Charlotte E. Davidson is Diné and a citizen of the Three Affiliated Tribes, also known as the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. She is the daughter of Nora (Yazzie) and Wilbur Wilkinson, Sr. Her maternal grandparents are Sally (Manygoats) and Kee Horseherder-Yazzie. Her paternal grandparents are Molly (Wolf) and Ernest P. Wilkinson. Concerning kinship relations, she is of the Tó'aheedlíinii (Water Flows Together People), born for the Waterbuster Clan. Her maternal grandfather’s clan is Kinłichíi’nii (Red House People), and her paternal grandfather is of the Flint Knife Clan. 

Dr. Davidson is the director of the Native American House at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a lecturer in the Department of Student Affairs Administration at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. In NASPA, she serves as the Indigenous Relations Advisor, co-leads the President’s Implementation Committee for Indigenous Engagement and Inclusion, and co-chairs the Extended Learning Sessions Committee for the 2024 Conference Leadership Committee. Dr. Davidson is a co-founder of the Power and Place Symposium, guest editor of the Winter 2021 issue of Leadership Exchange, and member of the 2019-2022 NASPA SERVE (Supporting, Expanding, and Recruiting, Volunteer Excellence) Academy. Dr. Davidson is the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Service in NASPA Award, an annual recognition bestowed by the Indigenous Peoples Knowledge Community.

Dr. Davidson earned a Bachelor of Arts in American Indian Studies from Haskell Indian Nations University and a Master’s and Ph.D., respectively, in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

My name is Robert Bryan Rainbow Jr. my Dakota name is Tatanka Hanska which means ‘Long Buffalo’.  I am the son on Robert (Bob) Bryan Rainbow Sr. and Lois Ann (Counts) Rainbow.  Through my mother I am an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, and through my father I come from the Spirit Lake Dakota, and Standing Rock Nations.  My grandparents are Sidney and Eileen Counts, and Victoria and Sam (Guy) Ireland, and the late Herbert (Hobo) Rainbow.  I am also the great grandson of the late Joseph Rainbow from Fort Totten, ND.

I grew up playing basketball and going to school in Bismarck, ND since 1991. While there, I started dancing (Peji waci) Grass dance when I was 11yrs old.  I also started singing in the 3rd grade while living at united tribes.  I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 2000-2004.  I served a 6 month tour of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.  After being honorably discharged I was accepted into the University of North Dakota in 2004.  I received my Bachelors of Science in criminal justice, and Bachelors of Arts in Indian Studies, and Sociology degrees as well as attaining my Master of Science in Educational Leadership. I am now working on my Ph. D. in Higher Education also through the University of North Dakota.

Before coming to New Town, I was the recruiter at the American Indian Student Services at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND. I am currently the Vice President of Academic at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College located in New Town, ND. I am happily married to my beautiful, wonderful wife of 21 years Deanna Rainbow, we have a daughter (Bryann) who is a junior at the University of North Dakota and a son (Bryson) who is a sophomore at new town high school. We also added a new addition to our family this past summer, our new dog Brycee which is comprised of Labrador and boxer. Some of my hobbies consist of playing basketball, softball, riding horse, playing horse shoes, beadwork, quillwork, and craft work.                                                             

Since being in higher education, my passion has included advising & mentoring young Native American students navigate through college life.  I also try my best to practice our traditional lifeways of ceremony as well as singing and dancing (powwowing) around the region. There is nothing is more gratifying than seeing our next generations make good decisions for themselves and the future generations.  I love empowering & inspiring our youth by using my own life as examples.  It is never too late to learn about who you are because if we don’t do it now, when If not us then, who.  My dream is to become an administrator in academia and one day direct my own American Indian Student Services like the one at UND.

Monica Nixon serves as Vice President for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Previously, she held diversity, equity, and inclusion and student affairs roles at Saint Joseph’s University, Seattle University, Colgate University, the University of Puget Sound, and the University of Virginia, for which she currently serves on the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Fund alumni board.

Monica received her Master of Arts in Counselor Education and her B.A. in English in 1995 from the University of Virginia. She earned a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Washington, where her dissertation focused on the positionality and agency of women of color chief diversity officers in higher education institutions. Monica co-authored a chapter in the 2012 NASPA-published book Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Higher Education and has served actively with NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, ACPA – College Student Educators International, and the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.