Ruth Buffalo, CEO
Ruth is an educator, community organizer and public health professional. Ruth has served in various capacities focused on building healthy and safe communities.
She has served on advisory councils focused on women's health, women's leadership development and local food systems. She has 25+ years of community advocacy work.
Ruth is a former Fargo Native American Commissioner and a former North Dakota Lawmaker. She has introduced new laws focused on public safety, prevention and awareness of MMIP and Human Trafficking, and the creation of a Missing Persons Database. She serves as board President for the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. She is a co-founder of the local FM MMITP Taskforce. She is an appointed commissioner to the Not Invisible Act Commission.
In 2022, she received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Concordia College. She is a 2019-2020 Women’s Peacemaker Fellow, former Chair of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition and a 2017 recipient of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s 40 under 40 leadership award. The Fargo Forum named her among local leaders to watch in 2019. She was selected as the 2019 North Dakota Women of the Year by the ND Women’s Network and received the 2019 Arc of Justice Award from the ND Human Rights Coalition.
Her consultant and independent contract work has included several nonprofit organizations and improving the quality of life for Native communities. Her work includes research and advocacy, community capacity-building and continued reconciliation efforts through education.
Ruth is originally from Mandaree, North Dakota and currently resides in south Fargo with her husband and four children. In 2018, she was elected to serve a four year term in the North Dakota legislature representing the people of North Dakota as a Representative for District 27.
She is a citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation and a descendant of the Chiricahua Apache. Ruth earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (2002) and Master degrees in Management (2005), Business Administration (2010), and Public Health (2016).
Dawn DeLaroque, Director of Wawokiye
Zhawin Gonzalez, Director of Kinooamaage Wii’gaming
Zhawin is an enrolled member of the White Earth band of Ojibwe Nation.
Zhawin sits on the Tribal Nations Education Committee on behalf of MIWRC. He is also a motivational consultant at Motivational Consulting, Inc, speaking in treatment centers across Minnesota. Where he recently partnered with Health Management Associates in their Substance Use Disorder Community of Practice program and received the MARRCH President Award for driving excellence in addiction care. Zhawin is also a certified peer recovery specialist. He holds a master’s degree from Augsburg University in leadership studies, writing his capstone on “How to Teach Children of Color”, and a bachelor’s degree in communications studies, minoring in American Indian studies.
His work as a parent group facilitator for the FATHER’s Project, a nationally recognized program, gained him a specialization in child development and earned him the Father of the Year Award for his passion and dedication to building up families and supporting communities. Zhawin was also awarded the Unsung Hero Award for his commitment to children and families as a parent leader on the Parent Leadership for Child Safety and Permanency Team. Here, Mr. Gonzalez participated as a consultant for Early Childhood Systems Reform with the state of Minnesota and previously sat on the Parent Participatory Evaluations team with the Minneapolis public schools working on dismantling structural racism.
Ombaazhi Guernsey, Director of Traditional Birthing
The dynamics of my lineage has given me a lot to utilize, I am an enrolled member of the Leech Lake band of Ojibwe but without enrollment I’d still be Ombaazhi, educated on my family histories and customs. I am made of multiple different Ojibwe people and have been educated on what makes me anishinaabe. It’s a responsibility. I have my ties to my community and family. I have my history from what being Ojibwe in America has given my generation and to heal from all that in ways that were outlawed in the generations before me. My healing has pulled me to many parts of my community and grew me into things I never thought of coming from parents of generational home displacements, abuse and what you do when you don’t want to feel those things anymore. My older relatives helped me understand why my life was the way it was but also gave me what no school ever could, my real history and identity. Putting an end to any shame. I have my tools to help others and we all have these ties if you are from a tribal community. Its waiting for you to come and pick up something to pass on. I have a lifetime of learning to know nothing, and you don’t need to know it all to play your role. That’s what the community is for and there are many gaps to be filled. I am a believer in nothing is ever lost, it’s just the people that are missing from our traditional spaces. Safe access for native people is key. All that has come before us helps us now, use it and be good to people you never really know them and their path. Believer in community organizations must reflect the community they are awarded to assist.
Creating effective care comes from honoring the complex histories of the peoples we serve; compound trauma needs a compound healing effort. We all have a role and I want to assist in created those spaces for those willing to take their place in our community and bring together those willing to share their gifts and knowledge. To have a future of traditional thinkers who have what and who they need to make the best decisions for our descendance. We never needed organization or funding when we had community, land, and our traditional knowledge. We need to have just as much faith and voice from those of us on the streets as we do from those in the lodges and colleges. I hope to see more familiar faces and mannerisms in these organizations, more intention.
Our strength is in our relationships, connection in what makes us sovereign.
Salvador Pacheco, Director Of Facility And Security Services
Salvador is an enrolled member of The White Earth Nation, Bear Clan, Mississippi Band. Salvador was born (General Hospital) and raised in south Minneapolis. Attended Clinton Elementary School, Phillips Junior High School, and South High School (Go Tigers!). Salvador has a vast and a very ecletic work history. Served Honorably in the United States Marine Corp, Semper Fi! Architectural and Ornamental Ironworkers Local 63, Ironworkers Local 512. Mystic Lake Casino And Hotel, Security Officer , and Security Supervisor. Facilities Operations-Minneapolis Public Schools. Building Manager/YouthBuild Program Coordinator-The City, Inc.
Minnesota Department Of Labor And Industry, Special Class Engineer (Boilers). HCV Housing Quality Standards Specialist.
