“Language is medicine and can be used to heal our community.”

• Dr. Yekuhsi·yó Rosa King's personal philosophy on Indigenous language reclamation.

Dr. King is the founder and Executive Director of Skaˀnikú·lat, Inc. Recognizing the deep impacts of settler-colonialism on her community, Dr. King established Skaˀnikú·lat, Inc. to promote healing through language revitalization. She also serves as a head instructor for the Teshakonatnʌtshotalhu Oneida language-medium school which operates within Skaˀnikú·lat.

She is a licensed American Indian Language educator through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and also serves as an adjunct instructor at the College of Menominee Nation, teaching Oneida Language, History, and Treaties courses. Dr. King is currently a 2024-2026 Changemaker Fellow with NDN Collective, where she advances her philosophy that “language is medicine” as an essential tool for healing Indigenous communities.

She has dedicated nearly 14 years to both teaching and learning the Oneida language, focusing on language documentation, revitalization, Oneida philosophy, cultural reclamation, resource development, teacher training, and language-medium programming for children and adults. Dr. King's teaching experience spans diverse settings, including public schools, Tribal schools, and Tribal colleges, where she has taught in both language-medium and second-language acquisition environments.

Her expertise includes an array of skills ranging from Oneida language revitalization to language-medium education, language and decolonial pedagogies, curriculum and program design, community wellness, healing, Traditional Knowledge, ancestral art forms, Indigenous-based research, matriarchal leadership, advocacy, community-building, and Indigenous organizational development.

Drawing on her experience as an Oneida language-medium educator, Dr. King combines a deep respect for Traditional Knowledge with innovative pedagogical approaches and community-driven strategies. Her work honors the importance of the Oneida language while leveraging Indigenous-based education methods and research to create effective language-medium programs, responsive curricula, and sustainable pathways for language revitalization.

As lifelong learner of the Oneida language, she also integrates academic research, decolonial frameworks, and hands-on cultural practices. All of this combined fosters a holistic approach to create proficient speakers and ultimately reclaim language as a tool for healing and empowerment. It is her personal belief that Indigenous languages contain Traditional Knowledge which can be used as ethical and practical solutions that address global challenges that affect all people.

Her academic credentials include a Bachelor of Arts in American Indian Studies from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, a Master’s degree in Tribal Administration and Governance from the University of Minnesota Duluth, and a Doctorate in First Nations Education from the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. Her doctoral research, titled “Ukwaka·lá·: My Relational Journey of Reclaiming the Oneida Language” which examined the experiences of Oneida language educators and outlined intrapersonal strategies for prospective learners.

Rosa enjoys hanging out with her cat and dog, family, friends, and watching the Green Bay Packers and other Wisconsin sports teams. Rosa enjoys binge watching documentaries on Netflix, working out, boba bubble teas, coffee, and snacks. She regularly attends longhouse ceremonies with the Oneida community and relative communities across Iroquois country.

Rosa is also an award winning artist, and has a background in traditional Iroquois arts, specifically sewing regalia, moccasin making, and raised beadwork.

ʌyukwalihwanʌ́steke tsiˀ niyukwalihó·tʌ

translates to 'we will treasure our ways'and this encompasses all of our Oneida matters such as our language, ceremonies, songs and dances. 

Kaˀshatstʌslahawi was the first and former Director of the Oneida Language Department (OLD) within the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. Kaˀshatstʌslahawi served in this role from 2007-2024. She worked with staff to develop On^yote’aka Tsi nitwaw^not^ curriculum, has collaborated with public school districts and area colleges to gain accreditation for the OLD curriculum and is an emerging Oneida language speaker. Her expertise includes: advanced Oneida language proficiency, curriculum and resource development, and program development and implementation. Kaˀshatstʌslahawi holds an adjunct appointment with Fanshawe College (Canada) where she teaches Oneida language. She is currently exploring the ways we can use technology and artificial intelligence in advancing Indigenous language revitalization efforts in ways that also maintain and protect our data sovereignty as Indigenous Peoples.

Tracy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics from University of Kansas and a Master of Arts in Native American Linguistics from the University of Arizona. She also holds a PhD in Teaching, Learning, and Sociocultural Studies from the University of Arizona. Her research focus is centered around creating Oneida speakers amongst children and adults.

Tracy is a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. Her Oneida name is Kaˀshatstʌslahawi, which means ‘she is carrying power/strength’. Tracy is Wolf Clan and is a Faithkeeper in the Oneida community and assists in Oneida ceremonies, Oneida language, and Oneida culture efforts. She is a foster and adoptive mom to two beautiful young Oneida boys and resides on the Oneida Nation in Wisconsin.

She treasures her work with numerous first language Oneida speakers throughout the course of her life with whom she learned advanced levels of Oneida proficiency. Her work across the Haudenosaunee Confederacy has given her many traditional teachings about Oneida philosophy, traditional medicines, ancestral and holistic wellness, culture, and history.

In her free time, Tracy enjoys baking cheesecakes and gardening.

"As Oneida people, we carry teachings that remind us of the interconnection between stories, language, and the land—shaping how we live and envision our future. I understand environmental and cultural design as a practice of care and responsibility, creating places reflecting identity, honoring relationships, and restoring balance between the built environment, community, and the natural world."

• Stacie Cutbank's unique perspective is rooted in Indigenous relationality, balance, and cultural expression through place. 

Stacie Cutbank brings a thoughtful and community-centered approach to her role at the organization, where she contributes to revitalizing and preserving the Oneida language and culture.

