Gray was born and raised in Washington, NC and is a graduate of East Carolina University (1972) with a degree in Parks, Outdoor Recreation and Conservation. In 1970 He founded the first ECU chapter of the National Parks & Recreation Society and was a member of the first ever integrated male & female expeditionary group at the N.C. Outward Bound School. His professional career was in human services, medical sales & marketing and the organic & natural foods industry. He is past President of the BOD for Native American Lifelines and currently serves as a BOD member of Friends of the Outer Banks History Center and volunteers at Frisco Native American Museum. He is V.P. of the Pitt-GAP chapter of Epsilon Chi Nu, Inc. (the first Native American fraternity in the U.S.). He is the author of “Hope on Hatterask” and a descendant of the Machapunga-Mattamuskeet people of the N.C. inner banks. Gray served twice as a “Water Protector” in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North Dakota in 2016. He is a lifelong proponent of environmental stewardship and has spoken at numerous events in that regard from the steps of the U.S. Capitol and beyond.

Joey is a retired educator. He is currently serving on the Elder Council for Epsilon Chi Nu, Inc., the first Native American Fraternity in the U.S. He still serves as an active member and considered an elder of the Pitt GAP Chapter of Epsilon Chi Nu.

Joey has served on the BOD for Restoring The Hoop and is currently an advisor to and supporter of the East Carolina University Native American Student Organization.

Joey is an enrolled member of the Monacan Nation located in Virginia. Currently, he serves as an emcee and arena director at many Native American Powwows and festivals throughout North Carolina and beyond. He is a lifelong supporter of indigenous rights.

Erica is originally from Southern Virginia but spent two decades in Northern Virginia where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Integrative Studies with a Concentration in Pre-Law from George Mason University. In addition, she earned a Master of Science degree in Management with a Specialization in Health Care Administration from University of Maryland Global Campus. During her time in the DMV, she actively participated in various Indigenous American-related rallies in DC, Baltimore, and Annapolis, MD, supporting causes such as #NoDAPL, #NotYourMascot, and #MMIW, etc. In 2021, Erica took on the role of Chairwoman for her former employer’s Indigenous American Affinity Group, contributing her time and expertise voluntarily. Additionally, she co-founded and serves on the Board of Directors for the nonprofit "Two Rivers Saponi-Occoneechee Association, Inc.," and dedicates her time as a volunteer at the Frisco Native American Museum in Frisco, NC. Furthermore, she holds membership in the Grand Council Chapter of Sigma Omicron Epsilon, Inc., one of only two sororities recognized as historically Indigenous American throughout the United States. All in all, Erica has ancestral roots with the Saponi-Occoneechee people in Virginia; is passionate about reestablishing a connection to her Indigenous American heritage; and is dedicated to assisting others on a similar journey.

Cathy, a graduate of the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering has over 20 years of management experience. Currently, she serves as a Board Member for the Friends of The Outer Banks History Center and volunteers as a Park Guide Researcher for The National Park Service at Fort Raleigh. Also, Cathy dedicates her time to historical research, focusing on projects such as the Roanoke Island Freedmen’s Colony and the Raleigh Voyages. Her current research explores the communication points between the Algonquian people and the English during the years 1584-1590.

Matt was born and raised in the Baltimore, MD metro area. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. After graduating, he spent six years as an on-air broadcast journalist in markets in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. He then relocated to the Washington, D.C. metro area and has worked in marketing and communications for a private medical practice, MedStar Washington Hospital Center and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He brings over eighteen years of communications & marketing experience to our team. Like most of us, he descends from a multicultural mosaic of ancestors and one of these is the Machapunga Mattamuskeet indigenous people of the inner banks of coastal North Carolina. Matt has a love of Mother Earth’s glorious gifts and a passion for protecting them. He has attended events supporting climate action and the Standing Rock Sioux tribe’s efforts to protect their sacred lands and water rights. He appeared most recently as a background actor in the movie Rustin, some of which was filmed in Washington, D.C.

Brian Chance is a descendant of the Machapunga-Mattamuskeet people who are indigenous to the innerbanks of what is today Hyde County, N.C. He also descends from the Tuscarora in N.C. and the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape of southern N.J. Although raised primarily in N.J. he spent time as a student in Hyde County, N.C. and briefly at UNC Pembroke, N.C. He later graduated from East Carolina University with a degree in economics and a minor in finance. He lives with his two sons in the Raleigh, N.C. area and is an active participant at native powwows in N.C. and Virginia. He is chairperson for the annual Roanoke Hatterask Native American powwow and festival held in Manteo, N.C. Brian continues his indigenous education as a student in the Algonquin Revitalization Language program of Stoney Brook University. Brian is also a member of both the Algonquin Indians of N.C. and the Triangle Native American Society.

With a passion for music and preserving her Native American heritage, Deatrice Daniels Suggs is a proud mother and Tuscarora/Machapunga descendant who brings her rich cultural traditions to life. She is an original member of the intertribal drum group Eastern Bull and continues to provide education on the vibrant diversity of North Carolina’s Indigenous communities. Deatrice attended Pitt Community College, studying Medical and Administrative Office Technology. She later brought her skills to East Carolina University's Brody School of Medicine in 2005, where she supported three pediatric subspecialty divisions and obtained certifications in Medical Administrative, Administrative Office, and Supervision Institute. Her prior education and experience as an x-ray certified dental assistant and front desk manager served her well when she joined the ECU School of Dental Medicine as a Patient Care Representative in 2013. Driven by a love of working with students and a continuous passion for learning, in 2019 Deatrice became the Lead Administrative Professional to the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Affairs and Educator Preparation in ECU's College of Education. Grounded in her Indigenous roots yet always looking ahead, Deatrice defines herself on her own terms.

Dave is an attorney in Annapolis and Chestertown Maryland. The photo shows Dave and Harold Frazier, Chief and Tribal Chairman for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe at their annual Pow Wow when the Tribe honored Water Protectors from Standing Rock. Dave supported AIM at Wounded Knee and the Oceti Sakowin at Standing Rock and met Gray during a Standing Rock Support March at the City Dock in Annapolis.

Sandra Doherty Healy has over 25 years of experience in government, private, and non-profit sectors. She holds master’s degrees from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service and the City University of New York. She has subject matter expertise in the areas of social science research and humanitarian assistance with field experience in the Middle East and Western Asia. The words of Nelson Mandela, “History depends on who wrote it,” serve as a guiding mantra for Sandra. When she and her husband relocated to eastern North Carolina she began an exploration into the history of the indigenous peoples that inhabited this area for centuries before colonization- mindful that much of the extant historical narratives are riddled with stereotypes and misconceptions. Sandra remains steadfastly committed to educating herself and her community about the plurality of indigenous histories and recognizes that allyship is an ongoing journey that requires self-reflection, growth, and accountability.