Nakoda Aaniiih Economic Development Corporation

Cole currently serves as an NAEDC Board member for Agency area.

Lisa currently serves as an NAEDC board member for the Dodson area.

Dawn currently serves as the NAEDC board chair.

Meriah is an enrolled member of the Aaniiih nation and serves as the Aaniiih Language Resource Specialist. She is dedicated to preserving our Aaniiih language and is currently revising the Aaniiih dictionary to support language acquisition and also contribute to new language curriculum development. 

Leslie “Josie” Cliff, an enrolled member of the Nakoda (Assiniboine) tribe from the Fort Belknap Reservation in Montana, has dedicated decades to uplifting her community as a leader, non-profit executive, entrepreneur, and business owner. As Executive Director of the Fort Belknap Community Economic Development Corporation, she works passionately to create a brighter future for the Fort Belknap Indian Community, helping to foster resilience and growth in an area facing significant challenges.

With an associate’s degree in Business Administration from Aaniiih Nakoda College and a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration from Montana State University, Josie combines her deep-rooted community knowledge with a strategic understanding of health and program development. Her expertise enables her to design and implement initiatives that address the community’s needs, leveraging her extensive experience to build programs that drive sustainable change and progress.

Wɔɔheih! níítɔ́ínɔh (Hello, my friends). My name is Aaniiikenewooya, meaning “Carries the Voice.” My English name is Jeremy Richey, and I am a citizen of the Chippewa Cree Nation. Born in Fort Lewis, WA, I’ve lived across the United States, but for the past 13 years, I’ve called the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation home. I serve as the Youth Leadership Coordinator for the Nakoda Aaniiih Economic Development Corporation (NAEDC), where I advocate for systemic change within the Fort Belknap communities.

I am a certified Traditional Native Games trainer, and I find joy in cooking and exploring new cuisines. I regularly participate in sweats, ceremonies, powwows, and stick games, and I enjoy collaborating with other organizations to bring about positive change for the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. One of my favorite motivational quotes is, “It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful. The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.”

Hą́ dagúyebi, Įté Sába cažé mitáwa. (Hello relatives, my name is Black Forehead.) My English name is Gabriel Werk, and I have spent my entire life on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. As a proud member of the Aaniiih and Nakoda Nations, I am dedicated to preserving and promoting our cultural heritage. Currently, I am transcribing traditional Nakoda stories into the Fort Belknap Nakoda orthography to support language acquisition and contribute to new language curriculum development. Additionally, I am a certified Traditional Native Games trainer, and I enjoy crafting as a meaningful way to connect with and celebrate my heritage.

Peter is member of the Aaniiih tribe, was born in Great Falls, Montana to George P. Horse Capture Sr. who was a prominent member of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.  

Peter was raised in Cody, Wyoming and graduated from Hays/Lodgepole High School in Hays, Montana. After serving in the U.S. Navy for 3 years and living in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area for 24 years, he moved back to Fort Belknap and is working for Aaniiih Nakoda Tours since October 2022. Peter is also certified in Traditional Native Games.