Kathleen Smith is an enrolled tribal member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Her position in the Division of Biological Services at the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), in northern Wisconsin and her job title is in ojibwemowin as the Genawendang Manoomin, which translates to “she who takes care of the wild rice.” At GLIFWC, she implements the organization’s wild rice stewardship plan and works with 11 member tribes in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Wild rice is of great cultural significance to its member tribes and GLIFWC focuses on the preservation and enhancement of wild rice in ceded territory lakes. Smith provides expertise and public information to partners through research and partnerships while supporting tribal members to ensure treaty rights are exercised. She incorporates her traditional and modern ways of thinking to give a voice to the nations that cannot speak.
TSN Conference 2025:
- January 24th, 2025 (Friday) // 8:35 am – 9:35 am // Big Ten Room // “Developing Partnerships with Indigenous Communities”
- January 24th, 2025 (Friday) // 1:50 pm – 2:50 pm // Room 104 // “Protecting Manoomin: Integrating Conservation and Cultural Preservation”