Our core team has experience in government affairs, public policy, communications, and development.
Brian Melendez is a citizen of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. He is a nationally recognized Indigenous governance expert, systems strategist, community and spiritual leader, and subject matter authority on Tribal operations, policy, and leadership development. With over two decades of experience spanning Tribal government, federal service, and grassroots advocacy, Brian brings unmatched insight into how Native Nations can lead with sovereignty, spirit, and strength.
As a former Tribal Council Member, Indian Self-Determination Specialist & Tribal Operations Officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Sundance Chief of the Star Village Sun Dance (located on the Hungry Valley Indian Reservation, Nevada), Brian’s life work sits at the intersection of practicality and transformation. With more than 20 years of experience across Tribal government, federal service, nonprofit leadership, and community organizing, Brian brings an unmatched ability to guide Native Nations, leaders, and organizations through complex challenges with cultural fluency and political clarity. Brian holds a master’s degree in justice management and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Brian is the Founder and CEO of Lucentree Consulting, LLC., a governance-focused consulting firm supporting Tribal Nations with executive training, strategic communications, and culturally grounded leadership development. His work is known for blending deep cultural integrity with high-impact deliverables. He is also the Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Native Pathways Recovery, LLC, an Indigenous federal contracting company providing culturally responsive wellness programming for Native Veterans and Tribal communities. With projects that integrate traditional healing, behavioral health, and trauma-informed care, Native Pathways Recovery is setting a new standard for Indigenous wellness delivery through federal and Tribal partnerships.
Brian is the Founder, President & CEO of Tribal Minds, Inc., a Native-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit building sovereignty through Indigenous wellness, community development, and artistic liberation projects since 2020. From facilitating youth wellness retreats to groundbreaking media, Tribal Minds is reshaping what Native-centered innovation looks like across Indian Country.
Travis Sanderson has worked for Tribal Minds, Inc. since 2022. With roots in Southern Nevada and twelve years of experience developing capacity for collective action in five states and three countries, Travis’s work has been recognized with statewide awards for “Best Grassroots Mobilization” and internationally as one of three annual recipients of financial support from the Alpbach IDEAS forum, which brings together world leaders with ordinary people to discuss how to address global challenges.
He holds an M.A. in public policy from Central European University and a B.A. in international studies from Middlebury College. In 2023, he was invited to participate in the inaugural cohort of Emerging Leaders Fellows at Leadership in Democracy and Social Justice, a national institute in New York City, receiving direct training and mentorship from social movement leaders with experience and investment in different lineages of grassroots organizing.
Our organization is led by open-minded and open-hearted Native community leaders who believe in the vision of the work. Our Board of Directors is diverse, ranging from leading artists to rising lawyers to community organizers to Tribal public health professionals, all of whom share a stake in our progressive vision for the next seven generations.
Jason Hill is the owner of Indigenized, a small Native American art and jewelry shop, working as a traditional ledger artist. He previously served as a substance abuse counselor, community outreach coordinator, and suicide prevention specialist for the Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center. He holds a Master of Sciences (MS) in Clinical Psychology from Capella University.
Makai Zuñiga is currently enrolled in the Indian Nations Gaming and Governance program at the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada – Las Vegas. He is an alumnus of the Native American Political Leadership Program and previously served as a summer law clerk for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and as staff assistant at the United States Senate. He holds a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Ethnic Studies from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Angie Wilson is the Director of the Tribal Health Clinic of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. She has sat on the Pit River Tribal Council since 2021 and served in the directorship of a variety of organizational bodies, including the Pit River Health Authority and Kwahn Corporation. She also serves as Northern California Regional Representative of the California Area Tribal Advisory Committee.
Orrenzo B. Snyder, MD is a board-certified urologic surgeon and community leader balancing his life passions and professional career in both the states of Nevada and Oklahoma. In Nevada, he is involved in cultural consulting and programming with the Indian National Finals Rodeo through Healing the Spirit Productions, while in Oklahoma, Dr. Snyder brings 29 years of urological healthcare experience to Comanche County as the solo practitioner at Sequioa Urology.
Waylon Marvin comes from the Haudenosaunee people and is an enrolled citizen of the Akwesasne Mohawk Tribe. He has a decade of experience working with, organizing, and fundraising for nonprofits. He is also a safety professional, helping people in the construction industry, and previously worked as a union ironworker for Local 33 in Rochester, New York.
