Melissa Ann Ehrenreich (she/hers)

Melissa Ann has three decades of experience in marine and terrestrial conservation at all levels working on strategy and policy development, philanthropic partnerships, capacity building, and community economic development that she is now sharing with Tribal Nations to build capacity to rematriate and care for ancestral lands and waters. She lives with her husband and three children in the Anacostia watershed and on the traditional hunting grounds of the Piscataway-Conoy. Her family dates back to the 1620s as colonizers of stolen Indigenous lands in what is now known as Virginia.

Desiree Shelley (she/hers)

Desiree is a citizen of the Monacan Indian Nation and a transdisciplinary researcher with  professional experience in restoration ecology, forestry, agroecology, community education and applied geospatial analysis. She is pursuing a PhD in the School of Plant and Environmental Science at Virginia Tech. Her research explores the nexus between Indigenous cultural revitalization, food sovereignty and the application of historical Indigenous managed plant communities and land use practices in biocultural and ecological restoration, weaving Indigenous Knowledge alongside western data analysis. 

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Desiree also dedicates her time to language revitalization, land protection and conservation in her community through her work with the Yesa:sahį Language Project and the Southwest Virginia Agrarian Commons. She is passionate about seedkeeping and native plants. She lives on a small farm and forest in Monacan/Tutelo ancestral homelands along the headwaters of the James River in Roanoke County with her husband and three kids.

Kali Regula Lassiter (she/hers)

​Kali Regula Lassiter is an Administrative Specialist at the ICC, holding an MBA in Human Resource Management from Regent University. She previously served as the Administrative Coordinator at the Nansemond Indian Nation, where she honed her skills in organizational support, strategic planning, and communication. Now based in Pennsylvania, Kali is committed to enhancing operational efficiency and fostering team success through her expertise and proactive approach.