Board of directors
board to guide the 101st year of indigenous excellence.
“The new board members play a big role in supporting and advocating for Native Artists and I’m excited to join this world class leadership in shaping how we continue to elevate Native Artists to the world stage. In a world of pressing issues and challenges, the expression of art helps us learn and celebrate. I welcome this new role to strengthen member commitments while bringing in new resources to support SWAIA and the artists.” – Dawn Houle, SWAIA Board Chair
Learn more about SWAIA’s board members below:
JoAnn Chase
SECRETARY
JoAnn Chase, a Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Indian, was born and raised on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in central North Dakota. After a stellar academic career that included undergraduate work at Boston University, a legislative fellowship with Congresswoman Barbara Boxer and law school and law review editorial board at the University of New Mexico School of Law, she had a distinguished law career devoted to legal advocacy to promote and protect the rights of tribal nations and their citizens.
JoAnn served as the Executive Director for the National Congress of American Indians, the oldest and largest national Indian organization. During her tenure, the organization’s membership and budget tripled and NCAI enjoyed unprecedented visibility and viability. JoAnn left NCAI to become Executive Director of the National Network of Grantmakers, an organization dedicated to moving more philanthropic dollars to economic and social justice initiatives. After her tenure there, she started The Chase Group where she puts together strategic funding partnerships with foundations, major donors and others to advance equity and social justice. (Source: The Praxis Project)
Randy Chitto
Randall (Randy) Chitto is an acclaimed clay artist whose works are in numerous museum collections, including The Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, The Denver Art Museum and The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, among many others. His work are also shown at the Santa Fe Indian Market (SWAIA), Heard Indian Market and other select exhibitions.
Randy grew up in Chicago, Illinois, moving there with his family from the Choctaw reservation in Mississippi.
Randy is a past winner of the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts Fellowship and a Dubin Fellow at The School of Advance Research, formerly The School or American Research. Randy has accumulated many other awards and distinctions in his career.
His studio, The Red Clay Studio is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In 1980, Randy enrolled at The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe. His main interest at the time was painting, but it was there he found clay. Otellie Loloma was his first instructor in a medium he had previously not worked with. He continued his study in clay with instructor Ralph Pardington, a mentor and friend.
Under Mr. Pardington developed his unique style.
He also took painting classes with the renowned artist and instructor Linda Lomahaftewa at IAIA. In 1983 , he graduated with both a two- and three- Dimensional Degree in Studio Art.
Randy is married to his bride of 36 years, Jackie Carpio, whom he met in Mrs. Loloma’s clay class. Randy and Jackie have two boys, Hollis and Dillon. Hollis is an acclaimed, award-winning artist and Dillon is an accomplished playwright.
Randy has served on many boards for several non-profits organizations in Santa Fe and along with Jackie co-founded the Santa Fe Indian Center.
Elias Gallegos
Elias Gallegos, is a film actor, and producer. Born and raised in Santa Fe, NM. He is also the Film & Media Director for renowned author and filmmaker George RR Martin.
Andrea Hanley
Andrea R. Hanley (Navajo) is the chief curator at the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her career has been guided and dedicated to the work of contemporary Native American artists and the Native American fine art field.
She started her career at the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., as both special assistant to the director and exhibition developer/project manager. She was the fine arts coordinator/curator for the city of Tempe, the executive director of ATATL, Inc., a national service organization for Native American arts.
She was the founding manager of the Berlin Gallery at the Heard Museum and the membership and program manager for the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. She currently serves on the Santa Fe arts commission. She is on the UCross Foundation national advisory council, and the Native American advisory board for New York based arts organization, Voices in Contemporary Art (VoCA.)
Hanley is on the Board of Directors for the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, Santa Fe Indian Market. She sits on the Native American advised fund committee for the Santa Fe Community Foundation and is on the board of directors for Santa Fe based arts space Axle Contemporary.
Dawn Houle
BOARD CHAIR
Dawn Houle, President is a Tribal Citizen of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of
Montana, founder of SunSinger Consulting LLC, and a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. Her firm specializes in optimizing business opportunities for Native American Tribal governments and individuals. Dawn has dedicated her life to fostering strategic partnerships for and with Native American Tribes, artists, business owners, and people. She assists her clients build key strategies, access better resources, and improve their communities while maintaining and fostering their heritage.
As a successful entrepreneur, Dawn has also developed forest carbon
offset business resources that fully utilize her educational background in forestry and her MBA.
Dawn targets her businesses to offer culturally based modern solutions to Tribes while enhancing natural resource sustainability, generating economic diversification, creating
increased employment opportunities, and participating in greenhouse effect prevention.
