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Center Staff

Sky Rogers, Interim Director

Sky is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and received both her BS in Industrial Engineering & Management and her Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Oklahoma State University.

Dawna Riding In Hare, NASA Co-Advisor

Dawna is a citizen of the Pawnee Nation and instructs the American Indian Sovereignty and the Intro to American Indian Studies courses at OSU.  Dawna also serves on the Pawnee Business Council.

Jenna  Warneke, Administrative Support

Jenna is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and is pursuing an MS in Design & Merchandising from Oklahoma
State University. 

Center Students

Noah Bogle

Noah is a Muscogee-Affiliated student and an OSU Junior majoring in Geography.

Kinsee Burkett

Kinsee is a Cherokee citizen and an OSU Junior majoring in Human Development & Family Sciences.

Tucker Captain

Tucker is a Eastern Shawnee citizen and an OSU Sophomore majoring in Computer Engineering.

Abby Cunningham

Abby is a Choctaw citizen and an OSU Senior majoring in NREM: Forest Ecology & Management. 

Hayley Dominick

Hayley is a Choctaw citizen and an OSU Senior majoring in Nursing.

Honey Field

Honey is a Muscogee citizen and an OSU Senior majoring in Animal Science.

Krysha Green

Krysha is a Choctaw citizen and an OSU Senior majoring in Agricultural Education.

Jake Hisaw

Jake is a Chickasaw citizen and an OSU Junior majoring in Fire Protection & Safety Engineering Technology.

Sammer Kalidy

Sammer is an OSU Senior majoring in Computer Science.

Toby Martin

Toby is an Osage Citizen and an OSU Senior majoring in NREM: Wildlife Ecology & Management.

Cydnee Miller

Cydnee is a Chickasaw Citizen and an OSU Senior majoring in Accounting and Finance.

Brayden Robinson

Brayden is a Choctaw citizen and an OSU Junior majoring in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering

Rodney Stryker

Rodney is a Absentee Shawnee citizen and an OSU Junior majoring in Construction Engineering Technology. 

Chenoa Turtle

Chenoa is Cherokee citizen and an OSU Senior pursuing a double-degree in Biology (Pre-Med) and Physiology.

Jaden Waters

Jaden is a Kiowa Citizen and an OSU Junior majoring in History (Pre-Law).

Center Foundations

Elizabeth  Mee Payne,  J.D. - Founding Director (Retired)

Dr. Payne, (EP), founded the Center for Sovereign Nations in 2015.  After retiring from OSU in 2025, she returned to law, advocacy, and connecting people to opportunities.  She founded New Chapter Now.

John M. Chaney, Ph.D. - Director, Center for American Indian Studies

Dr. Chaney is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and a Regents Professor of Psychology.  He also directs the American Indians Into Psychology program.

WE ARE ALL COWBOYSHailing from all 50 states and 98 countries, we are united by the Cowboy Code.

  • We end the day knowing we gave it everything we had
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  • We know challenges come with pain, but pain will not win
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  • We stand for what matters, even if we stand alone
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Inspired by the book "Cowboy Ethics: What Wall Street Can Learn from The Code of the West." © 2004 James P. Owen
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