By learning from the past, building on current efforts, and imagining a future that fosters more inclusivity in economic development and diversification strategy, we hope to create a space where ideas are shared, friendships are forged, and a new future is created.
8-9 am: Registration/Continental Breakfast
9-10 am: Prayer: Marlin Spoonhunter, President, Wind River Tribal College
Cedar: Eugene Ridgely Jr.
Drumming: Michael Ridgebear, Eagle Society
Business Councils, opening remarks:Chairman Goggles, Co-Chair Ute
Sponsor: Dr. Tarissa Spoonhunter, Director, High Plains American Indian Research Institute
10-11 am: History of the Wind River Indian Reservation
John Washakie, Councilman, Eastern Shoshone Business Council
Niieihii Neecee/William C’Hair
11-noon: Keynote
Sébastien Desnoyers-Picard, Vice President, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
Noon-1 pm: Lunch and Vendors
1-2 pm: Presentation: The Wind River Visitors Council and Projects on the Reservation
Helen Wilson, Executive Director, Wind River Visitors Council
Mike Yellowplume, Contributor, Travel Storys
Lynette Saint Clair, Indian Education Coordinator
2-3 pm: Panel: the Current State of Visitors on the Wind River Indian Reservation
Helen Wilson, Executive Director, Wind River Visitors Council
Darren Calhoun, Owner, Wind River Canyon Whitewater and Fly Fishing
Crystal Reynolds, Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Office
John Pingree, Cultural/Spiritual Representative, Eastern Shoshone Tribal Historic
Preservation Office
Moderator: Dan McCoy, Director, WORTH Initiative
3-4 pm: Panel: Understanding the Regional Visitor Economy. What collaborations could there be?
Patrick Harrington, Manager, Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office
Jay Kinghorn, Chief Innovation Officer, Zartico
Amy Larsen, Industry Relations Manager, Wyoming Office of Tourism
Chris Brown, Executive Director, Wyoming Hospitality and Travel Coalition
Crista Valentino, Interim Executive Director, Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board
Chip Jenkins, Superintendent, Grand Teton National Park
Moderator: Dan McCoy, Director, WORTH Initiative
4-5 pm: Building or Growing the Visitor Economy on the Reservation. Challenges/Opportunities
Jason Baldes, Executive Director, Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative
Teresa HisChase, Councilwoman, Northern Arapaho Business Council
Paul Huberty, Executive Director, Wind River Development Fund
Moderator: Leslie Shakespeare
6:30 pm: Prayer, Eastern Shoshone
Ivan Posey, Tribal Education Services Coordinator
6:30-8 pm: Dinner, smoked brisket, frybread tacos, and salad bar
8-10 pm: Live music
Rob Weimann, Joe Lefever, Adam Kirkpatrick & Shaun Hess
The goal of this day is to increase the awareness of opportunities on the reservation for visitors. Sign-up for each opportunity on the registration form, below.
Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative Tour. The Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative (WRTBI) was formed to assist in the expansion of the Shoshone and Arapaho buffalo programs. WRTBI has raised over $8 million to buy fee land back for buffalo habitat and continues to find ways to rematriate land to the Tribes through partnership and collaboration. WRTBI helps to facilitate the reconnection of youth and community to buffalo through education, cultural revitalization, nutrition, and academic opportunities for Tribal research and meaningful buffalo restoration. Tours will occur at 8 a.m., 10 a.m. or 2 p.m.
Arapaho Ranch Field Station Event and Tour. Join Mike Bies, Archeologist, and rock art specialist will present petroglyphs and pictographs recently documented on the Arapaho Ranch. His many years of working with Native Americans learning about rock art gives us a real look at what some of these images are telling us; the stories these images tell are amazing. We will have time for lunch in the spacious rooms of the Arapaho Mansion, built for entertaining large groups in 1918 in the style of an Italian Villa. After lunch, attendees can tour the campus of the Ranch Headquarters, view the new interpretive exhibit, and then carpool to a site on the Ranch to see some easy-to-reach petroglyphs with Mike Bies. The tours begins at noon and wrap up around 3 p.m.
Travel Storys Self-Guided Driving Tour. Participate in a self-guided tour using the travel Story's application on your phone. Download the application and take the self-guided tour and participate on-your-own.
For more information, please contact worth@uwyo.edu
Hotel room blocks are available at both the Shoshone Rose Hotel and Casino and the Wind River Hotel and Casino. Please reserve soon to ensure availability.
Wind River Hotel and Casino: 20 rooms held for Thursday, April 20th only. Ask for the Inter-Tribal Tourism Summit. Call to make a reservation: (307) 856-3964.
Shoshone Rose Hotel and Casino: Rooms are available for April 20 and 21, you can choose one or both nights. Rate: $70 + $7 service fee that goes to Shoshone Tribe = $77 total/night. Group Name: Wind River Inter-Tribal Tourism Summit. 20 rooms total. Call to make a reservation: (307) 206-7001.
