Team
Amber Annis, PhD
Dr. Amber Annis is a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and a member of NGC’s Native Nations Rebuilder program for Cohort 11. She has a long history as a public historian, educator, tribal nation liaison, collaborator, and community engagement specialist.
As NGC’s Executive Director, Amber works daily to ensure that resilient and positive representation of American Indian people are shown through the lens of sovereignty, culture, and contemporary issues.
Prior to joining NGC, Dr. Annis was the Associate Vice President of Tribal Nation Relations and Native American Initiatives at the Minnesota Historical Society where she worked across MNHS to ensure that Native representation and content were developed accurately and appropriately. She also worked on outreach to Native nations in Minnesota and beyond to strengthen the Historical Societies’ relationships with Tribal nations and communities.
During her time at MNHS, Amber played leadership roles in many initiatives, including the expansion of their highly successful Native American Undergraduate Museum Fellowship program. Dr. Annis served as a core member of the Historic Fort Snelling project team helping to ensure Native perspective is represented throughout the revitalization of Historic Fort Snelling and especially the Many Voices, Many Stories, One Place exhibit. She also worked in NAGPRA compliance, Repatriation, and partnerships with many Tribal Historic Preservation Officers.
Amber is an instructor at Metropolitan State University and the University of Minnesota, teaching themes such as cultural awareness, contemporary Native identity, environmental justice and United States politics. She has also worked with the Honoring Nations program, which seeks to highlight examples of Native success across Indian Country. Amber also sits on the board of directors for the Tiwahe Foundation.
As a Native professional she is always looking for unique ways to strengthen her knowledge of Indigenous self-governance and expressions of sovereignty. She is privileged to work directly with a pretty amazing team and organization driven by Indigenous values of honoring sovereignty, embracing humility, being a good relative, and most importantly, centering our brilliance as Native people.
Amber is passionate about being a part of the nation rebuilding movement that is developing grassroots Native changemakers across Indian Country!
3 Things to Know About Me
- I enjoy having multiple Stanley cups and reading glasses, preferably in every room.
- I hold a B.A. and M.A. in History and American Indian Studies from the University of North Dakota and a PhD in American Studies from the University of Minnesota.
- I love chips and salsa and a diet coke!
Contact Me For
- Native Governance Center’s mission, vision, and plans for the future.