Director Of Facility And Security Services, Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, 2004-present, (been here a couple of years).
Super Power…Grandpa!
Maria Smith, Director of Family Services
Maria Smith is an enrolled member of White Earth. She has three wonderful children and two Grandchildren. Maria was born and raised in South Minneapolis by a strong grandmother. She enjoys being with family and exploring the great outdoors. Growing up in the Urban Native community, she was surrounded by amazing people who understood family and community.
Maria has worked in the South Minneapolis Urban Native community for over nineteen years and has numerous years of working in various settings with diverse families and cultural backgrounds. My main passion is working with our Indigenous relatives. In 2019, I began my career with the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center (MIWRC) as an ICWA Kinship worker. In 2022, I started my supervisorial role as the Director of Family Services at the MIWRC. She looks forward to many more years working with our relatives.
As an Urban Native woman, I deeply understand and have experience with the urban indigenous community. She is goal-driven, self-motivated, reliable, and dedicated.
In the words of my late Grandmother, Every day is a new learning opportunity.
Miigwech/Thank you.
Randy Vickers, Director of Information Technology
Randy is a descendant of Blackfoot, Osage, Cherokee, Finnish, and Scottish people. He started at MIWRC helping the finance department after a 25+ year career as a graphic designer working in curriculum development. He then worked with MIWRC’s Learning Center while providing in-house tech support. He migrated to the role of IT Director after building databases for the library, IT tracking, and a Purchase Order system. He is currently developing a grants management database to help analyze our program spending and provide real-time data on the implementation of our grant awards. Randy is passionate about ensuring that all our relatives get the most out of the funds we are granted. Outside of work, Randy is a musician, artist, and recording engineer.
Corey Baesler, MIWRC Housing Navigator
Corey started at MIWRC in 2023 after four years of working in the mental health field in both direct client services and administration roles. Corey graduated from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities with a bachelor's in psychology (BA) and Theatre Arts (BA). Corey believes that housing is a human right; all people deserve a safe, dignified place to call home. Corey approaches their work from a community care perspective and believes that community is what keeps us safe. In addition to their Section 8 case management duties, Corey also runs our Family Homelessness Prevention Assistance Program (FHPAP), which helps low-income individuals and families avoid eviction. Outside of work, Corey likes to spend their time going to the movies, making art, attending local theater, and camping with friends.
Angela Barnes, Director of Noojimo
Angela is Anishinaabe from White Earth Nation and has over 11 years of experience working in the advocacy field; however, she is most passionate about working with survivors of sexual violence. Since joining MIWRC in February of 2022, Angela has worked to build partnerships with gender-based violence service providers and community resources to best support our Indigenous/Native women who have experienced trauma. Angela has supported victim/survivors through police interviews to report an assault, at the scene of an assault, during court trials against the accused perpetrator, through victim impact statements at the offender’s sentencing, and facilitated Sexual Assault Survivors’ support groups in her previous role as a Sexual Assault Advocate at MIWRC. Angela is currently on the Hennepin Assault Response Team (HART) where she responds to the HCMC Emergency room to provide medical advocacy and support to Indigenous victim/survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, or sexual exploitation/trafficking during forensic exams, following an assault. In addition to working one-on-one with survivors during forensic exams, Angela also co-facilitates the Native American Sexual Assault Support Groups at the Hennepin County Women’s Correctional Facility and provides support to MIWRC’s programs and advocates. Angela has an Associate of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a focus in Human Services.
Candace Big Eagle, Facilities
Sarah Carlson, ICWA Kinship Worker
Sarah is a Red lake Band member from the Bear Clan. Sarah’s given spirit name is Anung-ongwaate kwe, star shine woman. Sarah was born to Mardell (Oakgrove) Carlson (full blood red lake) and Arthur Carlson (Corbine from Lac Courte Oreilles) Sarah was born and raised in South Minneapolis, graduated from Minneapolis South High School and after attended Minneapolis Community and technical college. Sarah holds many hats such as being a certified peer recovery coach, MNsure navigator, has experience working with Indian Child Welfare Act, and substance abuse disorder and mental health services. Sarah is also a licensed foster parent, and has helped native families and children, by providing a safe, loving, supportive, caring and native culturally specific home. Sarah is a proud mom of 4 children, 3 biological and one son that came to her in 2020 from the foster care system, who now has a forever home with Sarah. Being the ICWA kinship worker for MIWRC means so much to Sarah. She strives to offer the best support, resources and needs to families that provides care to our children. It’s very personal to Sarah, and that’s why she desires to put in her best effort to her role with MIWRC. Sarah enjoys self-care that includes ceremonies, powwows, medicine picking, sweat ceremonies, working out, walks around the lake and spending time with her children.
Sofie Hunter, Traditional Birthing Apprentice
Leah LaChapelle, Drop-In Center Worker
Penelope Sanchez, Administrative Support Specialist
I was born and raised in South Minneapolis and am proud of my Hunkpapa Lakota and Mexican heritage. I am an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe through my mom’s side. I am currently attending MCTC to complete my associate degree in human services. I am passionate about lending a helping hand and am always looking for new ways to help my community. I come from a big family of headstrong relatives and am used to having to take the initiative to advocate for myself and others. In my spare time I like to spend time with my family, go on nature walks, and pet cute animals I come across. I am incredibly thankful to be apart of the MIWRC team and am excited to build a future here with our incredible staff.
Graeme Parrish, Front Desk Receptionist
Lacey Torres, Family Spirit Home Worker