Meet Our Staff

Han mitakuyepi! Melissa is an enrolled member of the Meskwaki Nation in Iowa and Dakota from the Crow Creek and Lower Brule Sioux Tribes. She grew up in South Dakota and comes from a large extended family. Melissa received an undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and earned an MS in…

Hau mitakuyepi! Chris chose to work at the American Indian Cancer Foundation because of the impact cancer has had on his family. Working at AICAF allows Chris the opportunity to help end the cancer disparities that disproportionately affect our communities. In his role as the Prevention and Policy Manager, Chris works across AICAF initiatives with…

Wyatt Pickner, MPH (Hunkpati Dakota) is the Research Manager at the American Indian Cancer Foundation. Originally from the Crow Creek Indian Reservation, Wyatt now lives and works in Minneapolis, MN. A graduate of the University of Washington School of Public Health, Wyatt is dedicated to improving the well-being of Native communities across the United States.…

Hello! Aniin! Lindsey is the Cancer Programs Manager and has a Masters Degree in Nursing Education. Lindsey previously worked for the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians in their clinic in various roles. One of her main focuses while working at Bad River was to reduce the cancer burden in the community. She…

CoCo has been working in community mobilization, education, and policy work for the past 20 years. CoCo’s focus includes the restoration of traditional tobacco and cultural lifeways as a way to create change.  One of her recent accomplishments was receiving the 2020 Minnesota Public Health Association’s Paul and Sheila Wellstone Public Health Achievement Award. CoCo…

Marie started working at the American Indian Cancer Foundation (AICAF) in February 2021. She grew up in Florida but has lived in Minneapolis since she graduated from Grinnell College with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Russian. Her first job after college was as the Aquatics Director at the Boys and Girls Club in the…

Oki! Shannon’s ancestors belong to the Siksika Blackfoot tribe in Montana and Canada.  Shannon holds a Master of Science in human services and social and community outreach from Capella University along with a bachelor’s degree in history and human relations from Saint Cloud State University.  She chose to work for the American Indian Cancer Foundation…

Samantha is the Office Administrator with the American Indian Cancer Foundation. Growing up, many of her friends and family had in some way been affected by cancer. With it being a large presence in Samantha’s life, it led her to work in the healthcare field. While working alongside individuals every day, many who were in…

Boozhoo! Madison works with the American Indian Cancer Foundation (AICAF) because she believes that we need more data about the health inequities within our communities. As a Research Assistant at AICAF, Madison assists with study design and collecting, analyzing, and disseminating research about the behavioral risk factors of cancer in American Indians. Madison has an…

Boozhoo. Daanis is from the Keweenaw Bay Chippewa Indian Community in Michigan and is a member of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota. Daanis holds an AS in Community Development and a BS in Sociology – Policy Analysis at the University of Minnesota. She chose to work at the American Indian Cancer Foundation…

Mabuhay! As a Prevention and Policy Coordinator, Alyssa provides technical assistance in policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change solutions to promote chronic disease prevention and health equity. Prior to this role, Alyssa served as AICAF’s AmeriCorps VISTA developing AICAF’s survivorship program. She is passionate about health equity, social justice, and decolonizing public health. As a…

Misha LaPlante is a Cancer Programs Manager for the American Indian Cancer Foundation. At the heart of what she and so many people in our communities believe is that we are all related, and our health is tied to one another. With this in mind, Misha joined AICAF to address cancer burdens affecting our Indigenous…

As a Prevention and Policy Coordinator, Sana supports sustainable strategies that strengthen Native community systems and improve health outcomes. Sana earned a BA in Physiology and an MPH in Public Health Administration and Policy, both from the University of Minnesota. As a first generation Pakistani-American, Sana aims to ally herself with Indigenous communities so she…

Matta was raised in Maryland by immigrant parents from Sierra Leone. After completing her undergraduate studies in Life Science & Sociology at the Pennsylvania State University she went on to receive a Master of Science degree in Public Health from the University of Miami, allowing her to further exercise her passion for health equity and social…

Lauren Conroy is a Communications Coordinator for the American Indian Cancer Foundation (AICAF). She was born and raised in Minnesota, and part of her family comes from the White Earth Nation. Cancer has had a deep impact on Lauren’s life and family. She has lost loved ones to the disease. That personal connection drove her…

McKinley (Mac) is from the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. He is currently a Research Coordinator with the American Indian Cancer Foundation (AICAF). He joined AICAF because he is interested in working to promote healthy behaviors and communities. He has a bachelor’s degree in health and human physiology from the University…

Boozhoo indinawemaaganidog. Veronica is the Indigenous Evaluation Specialist for the American Indian Cancer Foundation. She is affiliated with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Veronica has a master’s degree in integrated biosciences, which integrated cell biology and ecology, and a bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of Minnesota in Duluth.…

Hinįkaragiwi! As a Prevention and Policy Intern, Catherine is passionate about improving health outcomes for Indigenous communities. She earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from Arizona State University. She is a firm believer in higher education being physical and tangible. That means talking to elders, interacting with other Indigenous leaders within communities, learning the…

Chelsea earned a master’s degree in public health from New Mexico State University with an emphasis in administration and policy. She also earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology, history, and religious studies from the University of Kansas. Before joining AICAF, she worked as a clinical research coordinator at Mass General Brigham in Boston, where she helped…

Ketaki holds a master’s degree in public health from Long Island University and earned her bachelor’s degree in dental surgery in India. Her practical approach to primary health care has allowed her to provide outstanding care to her community while improving health and wellness through patient education and community welfare. By joining the American Indian…

George is a multimedia specialist currently living in southern Virginia. Specializing in film,  sound design, and illustration, George has worked in the media industry for over 16 years. He has worked with Goddess Work Media LLC to produce documentaries, done video editing and production assistant work on projects with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women nonprofit…

Khadijah earned a master’s degree in public health with an emphasis on rural health, maternal health, and health leadership and management. She will continue her education by pursuing a Doctorate of Public Health with a concentration in Health Management and leadership and obtaining a Certification in Physician Assistant studies. Before joining the AICAF team, she…