About Us
Our Mission
The Tribal Technical Assistance to Brownfields (Tribal TAB) program supports Indigenous communities in protecting and restoring sacred lands and accomplishing revitalization goals through the reuse, restoration, or redevelopment of brownfields.
By providing collaborative, culturally-informed assistance and resources, practical tools, and a meaningful network of peers, mentors, and subject-matter experts, Tribal TAB equips Tribal Nations and tribal entities to address brownfields, build strong Tribal Response Programs, and enhance self-governance opportunities, while protecting and preserving the local environment.
Who We Are
Tribal TAB is a collaborative partnership between Kansas State University (KSU), the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP), and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC).
We also have an extensive network of partners that includes universities, Inter Tribal Consortia, storytellers, and other professionals with expertise in Tribal brownfields and related fields.
What We Do
Tribal TAB provides free technical assistance to all federally recognized Tribes, Alaska Native Villages, and other Tribal entities. We work alongside Tribal Nations to bring community visions to life through genuine collaboration and co-creation.
Our team provides hands-on support, guidance, and tools to help restore and reuse lands in ways that reflect and uphold community values, cultural teachings, and care for the environment. By integrating the brownfields process with culturally grounded approaches, we co-develop assistance that strengthens local capacity and supports self-determined, healthy, and resilient lands and futures.
Our Team:
Oral Saulters
Co-Director of Tribal TAB
Kansas State University
785.280.0931
Oral is always bringing new perspectives and connections, while honoring the longstanding oral acts as a bridge between ideas, cultures, and worlds. He recognizes that it is the Tribal communities and environmental professionals themselves that lead; and his role is to actively listen, gently guide when helpful, and then quietly get out of the way. He is excited to be part of something this beautiful as we generate success in a good way together.
Jennifer Clancey
Co-Director of Tribal TAB
Kansas State University
319.270.3394
With a passion for—and a life rooted in—music and art, Jennifer is always inspired by the role they play in telling our stories, nurturing relationships, and creating community. Jen is honored to be a part of the fantastic Tribal TAB team, and she is so excited about partnering with Tribal communities to bring their visions to reality.
Todd Barnell
Waste & Response Program Manager
Institute for Tribal Environmental Programs
928-523-3840
Todd Barnell joined ITEP in 2002 and manages their Waste & Response programs. He’s thrilled to be part of this new and passionate team, and to work with all of you on the front lines who are building a cleaner, healthier future for Native nations and communities, and all our relations.
Julie Meikowski
Waste & Response Program Assistant Manager
Institute for Tribal Environmental Programs
928.523.9404
Julie joined the ITEP Waste & Response program in 2014 and is the Assistant Manager. She works on all of their many projects, including collaborating with the Tribal Waste and Response Steering Committee (TWAR-SC) and Tribal Superfund Working Group (TSFWG). She loves not only helping her Tribal colleagues, but also creating strong relationships that help us all build a better world. She is very excited to be part of this new Tribal TAB team and partnering with Tribes to clean up and renew current brownfields.
Michaela Shirley
Tribal TAB Program Manager,
Kansas State University
602.568.7558
Michaela Paulette Shirley, MCRP, proudly hails from Kin Dah Lichii, Navajo Nation, Arizona. She’s a PhD student in American Studies at the University of New Mexico. Her pursuit towards her passion for Indigenous planning and community empowerment is reflected in her duties as Program Manager for the Tribal TAB Program while completing her doctorate. She believes in the power of design, culture, and collaboration to create thriving communities. When she’s not writing, presenting, or supporting Indigenous initiatives, Michaela treasures time with her greatest inspiration—her toddler son, Atlas.
Cuauhtemoc Means Landeros
Tribal TAB Program Manager,
Kansas State University
707.322.4302
Cuauhtemoc has a deep passion for earth, community, and technology, and believes that a unified approach which respects the environment, Indigenous culture, and our modern-day needs will bring lasting resilience and abundance. As a Tribal TAB Program Manager, his hope is to be a resource and catalyst to support communities to thrive and grow in the ways they need and want.
Bailey Richards
Contaminated Sites Program Manager
Institute for Tribal Environmental Programs
907.729.4008
Bailey has worked in the ANTHC Contaminated Sites Program since 2017. Born and raised in Alaska, she is passionate about protecting Alaska’s unique natural environment and ensuring its communities are healthy, sustainable places to live. Bailey is very excited to use Tribal TAB as an opportunity to learn more about how Tribes are addressing brownfield sites throughout the nation, and to help facilitate brownfields knowledge sharing between Alaska and the rest of the United States.