Stacie brings over 17 years of experience as a Community Planner, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, and Strategic Planner. She has contributed to and led initiatives that strengthen cultural heritage, advance community development, and promote long-term sustainability for the Oneida Nation.

Her background in strategic planning, environmental design, historic preservation, and critical thinking application has helped guide efforts that honor the past and future, while creating space for new expressions of identity, relationship-building, and growth.

Stacie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Urban and Regional Studies with an emphasis in Environmental Design from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and recently completed a Master of Arts in Cultural Sustainability at Goucher College.

Her educational journey reflects her passion for learning the interconnectedness of people, environment, and culture. Her capstone project—an interpretive (walking tour) plan for the Oneida community—was a creative, relational, and community-informed process. Guided by Indigenous methodologies, she explored how land, language, community, and cultural memory shape identity and influence the (re)connection between people, land, and language.  

Grounded in community relationships, the project centered the voices, memories, and stories shared by Oneida community members, whose lived experiences aided the development of key themes and guiding principles. Placing value on local knowledge and listening to diverse voices turned the process into a chance to build stronger connections, trust, and a shared vision tied to place and culture.

She understands cultural work as a collaborative effort, grounded in respect and reciprocity, and always directed toward sustaining both culture and community wellbeing.

Stacie is a lifelong learner. She values time spent with her husband, Dennis, and their three children outside her professional work. She looks forward to reconnecting with cultural practices such as beading and exploring new art-based hobbies such as pottery. She also enjoys spending time outdoors through biking and walking.

“Even the smallest act of discomfort causes a ripple.” 

• Belle Mae’s personal reflections on taking action, responsibility, and continuity. 

As a youth, Belle Mae participated in various youth programs at the Oneida Nation Arts Program (ONAP), including MOC (Music From our Culture), and later participated in Tetwatunhatényehseˀ Rites of Passage (ROP) program. 

As an undergraduate, Belle Mae, alongside other Indigenous peers, helped re-establish a community of Indigenous people on campus and later served on the board of the Indigenous Peoples Organization (IPO). As an interfaith fellow, she engaged across lines of religious and faith differences. During her time as a fellow, she launched the Why Treaties Matter (WTM) exhibit on her campus. Belle Mae holds a special interest in the Nation’s right to sovereignty and is committed to peacebuilding. 

Belle Mae earned her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Chinese language, with a minor in International Relations from St. Olaf College. She is an ongoing learner. 

Belle Mae is a Member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. Her Oneida name is Yukhilihwiyostʌ, which means she watches over our ways. She is a part of the Wolf Clan. In her free time, she enjoys being active, singing, eating, practicing calligraphy, and developing new special skills. 

"Our ancestors built strong, matrilineal societies where women played a central role in governance, community, and cultural preservation. It is time for a return to that matriarchal consciousness, where our languages, teachings, and ways of knowing guide us toward a future rooted in strength, balance, and collective responsibility."

• Dr. Belisle’s personal belief on language revitalization, sovereignty, and Haudenosaunee women’s leadership

Dr. Priscilla Belisle currently works in the public sector educating, advocating, and supporting Indigenous communities's self-determination. She has nearly 15 years of experience and extensive expertise in grant writing, grant management, strategic planning, program development, program assessment, and budget operations. Over her career, she has helped secure over $7,500,000 in grants and has worked to create impactful, community-based projects that drive economic development and cultural revitalization. Dr. Belisle’s past work includes curriculum development, grant support, and administrative leadership for the TehatiwʌnákhwaɁ Language Nest Oneida Language Immersion Program. In a previous capacity, Priscilla conducted a community needs assessment and prioritized community building as a strategy to address the substance abuse and drug epidemic in the Oneida community and advocated for cultural approaches to this challenge as a mechanism for healing. She also holds adjunct appointments at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where she teaches a grants management course in the Ed.D. Doctoral Graduate Program, and at the College of Menominee Nation, where she also teaches project management.

With nearly 20 years of Tribal community engagement experience, Dr. Belisle has played a key role in planning workshops, community events, and various community-led strategic initiatives. Her efforts have consistently focused on revitalizing Indigenous languages, enhancing cultural identity, and fostering sustainable economic opportunities for Tribal Nations. She continues to advance these goals along with her her leadership in cultural education and advocacy at Skaˀnikú·lat, by providing key support and advisement on program development, community needs assessments, community outreach and development.  

Dr. Belisle earned a B.A. in Political Science, Social Change & Development, and First Nations Studies and an M.S. in Teaching and Learning from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She later obtained her Ed.D. with a focus on Global Indigenous Education, Language, and Culture from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Priscilla’s dissertation titled, A Haudenosaunee Intrinsic Multiple Case Study on the Influence of Dissonance on Yukwatsistayʌ for Young Oneida Women at Predominantly White Institutions, explored the intersection of cultural identity and its correlations to college success. Her Thesis focused on understanding the relationship between Yukwatsistayʌ, which translates to “fire—or the spirit within each of us” and “dissonance”, which she viewed as an opportunity for growth and self-actualization within Oneida (Haudenosaunee) culture. Her dissertation research grew out of her own experience as a Native woman attending predominantly white institutions (PWI) of higher education. Navigating PWIs to attain her academic degrees was challenging for Belisle, who was raised with a strong sense of cultural identity. A lifelong learner and teacher of the Oneida language, Dr. Belisle resides on the Oneida Reservation in Wisconsin with her husband and children. She is deeply connected to her culture and inspired by her family’s enduring commitment to revitalizing Oneida traditions and language.

She is a mother to 5 beautiful children and resides in Oneida, Wisconsin and enjoys crocheting, nice pens, walks, watching marvel movies, and traveling to pow-wows with her husband, Cody.