Deborah Painte, Director, Native American Training Institute (NATI) debp@nativeinstitute.org
Deborah Painte, MPA, (Arikara) is the director of the Native American Training Institute (NATI) in Bismarck, ND. NATI is an inter-tribal child welfare training organization created and governed by the four ND Tribal Child Welfare agencies serving the Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation; Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Spirit Lake Tribe and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Deborah was a former Director of two system of care intiatives through the SAMHSA Center for Mental Health Services and the Children’s Bureau. Currently, NATI is a partner with the National Resource Center for Tribes lead by the Tribal Law & Policy Institute in conjunction with the Indian Child & Family Resource Center and University of Denver, Butler Institute for Families. NATI is also a collaborating partner with the Mountain & Plains Child Welfare Resource Center located at the University of Texas, Arlington in collaboration with the University of Denver, Butler Institute for Families. Previously, Ms. Painte served as the Executive Director for the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission for seven years. She has over thirty years of experience working in or with tribal communities in the area of strategic and program planning, community development, program administration, policy development & analysis, tribal advocacy, community mobilization & engagement, training & technical assistance for tribal human service agencies, financing strategies, program evaluation and research in tribal communities.
Joe Walker, Evaluator joew@nativeinstitute.org Joe Walker is an enrolled member of the Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma. Joe is the father of Kelly and Steven Walker. He has a varied background in providing evaluation services for tribal and nonprofit grant programs such as: Sacred Child Project (systems of care for children with mental health needs), Medicine Moon Initiative (systems of care for tribal child welfare), Oniyapi (suicide prevention), Clear Visions (adolescent substance abuse prevention and treatment), and SRST Mental Health First Aid Program. Joe is also currently providing evaluation services for the Mountain and Plains Child Welfare Implementation Center, Western Workforce Initiative, and the National Resource Center for Tribes. Joe has a Masters Degree in Management from the University of Mary and has extensive experience in code development, computer management information systems, and child protection investigation.
Monique Pleets, Business Manager moniquep@nativeinstitute.org Monique Pleets "Wiyaka Gleska Win"(spotted feather woman) is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. She has served for four years as Administrative Assistant to the Standing Rock School Superintendent/ Administrative Team and to the School Board, while at the same time, coordinating all aspects and complexities of a $26,000,000 elementary school/high school construction project. For nine years she served as the contracting officer for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, assuring compliance with all funding agency requirements. In addition Monique served as Program Assistant and Acting Director for the Standing Rock Sioux Higher Education Department while managing the Tribal Education Loan Program over seven years. Ms. Pleets earned her Bachelor’s degree at Minot State University and graduated from the University of Mary with a Masters Degree with a major in Management in 2006. Monique and her Significant Other Charles White Eagle are the parents of three children; Christopher, Jordan & Krystin who they are very proud of as they move forward into their adult futures. They have five grandchildren; Zaylise, Xaivon, Jae'Shawn, Kingston and Kailey.