Prior to dedicating herself to business development, Dawn served as Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs under the Obama administration as well as Chief of Staff for the National Indian Gaming Commission; a career move that brought her from the Pacific
Northwest where she worked for over a decade in forest management and philanthropy with various Tribes. As founder and executive director of the Tulalip Tribes Foundation, a 501(c)(3)
focused on cultural and natural resource preservation, Dawn assisted in successfully funding a new museum and natural history preserve for the Tribal community.
Dawn has successfully built instrumental strategic partnerships with corporations, as well as federal and state agencies, that greatly benefits her SunSinger’s clients. Her expertise has helped bring instrumental change for many Tribal communities and federal agencies.
Ms. Houle currently serves on the University of Montana -W.A. Franke College of Forestry Advisory Board and is a Sundial fellow with SheaMoisture community commerce program that supports minority owned businesses. She currently resides in the greater DC Metro area with her spouse and two children.
Leslie Wheelock
Leslie Wheelock is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. Leslie joined the SWAIA Board of Directors in 2024. She currently provides legal and consulting services to Native-owned businesses. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) where she participates on the Advancement and Repatriation Committees. She is also a Trustee for The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, serving on the Arts and Governance Committees. She is also a corporate board member of the Oneida ESC Group. Leslie co-chairs the National Congress of American Indians Repatriation Committee and participates with several Cornell University and Law School alumni organizations.
As an Obama appointee, Leslie was the Principal Advisor to the Secretary and Director of the Office of Tribal Relations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Leslie has held positions as the Director of Economic Policy at the National Congress of American Indians; Corporate Counsel for the NANA/AKIMA government contracting operations; and Director of Cultural and Intellectual Property for the opening of the NMAI in Washington, DC.
Prior to her move into public and non-profit service, Leslie served more than 20 years in C-Suite legal and management roles in international technology and telecommunications corporations.
Leslie is a member of the New York, Connecticut and Washington, DC Bars. Her JD and MBA are from Cornell University Law School and the Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management.
Russell Sanchez
Russell Sanchez (b. 1963) continues to be one of the master innovators in Pueblo pottery. He creates each piece perfectly hand-coiled, stone polished, then etched, inlaid, designed, and fired with traditional Native American pottery methods. Russell learned to make pottery from his great-aunt, noted potter and pottery matriarch Rose Gonzales (1900-1989.) He started making pottery at the early age of 12 years old on the San Ildefonso Pueblo.
Russell has received numerous awards and recognition for his pottery throughout his career. Including such distinctions as ‘Best of Division’ at both the Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Indian Market. In 2007 Native Peoples Magazine presented Russell’s art in the feature article of the Fall issue. In 2011, Russell was awarded the exclusive ‘Tony Da Award’ for Pottery in Santa Fe. Russell was recently a recipient of the ‘New Mexico Governor’s Award for Excellence in Art 2017. In 2019 he won “Best of Pottery” at Santa Fe Indian Market. At the same time, he was involved in a major exhibition of historic San Ildefonso pottery at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, NM. His work remains on a continued path of excellence and creativity.
Tom Teegarden
TREASURER
Tom Teegarden has over three decades business management experience in the public and private sectors with an emphasis on leadership and assembling high-performance teams for tribally owned enterprises. He is presently Vice President for High Water Mark, a Native woman-owned environmental consulting firm.
He brings experience in contracting, business and community planning, development, fundraising, budgets, operations and volunteer management to the SWAIA board. Throughout his career, whether in the startup or mature phase, he has helped organizations become bigger, better and more financially stable.
Tom’s interests range from competitive cycling to traditional Native music, and he is a member of multiple Native drum groups. He holds a BA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the University of Colorado.
MICHAEL TRUJILLO
VICE CHAIR
Michael Trujillo is a highly accomplished individual based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. With a diverse range of experiences and an extensive record of community involvement, he has made significant contributions to various organizations and initiatives.
From his involvement in leadership roles within the Santa Fe Wine and Chile organization, such as serving as Immediate Past President, President, and Vice President, to his contributions to public safety as a Fire Captain of Public Affairs for Santa Fe County, Michael has demonstrated a strong commitment to his community.
Additionally, he has served on various boards and committees, including the City of Santa Fe Planning Commission, Animal Control Sub-Committee Ordinance Review, and the Regional Emergency Communication Center Board. Michael’s dedication to public service and his community involvement make him a highly respected and valuable member of the Santa Fe community.
Chris Youngblood
Chris Youngblood is a Santa Clara Pueblo potter who has won numerous awards at Santa Fe Indian Market including Best of Classification in 2014. Chris’s family has been participating in Santa Fe Indian Market since its inception.
Chris aims to continue his family’s tradition and insure the survival of traditional techniques.