Susan Paulson, President
Susan Paulson; skuunuxkata-Yellow Bear Woman is a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. She was raised by her grandparents, Joseph and Mamie Packineau in the North Segment of the Fort Berthold Reservation and is a survivor of Immaculate Conception Indian Mission School in Stephan South Dakota. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education from the University of Mary, Bismarck North Dakota and her Masters of Public Health (MPH) from the University of California, Berkeley in Community Mental Health and Health Planning.
She has over 35 years of grass-roots experience working with Native people. She has held many positions working for the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara people. These include: MHA Nation Health and Human Services Director; FBCC Human Services Instructor; FBCC Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Training Director; FBCC Dean of Student Services; The FBCC Child Welfare Training Director; and the I.H.S. Community Health Educator. She also worked for the White Shield School as the Tribal Government Instructor; and a Learning Disabilities teacher. She worked with many programs and people to develop the Three Affiliated Tribes Wellness Team that was active during the Wilkinson Administration. The TAT Wellness Team received recognition from Washington D.C. Secretary of Health and Human Services as an outstanding community disease prevention and health promotion coalition. She also coordinated a Peer Leader Group of junior high and high school students for ten years in which the Peer Leaders conducted health education training through workshops, school lock ins, and school board presentations.
Susan worked for the State of North Dakota Department of Public Instruction as the Comprehensive School Health Coordinator with special funding from the Centers for Disease Control during the HIV-AIDS epidemic in the 1990’s, assisting with the development of universal precautions policies and procedures for schools and working with ten (10) schools in North Dakota utilizing the N.D. Comprehensive School Health Education Guidelines to develop curricula.
Her more recent experience has been with developing Systems of Care for the four reservations in North Dakota for children with special mental health needs through the wraparound process. She served as the Director of the Sacred Child Project and the Native American Training Institute in Bismarck, ND.
She has written three curricula: “Relationships in Perspective: A Guide for Native American Youth;” “Extending Our Families Through Unity-Native American Foster Parent Training;” and “Wraparound in Indian Country: The Ways of the People are Who We Are.” She successfully wrote the System of Care for Children’s Mental Health grants under SAMHSA for the Sacred Child Project and the Medicine Moon Initiative. She has consulted with approximately twenty tribes across the United States and Canada training in Systems of Care; the wraparound process and other initiatives. She was recently a consultant with the Fort Berthold District Court.
She is retired but continues volunteer work on the Arikara Language Curriculum for children, preschool through grade three for the Medicine Lodge Confederacy. She has two children and nine grandchildren that are directly hers but hundreds of extended family children and grandchildren. Susan is also a member of the Dead Grass Society.
Deborah Painte, Vice President
Deborah PainteDeborah Painte, Spananataka (Prairie Rose Woman) is enrolled with the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Nation and resides in New Town, ND. She has over 40 years working with tribal communities and organizations providing services to Native American youth and families. Deborah’s most recent work experience was co-owner of the Sage & Silver Americana Boutique, specializing in western and Native American inspired women’s apparel and a Native American art gallery. Previous work experience include director of the Native American Training Institute in Bismarck, ND providing training to human service and child welfare organizations serving Native American Families; director of the Medicine Moon Initiative to Improve Tribal Child Welfare Outcomes through System of Care working with ND tribal child welfare agencies to develop capacity and organization improvement; director and evaluator of the Sacred Child Project providing wraparound services to children with serious emotional needs and their families to the four ND reservations. Other work experience includes Executive Director of the ND Indian Affairs Commission,; faculty member of Nueta, Hidatsa, & Sanish Community College, formerly known as the Fort Berthold Community College; and Business Technician for the Office of Indian Education, BIA Fort Berthold Agency. She has worked as a tribal consultant to numerous tribal organizations to develop systems of care, community development, culturally-appropriate evaluations, and cultural competency. Deborah has served in various non-profit board capacities and is a founding member of the Medicine Lodge Confederacy.
Deborah earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Montana State University, a Bachelor of Business Administration from Central OK University, formerly Central State University, and an Associate of Arts from Haskell Indian Nations University, formerly Haskell Indian Junior College. She has a lifelong passion for researching, preserving and strengthening Arikara culture and language. She is a member of the Dead Grass Society and is active language learner of the Arikara language. She is the mother to two daughters and five grandchildren and is enjoying semi-retirement beading and sewing regalia for her family.
Sonya Abe, Secretary
Sonya Abe spAhaatau’ (Red Paint Woman)
Enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes
Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, North Dakota
I was appointed as the Secretary for the Medicine Lodge Confederacy at Strike the Enemy Village. I’ve been an active member for 3yrs. I have two young boys that are a part of the Medicine Lodge Confederacy as well. I enjoy participating and learning about our traditional ways through stories, ceremonies and prayer. I’m employed through the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation at Elbowoods Memorial Health Center. I’ve obtained two bachelor degrees in Psychology and Environmental Science. I have great appreciate and love for Holistic Healing. I enjoy spending my time out in nature, gardening and with my family.
Fawn Packineau, Treasurer
Nawah,
My Name is Fawn Packineau, I’m an enrolled member of the MHA Nation.
Arikara, Hidatsa and Santa Clara Pueblo of New Mexico.
I am a child of the Knife Clan.
My Arikara name is “Black Beaver Woman”, which stems from my late great-grandmother, Elizabeth Packineau’s (Yellowbird) name “Beaver Woman.”
My daughter and I have been associated with the Medicine Lodge Confederacy since 2010. As of October of 2017 I am the Treasurer for the MLC.
Learning the life ways and teachings of our ancestors has always been a passion of mine.