Corlee Thomas-Hill has been a tribal liaison with SGI since 2023. Corlee is a citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and is located in Western North Carolina. She received her BA in History from the University of North Carolina at Asheville and previously worked for the EBCI as a GIS Technician, and as the Remember the Removal bike ride coordinator. In her current role as a Tribal Liaison, she works to build lasting relationships with Tribal Nations and citizens throughout the Southeast to better understand tribal needs in restoration and conservation. She is interested in learning more about the conservation needs of culturally significant plants found within grassland ecosystems, cultural fire, and better ways to uplift Indigenous voices in conservation. In her free time Corlee volunteers with BIPOC groups to promote diversity and help make the outdoors more accessible to all.

Email: corlee.thomashill@segrasslands.org

Katie Smith-Easter is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma from Tahlequah, Oklahoma. She has a background in fisheries and wildlife biology, a Master of Public Health, and is pursuing a master's in geographical information systems (GIS). Her research focuses on public health and wildlife issues throughout the Cherokee Nation Reservation such as the environmental and cultural implications of poultry farms, describing the epidemiology of Oklahoma’s only freshwater parasitic jellyfish, degrading water quality on tribal lands in the Spring Creek watershed, and exploring the reasons why private wells are testing positive for E.coli using GIS. Katie also works part-time as a federal contractor for the United States Geological Survey looking at the potential socioeconomic effects of chronic wasting disease in Native communities.

Email: katie.smitheaster@segrasslands.org

Gabrielle serves as a Tribal Liaison and is a tribal member of the Choctaw-Apache Tribe in Ebarb, Louisiana. She has a background in education and previously taught history at the community college level. Her MA in history specifically focused on Native America/early America, where she examined American history from a Native American perspective. Her research interests include first contact among Natives and non-Natives, Christian missionary relations with Natives, and reading accounts of Spanish and French explorers in the New World. Her MEd in community college leadership allowed her to focus a portion of her coursework on how to assist American Indian students succeed in higher education. Gabrielle earned her EdD in Adult Education Leadership from the University of Arkansas. Given her immense interest in education and ethnohistory, she is excited to use her background to strengthen SGI's relationships with Southeastern tribes and collaborate on biodiversity conservation throughout the Southeastern United States. In her spare time, Gabrielle enjoys hiking, camping, kayaking, and spending time with her two dogs—Sir Jasper and Lady Jewel.

Email: gabrielle.patterson@segrasslands.org