Native Governance Center

Caring for our Relatives: Tribal Emergency Management Webinar
2026-04-01 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
Join us for a webinar on Tribal Emergency Management. Together, we’ll explore how Native nations strengthen preparedness and coordinate effective responses during severe weather events. Featuring speakers from a variety of roles in Tribal emergency management, the conversation will offer insight for Native leaders, Tribal citizens, and allies on Tribal crises and how Native nations respond.
Schedule

11:00 AM: Welcome + event basics
11:10 AM: Panel discussion
11:55 AM: Q&A
12:30 PM: Event concludes

Register today to reserve your spot in this free Zoom webinar! This event will be closed captioned.
Meet the Speakers
Ferin Davis Anderson, Moderator
Ferin Davis Anderson is an environmental scientist and an enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa / Ojibwe / Anishinaabe / Mitchifs in North Dakota. She works as the Supervisor of Environmental Sciences for the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s Land and Natural Resources Department, where she is responsible for stewarding and restoring natural areas for the SMSC.
Ferin weaves traditional knowledge and western science together to make more holistic management decisions, including using fire as an ecological and cultural tool to achieve beneficial and healing outcomes. Witnessing Indigenous people revitalize and reconnect with this practice has been one of the greatest gifts of her career.
Jim Pearson, Panelist
Jim has had the privilege of working as the Sisseton emergency manager for 13 years and worked for FEMA as a Disaster Assistance employee and a Community Relations Officer. During that time, he worked with Disaster Declarations in North Dakota flooding, Colorado wildfires, and earthquake disasters in California.
Jim is a former Mayor of Sisseton, SD from 1996 – 2001, and was on the city council for six years prior to being elected Mayor. From 2003 to 2019, Jim was a high school golf coach. He has a small vineyard in his backyard with 250 plants and 6 different grape varieties and enjoys attending as many of his grandchildren’s activities as he can.
Jesse Big Crow, Panelist
Jesse Big Crow is the Planning & Coordination Specialist for the Oglala Sioux Tribe Emergency Management.

NGC at Tribal Self-Governance Conference 2026
2026-04-07 - 2026-04-09 | Gila River Wild Horse Pass Casino Resort, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd, Chandler, AZ, 85226, United States
Native Governance Center will be attending the Tribal Self-Governance Conference from April 7-9, 2026 at Gila River Wild Horse Pass Resort & Casino. Stop by to visit our booth and say hello!
