The Conversation

The Speakers

Jaiden Willeto

Dragonfly Co-op

Jaiden Willeto is a Diné, Nu’eta, and Hiraacá Indigenous food systems advocate, land steward, and community organizer focused on food sovereignty, regenerative agriculture, and Indigenous ecological knowledge. She is the founder and farmer of Dragonfly Farm & Co-op, a small-scale regenerative farm located in Goat Springs, Arizona. Her work centers on revitalizing traditional growing practices, rebuilding relationships to land and seed, and creating pathways for Indigenous youth and communities to reconnect with cultural food systems. Working within an arid growing region, Jaiden focuses on dryland farming methods, soil regeneration, water conservation, and building resilient growing systems adapted to desert environments. Through farming, education, and community-based initiatives, Jaiden works to advance sustainable futures rooted in Indigenous knowledge, reciprocity, and environmental stewardship.

Joseph M. Yracheta

NativeBio

Joseph M. Yracheta is an Amerindigenous scientist of P’urhépecha descent from Michoacán, Mexico, and serves as Executive Director and Vice President of the Native BioData Consortium, the first Indigenous-led biobank and data repository on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. Working across biomedical sciences since 1990, his work centers on Indigenous Data Sovereignty, ethical data governance, and protecting Indigenous communities through culturally grounded scientific systems. Joseph holds a master’s degree in Pharmaceutics and Bioethics from the University of Washington and is completing a DrPH in Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. His work bridges science, policy, education, and Indigenous governance to support long-term cultural and economic sustainability.

Geoff Kie

Geoff Kie Productions

Geoffrey Kie is Big Corn Clan and Little Turquoise Clan from the Pueblo of Laguna. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Applied Indigenous Studies with a minor in Journalism, and later completed a Master’s with Distinction in Communication and Documentary Studies at Northern Arizona University in 2019. His research focused on Indigenous food sovereignty, including seed rematriation, historical trade routes, and internatural communication. Geoff currently serves as Communications Director for Pueblo Action Alliance and has participated in programs with the James Beard Foundation over the years. His work blends academic research with cultural values, using media and storytelling to reclaim Indigenous narratives and support grassroots efforts to protect sacred sites tied to Southwest Indigenous foodways.

Jason Baldes

Intertribal Buffalo Council

Jason Baldes is a member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Land Resources and Environmental Sciences from Montana State University, where he focused on restoring buffalo to Tribal lands. In 2016, he led the return of buffalo to the Wind River Indian Reservation, helping grow Tribal herds to nearly 200 animals across the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. A leading advocate for Indigenous cultural revitalization and ecological restoration, Baldes serves as Executive Director of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative and Senior Tribal Buffalo Program Manager for the National Wildlife Federation. He is Vice President of the InterTribal Buffalo Council and a board member of the Conservation Lands Foundation.

Sean Sherman

The Sioux Chef

Sean Sherman, a member of the Oglala Lakota Tribe, was raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and is internationally recognized for his work revitalizing Indigenous food systems across North America. Through his advocacy, writing, and culinary leadership, he works to reclaim and celebrate Indigenous foodways while advancing Native food sovereignty.

Sean is the founder of North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS) and the Indigenous Food Lab, initiatives focused on restoring Native foodways and creating economic opportunities in Indigenous communities. He is the award-winning author of The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, and his restaurant, Owamni, received the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in America in 2022. In 2023, he was named one of TIME Most Influential People of 2023.

JULIE FRANCELLA

We’re Still Here Podcast

Julie Francella (Aakadewin-O Waawaashkeshi Kwe) is a citizen of Batchewana First Nation and an Anishinaabe/Ojibway writer, educator, and artist with over 30 years of experience in the mental health and trauma-informed care fields. The former Executive Director of a domestic violence center, she is a part-time professor of Indigenous Studies at Durham College. Francella is the co-host of We’re Still Here on SiriusXM Progress and author of The Fire I Keep on Substack. She serves on the Advisory Board of The Regeneration Generation and has co-produced multiple United Nations Science Summit events focused on Indigenous leadership, regenerative economics, and land stewardship.

The MODERATOR

SIMON MOYA_SMITH

We’re Still Here Podcast

Simon Moya-Smith is an Oglala Lakota and Chicano journalist and writer. He has a Master of Arts in Political Journalism from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Minor in Ethnic Studies from the University of Colorado Denver where he is currently an Adjunct Professor of Indigenous Studies. His work appears in The Nation, New York Magazine, and NBC News among others, and he’s the co-host of ‘We’re Still Here’ on SiriusXM Progress. His new book, ‘Your Spirit Animal is a Jackass,’ is forthcoming.

The HOST

JOANN JEN

Topi Ventures / Topi Topics

Joann Jen is the CEO and Co-Founder of Topi Ventures, a venture studio focused on the future of food, hospitality, and technology. Previously, she held leadership roles at Restaurant Brands International, PwC, and hospitality fintech company inKind, leading growth, customer experience, marketing, and digital transformation initiatives. She now works with founders and growth-stage companies on commercialization, partnerships, and scale, and creates forums that bring together operators, investors, chefs, and innovators to tackle the industry’s biggest opportunities and challenges. She serves as producer and speaker curator for The Conversation,