Bleu Adams

director
 

Bleu Adams (Mandan/Hidatsa/Dine) opened her first restaurant in 2011 with her brother, Chef Mark Daniel Mason. Black Sheep Cafe quickly gained a reputation for innovative dishes using indigenous foods and cultural practices.

Bleu was one of the first Native American women to attend the James Beard Foundation's Entrepreneurial Leadership Program in 2017 and has served on various committees including the Native Women Entrepreneurs of AZ and the Black and Indigenous Food Fund. She was invited to join the American Culinary Corps in 2023, where she promotes Indigenous cuisine and culinary diplomacy globally. Bleu is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship and community building through Indigenous food sovereignty.

 

Tudor Montague

CHair
 

Tudor Montague (Quechan) is a graduate of Haskell Indian Nations University and the University of Kansas, spent his early career working for tribes in the environmental field.  

An amateur/hobbyist brewer, Tudor’s interest in coffee began when he noticed similarities between the beer brewing and coffee roasting processes during his schooling at the American Brewers Guild. He was drawn to the art and science of roasting and began studying coffee full time.  Spirit Mountain was founded in 2015 and the journey for the perfect process continues.

 

Dmitri Novomeiski

Strategies and partnerships lead
 

Dmitri Novomeiski has over 20 years of experience in building teams and solving problems across the business, technology and non-profit sectors. He works with global organizations, helping them to scale their business with the use of digital platforms.

Dmitri was a co-founder of the San Francisco Urban Alliance for Sustainability, a not-for-profit organization advocating for the implementation of earth-friendly practices across business and communities. He is also a co-founder of Protect Native Elders, a 100% volunteer charitable organization who worked to provide rapid relief supprot to Indigenous communities fighting COVID-19.

 

Cherylee Francis

ADMINSTRATIVE DIRECTOR
 

Cherylee Francis is the owner of CFproductions LLC, a pre to post video production company. Achievements include “Winner” of the Navajo Film Festival, Best Shorts Competition, the Savvy Awards, NACo Achievement Award, and winner of various Awards by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts. Ms. Francis is a tribal citizen of the Navajo Nation and CFproductions LLC is recognized by the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Arizona as the recipient of the 2018 American Indian Business of the Year (Class1).

 

Hannah L. Smith, Ph.D.

CFO
 

Hannah Smith is a researcher and educator with expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, educational research, and data analysis tools such as IBM SPSS, NVivo, and conversational methods. She focuses on facilitating learning in conservation leadership, natural resource management, land-based pedagogy, and society-nature relationships.

Hannah played a crucial role in the feasibility analysis of ecotourism as an alternative market for REDD+ in the Tambopata National Reserve, where she designed and co-facilitated a youth leadership workshop. The workshop aimed to build leadership capacity among girls aged 13-17 while identifying main environmental problems in the area, causes, effects, viable solutions, and presenting an action plan to the larger group.