Native American Issues

REGINA AGUILERA, MS Regina Aguilera (Yaqui) holds a Master's degree in Oriental Medicine and specializes in acupuncture, herbology, and martial arts. Regina utilizes the combined philosophies of Eastern and Native cultures to encourage Native people toward wellness. She especially enjoys working with Native youth and adults in disease prevention and in promoting healthy lifestyles. She and her husband are actively involved in the San Diego Native community.

ROXANNE BENTON DARLING Mind-body wellness and self-esteem in stressed employees. Author of Awakening Your Body’s Spirit and 30 Days to Body Esteem, Roxanne is an energetic, vibrant speaker who teaches mental, emotional, physical and spiritual skills to help audiences recover and maintain high self-esteem. A pioneer in fitness, Roxanne gave the first Low Impact Aerobics workout in 1984 at the first International Dance and Exercise Association (IDEA) conference and in 1987, she gave the first mind-body session at the same conference. In 1997, Roxanne began contract work for Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems—coaching nearly 2000 individuals (men and women, CEO's to factory workers) with risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Roxanne has also worked for over 15 years with American Indian/Alaska Native communities on developing community-based health programs. Topics include "Body Esteem: The Ultimate Workout."

CECELIA FIRE THUNDER Cecelia Fire Thunder (Oglala Sioux) left the reservation when she was 15 years old but returned home in 1987. South Dakota-born, she is a licensed nurse, widely known as an advocate for wellness and women’s issues, and for her unique way of reaching the hearts of people and communities. Cecelia has co-written several healing and wellness curricula including the Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) for SCAP. She has presented at over 50 national conferences in the US and Canada. Cecelia is presently the Board President for KILI Radio and hosts community healing programs. Cecelia’s humor, tears, hugs, hope, encouragement, and care have helped others begin their journey to wellness and balance.

CHEEWA JAMES Cheewa is especially known for her presentations on leadership, dealing with change, and finding a balanced life style. Her father is Modoc Indian and her mother is German. Although addressing contemporary, cutting edge business and training issues, Cheewa often uses Native American thinking to illustrate a point. She creates a feel for diversity in a very subtle way. Cheewa was born on the Klamath Indian Reservation, Oregon, and is enrolled with the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma. A former television anchorwoman and reporter, Cheewa is the recipient of seven UPI (United Press International) awards. She has been awarded the National Golden Mike Award for excellence in television production. An accomplished author with nearly 150 articles in print, Cheewa's work has appeared in Smithsonian, National Wildlife, Chicago Tribune, Portland Oregonian and Kansas City Star. Her book, Catch the Whisper of the Wind, is composed of her short, inspiration profiles of American Indians.

VIDA KHOW, RN, MSA An expert in women's workplace dynamics, organizational transitions, and visionary leadership, Vida Khow addresses conferences, associations, and government agencies across the country. Being a successful Navajo woman, she naturally combines the wisdom of her native roots with her vast administrative experience. Vida has taught her innovative ideas to distinguished clients throughout the United States and Germany. Vida holds a master's degree in Health Services Administration from Central Michigan University. After 18 years of nursing, she was appointed CEO of the Winslow Indian Health Center in Arizona.

BRUCE LEONARD, MPH, CHES An expert in developing community media based behavior change programs, Bruce Leonard's topics include "Worksite Health Promotion: Where To Start," "Designing Behavior Change Interventions," and "Applying Lessons Learned From Tobacco To Physical Activity." His workshop on "Principles of Behavior Change" is full of practical applications that come from years of experience with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, physical activity, nutrition, and smoking cessation.

LEWIS MEHL-MADRONA, MD, PhD Author of Coyote Medicine, Dr. Mehl-Madrona draws upon his Native American background to present a model of healing that is holistic, humanistic, and scientifically grounded. A family physician and psychiatrist, he has worked many hours in rural emergency rooms. He is on the front lines in the struggle to integrate his traditional Cherokee and Lakota heritage with modern medicine. In his words, "To be healed, we need to believe in the possibility of healing, and in a greater world, and in higher powers than our own...We cannot live without spirit."

BILLY ROGERS, MPH Director of the Native Wellness and Healing Institute based in Oklahoma. For many years, Billy has organized the largest Native American health conference in North America. He also provides insights for corporate audiences, general wellness conferences, and youth. A highly adaptable speaker, Rogers provides lively, inclusive, interactive trainings for national, state and local governments, universities, tribes, private companies, and community organizations.