Meet The Staff.
-
Kim Peone
Executive Director
Kim Peone’s career has taken her across Indian Country from coast to coast, serving tribes and tribal entities in numerous professional capacities. Most recently, Peone was the CEO/CFO of an extremely successful tribal corporation in Washington State. Her full circle journey has led her back to Santa Fe to pursue professional opportunities. Her expertise is building accountable, sustainable, and disciplined Native organizations that exceed expectations of stakeholders.
-
Jamie Schulze
Director of Operations
Originally from Montana, Jamie moved to New Mexico 28 years ago and loves the land and the people. Jamie joins SWAIA from the hospitality industry as a former owner of The Bavarian Lodge & Restaurant, in Taos Ski Valley, NM. She is also a certified business and life coach with a leadership training certification. She is excited to join SWAIA’s team and be a part of “bringing Native arts to the world” through collaboration and education.
-
Mary Charlotte Grayson
Membership Services
Mary Charlotte was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. A graduate of Tahlequah High School, she earned a Bachelor’s degree from Fort Lewis College, a Masters from the University of Oklahoma and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Human and Organizational Leadership at the George Washington University. Having worked across Indian country, Mary-Charlotte has been involved in arts, museums and culture, business development and gaming. Mary-Charlotte is the daughter of the late Joe and Gwendolyn Grayson, is the granddaughter of Joe and Charlotte Grayson, all of Tahlequah. W.R and Mary- June of Afton on her maternal side. She is also a proud Aunt to Lyla, Anna and Charlotte. She currently lives in Santa Fe and works for the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts in membership and volunteers.
-
Loni Bernally
Artist Services
Loni Bernally is Dine and is from Shiprock, New Mexico. She is born of the Towering House clan and the Weaver Zia Clan. A graduate of Shiprock High School earning a BFA in Indigenous Liberal Studies with a minor in museum studies from the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) and a certificate of Tribal Court Advocacy from Phoenix Community College (PCC). Working within the non-profit art sector has been one of my biggest accomplishments helping ensure the continuation of Indigenous arts and the narrative behind those creations is a vital part of my job. I absolutely love working with all the artists and learning about their own personal stories behind their creations.
-
Amber-Dawn Bear Robe
Fashion Coordinator
Amber-Dawn Bear Robe, from Siksika Nation, Alberta, Canada, achieved an MA in American Indian Studies and a second MA degree in Art History, both from the University of Arizona. Currently, she is Assistant Faculty of Art History in the Museum Studies department at the Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, NM. Presently, Bear Robe is curating a fashion exhibition for the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, opening August 2022, and producing the annual Indigenous fashion show for the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA). Walk with Pride, a documentary film short on the 2018 Indigenous fashion show produced by Bear Robe, won a regional Emmy, September 2020. She is an acting trustee for the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) board, CO, and the Wheelwright Museum board, NM, and sits on the curatorial committee for Vital Spaces, NM. Previously, she was the Director/Curator of Urban Shaman: Contemporary Aboriginal Art, Winnipeg, Canada.
-
Mona Perea
Artist Services
Ramona Perea is from San Ildefonso Pueblo. She has been in education majority of her life along with many other positions like administrative, event planning , coaching, athletic director etc.. She has three beautiful children and one amazingly cute grandson. She plans to work diligently with SWAIA to deliver excellent assistance to artists and to help make the Santa Fe Indian Markets a success!