Steve Watkins-Melgarejo
Stephen Watkins-Melgarejo earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Illinois State University in 2012 and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Hamline University in 2020. While at Illinois State, Stephen was invited to join and inducted into the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honors Society in 2012 based on academic and disciplinary excellence demonstrated in his studies and published creative works. Stephen has worked as a cook and a writer, a manager and a teacher; everything from washing dishes to grading papers. In 2017, Stephen began his teaching career. He served as a Special Education teacher and English [...]
Darrell Seki, Jr.
Darrell Seki Jr. is a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians. He graduated from Red Lake High School in 1991. He has received baton, mace and CPR/First Aid training through his employment at Red Lake Comprehensive Health Services where he has been employed as a security officer and Ambulance Standby for 16 years.
Tomi Roy
Tomi is an enrolled member, a lifelong resident of the Red Lake Nation, and a first generation college student. Her education journey began at Northwest Technical College in Bemidji, where she obtained a certificate in Medical Billing and a certificate in Medical Coding in 2016. From there she enrolled at RLNC and graduated in 2019 with an AA degree in Liberal Arts. She is currently studying at Bemidji State University, majoring in Liberal Studies with an expected completion date of Fall 2023. Before joining RLNC staff, she was Travel Coordinator for the Red Lake Band. Tomi is excited to be [...]
Lea Perkins
Lea earned a BA in Chemistry from Bemidji State University in 1989 and Masters in Tribal Administration and Governance (MTAG) from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2013. She is an enrolled member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians. Lea worked as the Executive Administrator for the Red Lake Nation from 2004-2014 for Floyd Jourdain Jr. Previous to that appointment, she worked at the Minnesota Department of Education, Office of Indian Education as a Grants Specialist from 1994-2004. She has extensive experience in program management and development, scholarship programs and evaluation. She has taught Anatomy and Physiology as [...]
Michelle Paquin
Michelle earned her B.A. in Political Science (Minor: French) from the University of Minnesota in 1988. Additionally, she earned her Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law in 1992. Michelle has work experience as the Chief Tribal Prosecutor for the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians. Additionally, her experience includes serving as a Judicial Clerk for Honorable Phillip Bush, Hennepin County Juvenile Court and as a Consultant for Mending the Sacred Hoop. She worked as a Program Manager for the Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project, first at a division of Southern Minnesota Legal Services, then as separate nonprofit. In [...]
Shieleen Omen
Shieleen Omen is a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa and a graduate of Cankdeska Cikana Community College, where her career in the higher education field began. She has six years of experience as the Executive Assistant to the President there. She also served as the Public Information Officer and a Grants Manager, submitting and maintaining grant files for the college. Shieleen has worked at Red Lake Nation College since 2015. She has a passion for helping students succeed in their pursuit of Higher Education and truly believes that stronger communities are forged through education.
James Nissen
Jim earned a M.S. in Physical Science (chemistry and physics) from Bemidji State University, an administration degree from St. Cloud State University and a B.S. in Art education from Mayville State University. Jim retired from Blackduck High School after 34 years working mainly as a science instructor. He also served as an art, computer and math teacher as well as a coach and Principal at Blackduck. Additionally he has taught at Bemidji State University (BSU), Twin Valley High School and Lake Park High School.
Dr. Dan Ninham
Dan Ninham is Wolf Clan from the Oneida Nation in Wisconsin. He recently retired as a thirty-eight year middle school physical education teacher, has devoted his career to Indian Education and has worked at Wingate High School (New Mexico), Oneida Tribal School (Wisconsin) and Bemidji Middle School (Minnesota). In December of 2009, Dan earned a PhD in Physical Education with an emphasis in Sport Pedagogy at the University of Northern Colorado. He and his wife Susan, Red Lake Nation, were the first husband and wife to receive a Bush Fellowship at the same time in 2000-02. Dan is a first [...]
