Who We Are

Pamala M. Silas, CAE

Over the past 25 years, Pam has been a recognized leader in building organizational capacity of grassroots and professional membership organizations, particularly around organizing under-represented communities. Her experience comes from successfully leading regional and national non-profit organizations.

She has a B.S. in Economics from DePaul University and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE). An enrolled member of the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin and descendant of the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin, Pam’s career experience is embedded with her connections and trainings influenced by Native culture and community. One of her proudest achievements was having her Tribe recognized along with the group she co-founded in Chicago receiving a top Harvard Honoring Nations award for their formalized urban, reservation relationship.

Recent clients include executive management for the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) and Healthy Native Communities Partnership (HNCP) as well training and consulting with other groups throughout the U.S.

Prior to forming her own Association Management & Consulting Company, Pam was CEO of American Indian Science & Engineering Society’s national operation in New Mexico and AISES Publishing Inc./Winds of Change Magazine. In Chicago, she served as Executive Director for Metropolitan Tenants Organization, leading housing campaigns and aggressive direct organizing efforts with low-income tenants.

She has provided volunteer leadership to public and tribal boards, committees and taskforces including Chicago’s Low Income Trust Fund, Council on Women, Community Development Advisory Council, Working Mother Magazine, Multicultural Women’s Initiative the Menominee Indian Tribal Gaming Commission, Prosperity Works New Mexico and Native Ways Federation. More about Pamala Silas

Cristy Davies

Cristy Davies received her B.A. in Sociology from Tufts University and her M.A. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of New Mexico. She has 17 years of experience in corporate event planning and program development. She has experience working in hotel, university and non-profit settings as well as a long history working in the native community.

From 2002 to 2010, Cristy worked at the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) producing the organization’s 3 annual events: AISES National Conference & Career Fair, National American Indian Science & Engineering Fair, AISES Leadership Conference. During her tenure with the organization, the National Conference generated annual revenues of $1 million. As AISES’ Events Director, she managed event strategy and planning as well as sponsor development and corporate relations.

As a consultant, she has worked with Hawks Aloft, NIEA, Compassion & Choices, and NAJA. She is also an avid cyclist, having logged over 2200 miles of long distance bike touring. When not planning events or cycling, she can be found sewing and doing embroidery.

Don Faraone

Don Faraone has had a full career (he claims he is retired) in successful financial and accounting services for non-for-profit organizations in both membership and social services agencies. He spent the first 15 years of his career in banking starting as a teller and working his way up to president of a savings bank. He was even recruited by the State of Texas regulators to assist in managing insolvent banks until placed in receivership, guiding transition to new owners.

Don’s experience includes: directing accounting, human resources, and IT; instituting budgetary procedures and controls; preparing and presenting timely financial reports to management and Board of Directors, directing annual financial audits, installed updated financial accounting systems, developing banking relationships and procured lines of credit, developing new accounting policy and procedures manuals, supervisors’ handbook and employee handbooks, improving cash flow by implementing cash management techniques.

Professional and Civic engagements also include, Leadership Albuquerque Alumni Association and Leadership Rochester, Board of Directors for National Multiple Sclerosis Society – Rio Grande Division, Big Brothers Big Sisters Volunteer, Rochester Association of Fiscal Directors of Exempt Organizations, Financial Managers Society, Church Finance Committee, League of Savings Institutions for Newly Chartered Banks, President Western NY Chapter of Financial Managers Society, NY Savings and Loan League Committee for Electronic Funds Transfer.

Jasmine Gurneau

Jasmine is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and a descendant of the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin. She has been actively involved in the Chicago Indian community for the past 10 years working with youth and families in education.

As part of her position at Northwestern University, she began managing two collaborative education research projects, “Living and Learning in Relationships” and “Community-Based Citizen Science: Rebuilding Relationships to Place”. Under these two grants, she designed and implemented curriculum for Native American children ages 3 and up and their families. Some of the activities included summer science camps, after-school garden and land restoration projects, and Saturday family science days. In addition, she helped design and deliver professional development workshops on implementing culturally based science curriculum and other best practices in education. This work included developing a monthly newsletter and project website as well as delivering presentations locally and nationally on the design process, evaluation results and implications for increasing educational outcomes for Native students.

Her passion and background is centered around community-based research projects focused on creating innovative and affective learning environments that are community and culturally based and built from the intellectual and cultural strengths of community. Because of this, she has played a key role in community engagement, developing strong learning communities inside and outside of schools.

Debra Valentino

Debra has 22 years of managerial, leadership, and administrative experience. She has held high level quality control and management contracting responsibilities for government and private sector organizations. Debra oversees contracting services and day to day bookkeeping . She is experienced with financial systems and software. Debra’s community leadership work included project planning, executive leadership, designing and implementing family centric service programs and providing instruction to large and small grassroots groups. She continues to mentor and lead young Native American professionals and coordinates the seasonal woman’s cultural gatherings. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Community Studies and has graduate coursework in Business Management and Non-profit Management. Debra is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin.