Native Student-Athlete Summit 2026
June 2-4, 2026 | University of Kansas & Haskell Indian Nations University
Tuesday, June 2, 2026University of Kansas
| Time | Session | Speaker/Host | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00-6:00 PM | Registration | Indigenous Athletics Advancement Council | Volleyball Mezzanine |
| 3:00-6:00 PM | Professional Headshots | Running Strong for American Indian Youth | Hadi Auditorium |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner, Welcome & Prayer |
Indigenous Athletics Advancement Council
Jeremy Shield (Crow/Oglala Lakota)
Opening Prayer Song
|
Volleyball Mezzanine |
| 6:30 PM | Keynote Address |
Billy Mills (Oglala Lakota)
Olympic Gold Medalist
National Spokesperson
Co-Founder, Running Strong for American Indian Youth
|
Hadi Auditorium |
| 7:00 PM | Q&A & Photos |
Indigenous Athletics Advancement Council
Billy Mills (Oglala Lakota)
|
Hadi Auditorium |
| 8:00 PM | Event Wrap-Up | Indigenous Athletics Advancement Council | Hadi Auditorium |
Wednesday, June 3, 2026University of Kansas & Haskell Indian Nations University
| Time | Session | Speaker/Host | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00-8:00 AM | Breakfast at Hotel | — | Holiday Inn & Suites/Oread |
| 8:30 AM | Registration | Indigenous Athletics Advancement Council | 1154 Gray-Little Hall |
| 9:15 AM | Welcome, Prayer & Overview |
Indigenous Athletics Advancement Council
Darold Joseph (Hopi), Ph.D.
Brandon Joseph (Koyukon Athabaskan & Muscogee Creek), Ph.D.
|
1154 Gray-Little Hall |
| 9:45-10:15 AM | Plenary Session |
A Journey Grounded in Purpose Driven by Passion
Izzy Yasana (Klamath, Modoc, Filipina), M.B.A.
Nike N7 Business Director
|
1154 Gray-Little Hall |
| 10:15-11:00 AM | Plenary Session |
Do It for the Culture: Native Student-Athletes Speak to Identity, Leadership, and Purpose
Skyler Benally-Bordeaux (Sicangu Lakota), MPH
Tyrone Bowen-Collateta (Seneca Nation), BS
Lexus Redthunder (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate), Student-Athlete
Koa Baker (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation), Student-Athlete
|
1154 Gray-Little Hall |
| 11:00-11:15 AM | Break & Snack | — | Gray-Little Area |
| 11:15 AM-12:15 PM | STUDENT-ATHLETE #1Financial Literacy: How Money Works |
RaeAnn West (Diné), M.A. - Senior Financial Associate
Yolanda Dixon (Diné) - Financial Specialist & Community Leader
Dreamcatcher Financial Solutions
|
1146 Gray-Little Hall |
| 11:15 AM-12:15 PM | STUDENT-ATHLETE #2Play Smart: Essentials for Student-Athlete Health & Well-Being |
Thayne A. Munce, Ph.D.
Director, Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory, University of Kansas
|
1154 Gray-Little Hall |
| 11:15 AM-12:15 PM | ADMINISTRATORS #1From High School to Higher Education: Understanding Native Student-Athlete Pathways, Barriers, and Opportunities |
Janell McDonald (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma), B.A.
Senior Program Manager of High School Student Services, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
|
1200 CDUP |
| 12:15-1:30 PM | Lunch | — | Ku DeBruce Dining Hall |
| 1:30-2:30 PM | STUDENT-ATHLETE #3From Mascot to Manager: Overcoming Dehumanization to Become Leaders in Sport |
Natalie Welch (Eastern Cherokee), Ph.D.
Director, MBA Sports Management Program, Seattle University
Sean Seiler (Oglala Lakota), Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor, Miami University
|
1146 Gray-Little Hall |
| 1:30-2:30 PM | STUDENT-ATHLETE #4The Captain Conversation: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Leadership |
Jen Fry, Ph.D.
Jen Fry Talks
|
1154 Gray-Little Hall |
| 1:30-2:30 PM | ADMINISTRATORS #2On Native Land: The Land Grab System and College Athletics |
Brandon Joseph (Koyukon Athabascan & Muscogee Creek), Ph.D.
