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 15 years of professional experience in restoration ecology, forestry, agroecology, community education and applied geospatial analysis. She is currently also pursuing a PhD in the School of Plant and Environmental Science at Virginia Tech. Her academic 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 efforts, employing western data analysis alongside Indigenous knowledge and data sovereignty. 

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Desiree also dedicates her time to language revitalization efforts and land protection and conservation in her community through her work with the Yesa:sahį Language Project and the Southwest Virginia Agrarian Commons. She has a passion for seedkeeping and native plants. Most importantly, Desiree is a mom of three exceptional kids. She lives on a small farm and forest in the Roanoke area with her husband, family and lots of animal relatives where she seedkeeps Indigenous heirlooms and implements regenerative Indigenous land use practices.

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.