Our Guiding Values
Seven Generations Perspective
We honor our responsibility to past and future generations by making decisions that consider their long-term impact on Indigenous communities. Our work builds on the wisdom of our ancestors while creating pathways for future generations.
Cultural Integrity
We honor and uplift Ancestral Wisdom, protocols and practices by centering Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Indigenous ways of knowing, and Indigenous languages. We support the revitalization of Indigenous communities and Paradigms.
Community-Centered
Our initiatives are shaped through partnership and collaboration with Indigenous communities. We center community voices and needs in our funding and programming.
Educational Excellence
We are dedicated to supporting the educational success and leadership development of Indigenous scholars in higher education. We promote academic excellence that empower Indigenous Peoples.
Indigenous Leadership
We are committed to amplifying Indigenous perspectives and strengthening Indigenous Communities by supporting Indigenous leadership development, Indigenous led organizations, and keeping Cedar Spirit Foundation led by and for Indigenous Peoples.
Relationship & Reciprocity
We believe in building lasting, meaningful partnerships rooted in mutual understanding and respect. We honor our commitments and prioritize reciprocal exchange. We practice regenerative responsibilities and interrelatedness in the investments and decisions we make.
Our Board of Directors
Jenny Serpa, MPA
Alisa Smith-Woodruff
Alisa Smith-Woodruff
Jenny Serpa is of Peruvian Quechua and American Scottish heritage. She holds a BA (2006) from the University of Washington, and an MPA (2012) from The Evergreen State College. As a specialist in Political Science, Legal history, and Research & Analytics, Jenny has taught and guest lectured at many colleges and universities, including Univ
Jenny Serpa is of Peruvian Quechua and American Scottish heritage. She holds a BA (2006) from the University of Washington, and an MPA (2012) from The Evergreen State College. As a specialist in Political Science, Legal history, and Research & Analytics, Jenny has taught and guest lectured at many colleges and universities, including University of Washington, The Evergreen State College, Northwest Indian College, and St. Matrin’s University. She brings her extensive experience providing grant writing, research, and administrative support from her work with the Seattle Indian Health Board, Hawkheart Consulting LLC, Western Washington Native Education Consortium, Eastside Native American Parent Committee, Northwest Indian College, and other Tribal programs across the state, and her media communications experience from the Seattle Native Circle (now the Seattle Urban Native Nonprofits Coalition). For the past 10 years, Jenny has worked with the Northwest Indian College’s Extended Campus at the Nisqually Tribe while also running her own business Hawkheart Consulting LLC.
Alisa Smith-Woodruff
Alisa Smith-Woodruff
Alisa Smith-Woodruff
Alisa Smith-Woodruff is an enrolled citizen of the Skokomish Tribe. She serves her community and preserves Indigenous knowledge as an adjunct at Northwest Indian College - Nisqually Campus. With a background steeped in the rich traditions of her upbringing near the Skokomish reservation, she holds a bachelors degree in Native Environmenta
Alisa Smith-Woodruff is an enrolled citizen of the Skokomish Tribe. She serves her community and preserves Indigenous knowledge as an adjunct at Northwest Indian College - Nisqually Campus. With a background steeped in the rich traditions of her upbringing near the Skokomish reservation, she holds a bachelors degree in Native Environmental Science and is pursuing a masters degree in Environmental Sciences. Outside of academia, Alisa finds solace in nature and traditional crafts like beading and weaving. While her dedication to Indigenous knowledge and environmental science has garnered recognition through programs like Planet Forward's Indigenous Science Writing Cohort. Guided by principles of kindness and care, she conducts research on the coexistence of coyotes and Cascade Red Foxes, blending Indigenous wisdom with scientific inquiry. As she looks to the future, Alisa aims to pursue a PhD, aiming to integrate traditional indigenous practices with Western academia for a more holistic approach to environmental stewardship keeps her at the forefront of interdisciplinary understanding and cultural preservation.
Justin Ketah
Alisa Smith-Woodruff
Justin Ketah
Justin Kaa Shaayi Ketah is a Tlingit artist from Ketchikan, Alaska, specializes in Formlinedesign, the traditional visual language of his ancestors. A 2024 graduate of Northwest Indian College with highest honors in Native Studies Leadership, his academic focus on Northwest Coast Design complements his artistic practice. As a two-time rec
Justin Kaa Shaayi Ketah is a Tlingit artist from Ketchikan, Alaska, specializes in Formlinedesign, the traditional visual language of his ancestors. A 2024 graduate of Northwest Indian College with highest honors in Native Studies Leadership, his academic focus on Northwest Coast Design complements his artistic practice. As a two-time recipientof research grants from the Bill Holm Center at the Burke Museum, his work bridges traditional Tlingit aesthetics with contemporary expression.Through both his artistic practice and community engagement, Kaa Shaayi works to preserve and advance traditional Tlingit artistic knowledge. He actively shares this knowledge through workshops and collaborative projects, promoting cultural continuity and cross-cultural understanding. His work demonstrates how traditional Indigenous art forms remain vital and relevant in modern contexts while honoring their ancestral roots. He is the initial treasurer on the Cedar Spirit Foundation.