How Oregon’s Tourism Industry can Better Represent Tribal Nations

Panelists

Dawnielle Tehama
Dawnielle Tehama is the Executive Director of Willamette Valley Visitors Association (WVVA), the Regional Destination Marketing Management Organization (RDMO) for the Willamette Valley. Dawnielle brings many facets of experience to her position. A true entrepreneur and Oregon Native, she has a history working with several entities in Oregon, the Grand Canyon, and Destinations domestically and internationally.

Dawnielle’s experiences span all areas of the Travel and Trade industry, Small Business, and the Luxury Industry.  In addition, she’s worked with Tribal entities, public lands groups, state and county parks, National Parks & Monuments, and many events and attractions. She has led successful branding, strategy, and creative development campaigns and has developed diverse and niche media campaigns.

Dawnielle is using her experience in branding, strategy, economic and creative development, to unify the voice of the Valley for WVVA as the RDMO, and is looking forward to seeing the positive growth and lucrative partnerships that will come in the Organizations future.

Michelle Liberty
A member of Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla Tribes, Michelle Liberty grew up in northeastern Oregon. She later attended Reed College, Linfield College, and the American University in Paris, spending six years in Paris and London. After a stint working in marketing and advertising for both domestic and international agencies, Michelle returned to her Eastern Oregon roots, taking the position of Marketing Director for Wildhorse Resort and Casino, just outside of Pendleton. During that time, Michelle accompanied the Travel Oregon team to such trade shows as ITB and IPW promoting the casino, the Tribes’ museum Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, and tribal tourism throughout the state. Twelve years later, Michelle opened Attitude, Inc., a marketing consulting firm, and also now serves as Travel Oregon’s Tribal Tourism Liaison.

In her off-time, Michelle travels for golf, wine, food, and to visit her son, Maxime, who lives in the Bay Area.

Sebastien Desnoyers Picard
As the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada’s (ITAC) Chief Marketing Officer, Sebastien Desnoyers-Picard has spent his career developing strong partnerships and relationships with industry leaders across the globe and is passionate about raising awareness of the many opportunities for Indigenous tourism. Prior to joining ITAC, Sebastien spent 10 years serving the Quebec Indigenous tourism industry, first as General Manager with Tourism Wendake and then as a marketing advisor with Quebec Indigenous Tourism. Throughout his career, Sebastien’s work with media has helped produce award winning stories in France, Germany, Canada and the USA. In 2019, Sebastien was recognized with the Explore Canada Award of Excellence, based on nominations from the media. As a member of the Huron-Wendat Nation, and past Chief in his community, Sebastien is trilingual and a strong advocate for Indigenous rights and traditional way of life, which he still practices. His number one goal in his work with ITAC is to support a thriving and prosperous indigenous tourism industry across the country.

Tamara St. John
Tamara St. John is an enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe of the Lake Traverse Reservation of South Dakota.  She is the Tribal Archivist/Curator of Collections and works with the Tribal Historic Preservation Office on Cultural Preservation issues. She has been working on Native American Graves and Repatriation Act issues for the tribe with a long term goal of building a tribal visitor center and museum. Tamara is a Native American genealogist has done extensive research in the history of the Dakota/Lakota/Nakota or Oceti Sakowin. She has worked with the Minnesota Historical Society and along with other Dakota Tribes collaborated on the Commemorating Controversy: The Dakota–U.S. War of 1862 exhibition. She worked with North Dakota State University and The Center for Heritage Renewal participating in panel discussions on the Dakota-U.S. War of 1862 and the Massacre at Whitestone Hill. Tamara is a current board member of the South Dakota Humanities Council, North Dakota Native Tourism Alliance and South Dakota Native Tourism Alliance. In 2018, Tamara was elected to the South Dakota State Legislature in the House of Representatives and is currently serving District 1 in her second term.