CSBG Tribal Roundtable: Putting the Flexibilities of CSBG to Work for Tribal Communities

Brenda Geer, Vice Chairwoman, Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation — Ms. Geer has served as Vice-Chairwoman of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation for the past 9 years, previously serving on the Tribal Council for 22 years in various positions, including a Councilor and Corresponding Secretary. Ms. Geer is the CSBG Tribal Administrator for the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation, Chairperson for the Native American Heritage Advisory Council (NAHAC), and Liaison to the Historical Preservation, Education, Election, Housing & Enrollment Committees. She was appointed by Tribal Council as the Historical Preservation Officer in 2009 and President of the Tribal Wuttooantam Foundation in 2006. She is the 2018 recipient of the EPTN Eagle Feather award.​ Ms. Geer has a license of Hairdressing & Cosmetology from Norwich Technical School and currently works as the Case Manager for the Rhode Island Indian Council, a non-profit WIOA program where “Natives are working for Natives”.

Hope MacDonald LoneTree, Deputy Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans (ANA), Administration for Children & Families (ACF) — As ANA Deputy Commissioner, Ms. MacDonald LoneTree manages a nation-wide discretionary grant program. Previously, Ms. MacDonald LoneTree served her people through the Office of the Speaker, 24th Navajo Nation Council on special projects and initiatives that included public safety, public health, and veterans. She has provided expert analysis and guidance as a Tribal Relations Advisor for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) where she worked with Tribal leaders and their communities on criminal justice issues. Her wealth of knowledge and experience in Tribal and government affairs was instrumental during her two, four-year terms as a Councilwoman on the 20th and 21st Navajo Nation Councils.

During her terms as a Councilwoman, Ms. MacDonald LoneTree served on numerous committees and subcommittees and broke the gender barrier by being the first woman elected to lead the Public Safety Committee of the Navajo Nation Council. Soon thereafter she was elected by her Tribal leader peers to co-chair DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs Tribal Justice Advisory Group. In 2010, she served on the U.S. Attorney General’s Tribal Nations Leadership Council continuing her advocacy for victims of crime, restorative justice, and improving federal response.

Hope was the first Native American to be elected to the executive board and to serve as Vice President of the National Foundation for Women Legislators. She has received numerous public service recognitions and honors including the 2013 Elected Woman of Excellence from the National Foundation for Women Legislators and Arizona Citizen of the Year from the National Association of Social Workers. She is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.

Dr. Lanikque Howard, Director, Office of Community Services (OCS), Administration for Children & Families (ACF) — As OCS Director, Dr. Howard provides leadership and oversight of over $6 billion in mandatory and discretionary grants through seven social service and community development programs.

Dr. Howard served three years in the Obama Administration in the Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary supporting the development and implementation of ACF policy and cross-cutting initiatives. Prior to returning to ACF, she was the Senior Administrator for Programs at First 5 Alameda County, where she oversaw a number of strategic programs, initiatives, and partnerships aimed at addressing the causes and consequences of poverty, reducing racial disparities, and maximizing the potential of young children and their families. During her tenure, she oversaw First 5’s place-based initiatives, early care and education workforce development program, fatherhood and engagement strategies, concrete support programs, maternal and infant health strategies, and medical-legal partnerships.

Dr. Howard also worked at the Institute for Research on Poverty, where she provided technical assistance to county and state government agencies on a range of issues that impact the well-being of marginalized children, families, and communities, including co-leading the modification of statewide child welfare policy.

Dr. Howard received a B.A. in American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and her MSW and Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.  Her research focused on the interaction of human service programs and how uncoordinated policies and programs affect the well-being of dually served families.

Charisse Johnson, Division Director, Division of Community Assistance, Office of Community Services (OCS), Administration for Children & Families (ACF) — Ms. Johnson’s career in social services spans over 30 years in a wide range of roles and leadership positions. Her work in ACF began in 2010 in the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect. Since then, she has worked in the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) in the Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood program, as well as the Office of Grants Management (OGM). Prior to becoming a federal employee, Ms. Johnson worked in North Carolina’s child welfare system. Ms. Johnson served as the Deputy Director for Wayne Action Group of Economic Solvency (WAGES), Inc., a Community Action Agency in North Carolina. Ms. Johnson earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. Ms. Johnson has two adult children and two grandchildren.