Council

gray hair middle aged woman kneeling with medallion

Melanie McKay-Cody
  • Co-founder of TIHT
  • Council Chair
  • Elder
  • Cherokee, Shawnee, Powhatan, & Montauk
  • Educator/Researcher
  • Gallaudet Alumna
  • Activist
  • Yellow circle

Hallie Zimmerman
  • Co-founder of TIHT
  • Council Vice-Chair
  • jr. Elder
  • Winnebago/Omaha Nation
  • Activist
  • Beadwork Artist/Ribbon Skirt
  • Red and Black Circle

Johnny Reininger, Jr.
  • Treasurer
  • Jr. Elder
  • Muscogee/Seminole Nation 
  • Activist
  • Oklahoma, USA
  • Red & Black Circle
 
Sonia Wuttunee-Byrd
  • Secretary/Logistics
  • Saskatchewan Cree First Nation
  • Gallaudet alumna
  • Office Clerk
  • Red Circle

Circle of Interconnection

 
Joretta Patterson
  • Educational Branch
  • Siouan Indians & Lumbee Tribe
  • Deaf Ed Teacher
  • Publish Author
  • Activist
  • Business Owner
  • Veteran (Army)
  • Yellow Circle

LuisRay Aguillar
  • Pascua Yaqui
  • Gallaudet Alumnus
  • Black Circle
  • Spiritual Branch
 

 

Marisol Ortiz
  • Co-Founder of TIHT 
  • Yaqui/Mexican-American 
  • Gallaudet Alumna 
  • Yellow Circle

black white photo of neck length white haired female facing camera but looking to the left, hands folded on mouth

Nancy Oyos Rourke
  • Spiritual Branch
  • Gallaudet Alumna
  • Artist
  • Kumeyaay Nation
  • Black circle
 
 
 
 
 

Tia-Nikki Ivanko
  • Educational Branch
  • Nipmuc Nation
  • Professional Interpreter
  • Educator
  • Yellow Circle
 
 
 
 
 

Michael Byrd – Loyal Elk
  • Intellectual Branch
  • Elder
  • Rappahannock Nation
  • Educator
  • Activist
  • Gallaudet Alumnus
  • White Circle

Kub
  • Co-founder of TIHT
  • Physical Branch
  • Jr. Elder
  • Anishinabek Nation
  • Activist
  • Native Canadian
  • Custom T-shirt designer
  • Red Circle
 

 
Vanessa Palomino
  • Co-Founder of TIHT
  • Apache/Mexican Nation

Co-founders of TIHT

Vanessa Palomino
  • Co-founder of TIHT
  • Apache/Mexican Nation

Fair skinned female with shoulder length black hair facing the camera with white background

Evelyn 
  • Co-founder of TIHT
  • San Carlo Apache 
  • Native Interpreter

Hallie Zimmerman

Kub Belleau

 

Marisol Ortiz
  • Co-founder of TIHT
  • Yaqui/Mexican-American 
  • Gallaudet Alumna

white woman kneeling with red shirt, red black medalliion, and jeans

Melanie Mckay-Cody


Educating, empowering, advocating, encouraging peace & promoting international understanding through our Indigenous people (Deaf and all) in North America.

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