Director of Health Promotion and Student Resilience, Western Washington University
|
1200 CDUP |
| 2:30-2:45 PM | Break & Snack | — | Gray-Little |
| 2:45-3:45 PM | STUDENT-ATHLETE #5We Belong – An Exploration of Belonging in College Athletics for Native Student-Athletes |
Brandon Joseph (Koyukon Athabascan & Muscogee Creek), Ph.D.
Director of Health Promotion and Student Resilience, Western Washington University
|
1146 Gray-Little Hall |
| 2:45-3:45 PM | STUDENT-ATHLETE #6The Power of a Question: How to Use Your Values and Powerful Questions to Enhance Your Personal Brand and Career |
Amari Dryden, M.A.
Experiential Learning Academic Specialist, Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University
|
1154 Gray-Little Hall |
| 2:45-3:45 PM | ADMINISTRATORS #3The Captain Conversation: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Leadership |
Jen Fry, Ph.D.
Jen Fry Talks
|
1200 CDUP |
| 3:45-5:00 PM | Afternoon Break & Transportation to Haskell | — | Haskell Indian Nations University |
| 5:00 PM | Dinner | — | Stidham Union, Haskell |
| 6:00 PM | Evening Event: Film Screening & Q&A |
Remaining Native
Paige Bethmann (Haudenosaunee), Filmmaker
Kutoven Stevens (Yerington Paiute), D1 Athlete & Public Speaker
|
Haskell Auditorium, Haskell |
| 8:30 PM | Event Wrap-Up | Indigenous Athletics Advancement Council | Haskell Auditorium, Haskell |
Thursday, June 4, 2026University of Kansas & Haskell Indian Nations University
| Time | Session | Speaker/Host | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:30 AM | Optional: Group Run/Walk | Run hosted by Remaining Native | Billy Mills XC Course, Haskell |
| 6:00-9:00 AM | Breakfast | — | Holiday Inn & Suites/Oread |
| 9:45 AM | Welcome, Prayer & Overview | Indigenous Athletics Advancement Council | 1154 Gray-Little Hall |
| 9:55-10:10 AM | Plenary Session |
The Light Within
Niya Blair-Hackworth, Ed.D.
Director of Curriculum and Internal Engagement, Office of Inclusion, NCAA
|
1154 Gray-Little Hall |
| 10:10-10:25 AM | Plenary Session |
From the Rez and Beyond: More Than a Game
Jude Schimmel (Umatilla), B.A.
Former Division I Student-Athlete, Author
|
1154 Gray-Little Hall |
| 10:35-11:35 AM | STUDENT-ATHLETE #7Identity Under Pressure: The Success Beyond Game Day Leadership Lab |
Samantha Card, MBA
Founder, Success Beyond Gameday
Robert Doore (Blackfoot Confederacy), MBA
CEO & President, Chief Mountain Sports & Consulting
|
1146 Gray-Little Hall |
| 10:35-11:35 AM | STUDENT-ATHLETE #8Dreamstarter Leadership Development Program |
Sydney Mills Farhang (Oglala Lakota), B.A.
Executive Director, Running Strong for American Indian Youth
Macey Michaelson, B.A.
Program Manager, Running Strong for American Indian Youth
|
1154 Gray-Little Hall |
| 10:35-11:35 AM | ADMINISTRATORS #4Challenging the Accepted: Centering Community and Solidarity in Athletics |
Diana Espinoza Chamale (Wixárika), M.A.
Assistant A.D. Internal Operations, Cal State East Bay
|
1200 CDUP |
| 11:45 AM | Lunch | — | Hadi Auditorium |
| 12:00 PM | Keynote & Q&A: Fireside Chat |
Sam McCracken (Fort Peck Sioux & Assiniboine)
Sam McCracken Youth Project
|
Hadi Auditorium |
| 12:30 PM | NSAS Closing | Indigenous Athletics Advancement Council | Hadi Auditorium |
| 2:00 PM | Shuttle Departs to Airport | — | University of Kansas |
Legend
STUDENT-ATHLETE = Session for student-athlete participants
ADMINISTRATORS = Session for athletic administrators and staff
Tribal affiliations are included to honor the Indigenous identities of our speakers and leaders.