach further into the future and recognize that Indian arts and artisans take many different shapes than what the "conventional" understandings are. Roger's wide-ranging business experience and contacts throughout Indian Country will surely benefit SWAIA.

Charles S. King has King Galleries of Scottsdale. He has been a pottery judge at Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Museum Indian Market and Fair. He has written articles on pottery for American Indian Art and Native Peoples magazine. His first book, "Born of Fire: The Life and Pottery of Margaret Tafoya" was published in 2008 and he is currently working on his second book about potter Tony Da.

Elizabeth Pettus was born in Stamford, Connecticut and graduated from Pomona College in Claremont California with a degree in English Literature. Elizabeth later attained a position in the world of investment banking, which was not a good "fit," but extremely educational. Elizabeth eventually married Robert Pettus, owner of Things Finer, in 1988 and has worked there ever since. Elizabeth is currently the president of the Santa Fe Downtown Merchants' Association, and has been active in the area of authenticity in Native arts (with an emphasis on jewelry), and the correct descriptions, definitions of the work, the materials, the origin and the pricing. Elizabeth states, "The partnership of the City of Santa Fe, and Indian Market (through SWAIA) are testament to the value of the mutual respect and cooperation between our residents, businesses, and visitors of all cultures. The enrichment; culturally, financially, artistically, and personally, benefits all of us, and is truly symbiotic. Historically, I think we are an example of the tangible benefits of respect for the Arts, and for both traditional and contemporary expression, and the place each has in the continuing development of humanity." As a business owner and resident of Santa Fe, Elizabeth understands the complexion of the Santa Fe community, which will greatly contribute to SWAIA and the board.

(Santa Clara Pueblo)
Stephanie Kiger (Santa Clara) is currently the General Counsel for the State of NM Indian Affairs Department (the only cabinet level Indian Affairs department in the country). She coordinates state policy with the 22 NM tribes and represents the state on a wide variety of legal issues related to Indian law. Prior to working for the state, Stephanie was an Associate at Roth, VanAmberg, Rogers, Ortiz, & Yepa in Santa Fe representing tribal clients and tribal organizations on numerous issues. She graduated with a B.A. from The American University in Washington, DC, with an M.A. from the University of Arizona, and graduated law school at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Stephine Poston is the President and CEO of Poston & Associates, LLC, headquartered on Sandia Pueblo Indian Reservation, New Mexico. Stephine has a Master of Arts in organizational management and over fifteen years experience in public and community relations at the tribal, federal, state and local levels. She has worked extensively on legislative issues at the tribal, federal, state and local levels ranging from preparing and delivering testimony to lobbying. In addition, Stephine has facilitated community and strategic sessions and led numerous public relations campaigns in areas such as renewable energy, benefits of Indian gaming and the protection of sacred sites.
Prior to starting her own company, Stephine worked for her tribe, Sandia Pueblo for eleven years in various capacities. She was the director of health, safety and education, creating some of the most innovative programs in Indian Country. She also was the Pueblo's first Public Affairs Director shaping the image of the tribe in one of its most significant growth periods.

Pat Pruitt resides on the Laguna Pueblo Reservation in the village of Paguate. He started making jewelry 20 years ago when he studied under a local silversmith, Greg Lewis. Pat worked with traditional materials (silver, copper) and learned traditional repose techniques, which gave him a firm foundation in jewelry fabrication and general craftsmanship. Several years later, Pat learned a different view on silverwork and aesthetics of jewelry design from Charlie Bird, an esteemed jeweler from Paguate. After acquiring these skills, in addition to those he learned during is studies as a Mechanical Engineer at Southern Methodist University, Pat opened his current business, Custom Steel. Pat is a talented artist who combines modern technology and software with traditional influence and design - his perspective and understandings as an artist will significantly benefit the board.

(Acoma Pueblo)
With over 20 years of experience working with tribal communities throughout the southwest, including his own, Acoma Pueblo, Brian has a wealth of experience in the areas of museum development, historic/cultural preservation, economic development, tourism, and the arts. While at Acoma Pueblo, Brian served as an appointed tribal government official and as the founding director of the Acoma Historic Preservation Office and the acclaimed Sky City Cultural Center & Haaku Museum. In addition to providing consulting services, Brian currently works as the Marketing and Tribal Projects Coordinator of Santa Fe-based Barbara Felix Architecture + Design. Brian also serves on a number of local and national Boards dedicated to cultural preservation, economic development, education, and the arts.