THE CONVERSATION
PechaKucha style presentations and moderated Q&A centering Indigenous food systems. Speakers include farmers, growers, scientists, organizers, advocates, and voices from media and the arts.
The Speakers
Jaiden Willeto
Dragonfly Co-opJaiden 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
NativeBioJoseph 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.
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.