Theme: Cross-Cultural Understanding

Community speakers alongside student speakers discuss the ideas they think others should hear about, in particular on the topic of cross-cultural understanding. These 15 speakers represent a cross-section of our community, including our tribal members, non-tribal people, and individuals from a local Buddhist school.

Fyant Street
Arlee, Montana, 59821
United States

Aaron Brien

Aaron is a member of the Apsaalooke Nation, Big Lodge Clan and child of the Whistling Water Clan; he is also a member of the Night Hawk Dance Society. He was born in Sheridan, Wyoming and raised on the Crow Reservation’s Center Lodge District. His Crow Indian name is Baatchiokuushdeesh, “Goes to the Middle of War” which was given to him by his maternal grandfather Benjamin Bigman Sr. Aaron is a 2011 graduate of Salish Kootenai College where he received his Associate of Arts degree in Native American Studies. Aaron went on to the University of Montana, where he graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Native American Studies and Anthropology in 2013. Aaron earned a Master's degree in anthropology in 2015. Aaron has dedicated his academics and work to archeology of the Montana tribes, mainly of his own people, the Apsaalooke. He worked for BLM and headed up a few different projects, such as protecting “fasting bed” sites along the Dry Head Over Look in the Pryor Mountains.

Alex Alviar

Alex was born to Filipino immigrant parents just outside Detroit. He read a poem that inspired him to become a featherweight boxer in Mexico and later to become a Zen Buddhist seminary student for almost ten years at a small temple in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He left Michigan to pursue an MFA in Creative Writing in Poetry at the University of Montana. While there, the residents of Troy, Montana named him 2002’s Poetry Slam Champion of Montana, and he very quickly found himself a wife, a mortgage, two kids, two cats, and a dog. In order to pay for all that, he joined forces with the Missoula Writing Collaborative as a Poet in Residence in 2004 and has served various schools on the Flathead Indian Reservation and Missoula. He also has served for almost a decade as full time faculty at Salish Kootenai College where he was given the 2012 Distinguished Faculty Award for the founding of Ten Sticks Lacrosse, the premier youth lacrosse program of the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Amelia North

Amelia participated in sports and various extracurricular activities at Arlee High School. She spends her free time enjoying the outdoors and playing sports. She works hard in school, and will attend UM in the fall in hopes of becoming a nurse.

Annie Belcourt

Dr. Belcourt (Otter Woman) is an American Indian Assistant Professor in the College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Montana’s Pharmacy Practice and School of Public and Community Health Sciences Departments (enrolled tribal member of the Three Affiliated Tribes: affiliation Blackfeet, Chippewa, Mandan & Hidatsa). Raised on the Blackfeet reservation, she is an alumna of Browning High School and the University of Montana. Her doctorate is in clinical psychology. Research and clinical priorities include mental health disparities, environmenal health, trauma, posttraumatic stress reactions, risk, resiliency, psychiatric disorder, and public health intervention within the cultural context of American Indian communities. Dr. Belcourt has conducted grant-funded collaborative research projects with Native communities at UM and during work at the University of Colorado Denver’s Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health.

Brandi Ries

Brandi graduated from the University of Montana in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Psychology, and from the UM School of Law in 2007. Starting in 2007, Brandi worked as the Staff Attorney for the DOVES Legal Assistance for Victims Program in Polson, Montana, providing direct civil legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking in various Montana courts. Brandi serves as the SAFE Harbor Legal Program Supervising Attorney. In 2013, Brandi helped form the Rubin and Ries Law Offices, PLLC, in Missoula which focuses on providing civil legal services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Brandi co-authored "Understanding Domestic Violence: Domestic Violence is All Over the News Lately, but are We Talking About it in the Right Way?" Brandi was named the 2014 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by the Missoula Family Violence Council.

Jeff Lammerding

Jeff was born and raised a Blue Pony, became a Northern Light, then a Grizzly, and currently is a Warrior. He has been married to a Scottie for almost 20 years; they raised one Warrior and are raising two Scarlets. Jeff has a Bachelors Degree in Zoology and in 1997 became a Fish Culturist at the Jocko River Trout Hatchery. He is a fourth generation Montanan of hardy Norwegian and German stocks who dared settle and break ground along the Hi-Line. His most important job is to raise the next generation of self sufficient, proud Montanans.

Karissa Drye

Originally from Arlee, Montana, Karissa has been at the University of Montana for over ten years, first earning an undergraduate degree in 2007 in Elementary Education with a minor in Japanese. Seven years ago she was hired at the University and now serves as the Associate Director for New Student & Family Programs in the Admissions Office. Karissa finished her Masters in Education in 2009 and currently teaches a Leadership Seminar at UM.

Kiana Stotts

Kiana graduated from Arlee High School. She likes to read, and listen to poetry. She will attend the University of Montana and plans to become a radiology technician.

Laine Charlo

Laine will attend the University of Montana and major in English. Most of his time out of school is spent with his parents, siblings and grandparents. He admires and respects his elders and loves to visit and hear stories with his grandparents. Creative writing, in the field of fiction, is his passion. However, time in the mountains, whether hiking or camping, is spiritually important to him. He is well known to family and friends as a kind hearted and generous soul.

Namchak Khenpo

The brother and spiritual heir of Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche, the founder of The Garden of One Thousand Buddhas, Namchak Khenpo was born in Eastern Tibet in 1965. As a young monk, Khenpo studied all aspects of Buddhism, including ritual arts and chanting. Khenpo traveled to Mysore, India where he had the good fortune to meet His Holiness, Penor Rinpoche and begin studying at His Holiness’s Nyingma College, Namdrol Ling Shedra. He graduated after nine years as a Do-Ngag Rabjampa, Master of Sutra and Tantra, the highest academic degree. He spends his time in Nepal and as resident Abbot at Ewam Sang-ngag Ling in Arlee, MT.

Parker Holz

Parker plans to one day become a novelist and teacher. He also misses having a snake.

PJ Haynes

PJ graduated from Arlee High School, where he participated in basketball, football and track. He will attend the University of Montana and plans to major in sports science.

Riley Rogers

Riley graduated from Arlee High School and as a student, was involved in basketball and football as well as student council. His interests are being outdoors, playing sports, and hanging out with friends. He will attend the University of Montana pursuing a degree in sports medicine.

Violet Pablo

As a student at Arlee High School. Violet participated in numerous activities and clubs such as Student Council. She enjoys playing sports as well as the outdoors. She will attend Eastern Washington University in fall 2015.

Zach Felsman

Zach attended Arlee Public Schools since the first day of Kindergarten. He had the honor of being the Valedictorian for the Class of 2015 and gained numerous school, local, state, and even national awards and accolades in his time at Arlee High School. He was involved in many activities such as sports, clubs, and community events. He will attend Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, to pursue an engineering degree.