Larry Littlebird
Founding Director
Larry Littlebird, is a Pueblo Indian from Laguna/Santo Domingo Pueblos. Larry’s coaching and mentoring style draws upon his multi-faceted background as a Native filmmaker, master storyteller, education specialist, life coach, wilderness facilitator, and his personal experience as a hunter-gatherer-farmer, informed by his rich Pueblo culture. Larry is a visionary social entrepreneur having founded a native owned business and three other nonprofits. His inspired programs have had a profound impact on many lives working with business executives, families, schools, foundations, churches, and community organizations. He is the author of Hunting Sacred—Everything Listens: A Pueblo Indian Man’s Oral Tradition Legacy, which introduces readers to a timeless story of living in correct relationship with all life and is Littlebird’s personal oral tradition legacy. For complete bio click here.
Deborah Littlebird
Executive Director and Co Founder
Deborah has been working alongside her husband Larry Littlebird for the past twenty years, producing culturally and spiritually relevant seminars, wilderness encampments and holistic indigenous projects. She co-produced six national Tribal American storytelling conferences in Santa Fe, New Mexico, bringing together tribal elders and culture bearers from around the nation. Deborah brings her strong administrative skills to their present work at HAMAATSA, tapping into her wide range of creative accomplishments and extensive background in business management, marketing and communications. She was Executive Director and Administrative Director for two Native non-profit organizations and before moving to New Mexico, was an Art Director for an award winning international design firm in the Midwest. In addition, Deborah is a gourmet “natural foods” cook who promotes healthy nutritional meals using local organic foods and will be heading up the food and nutrition program at HAMAATSA.
Helen Torran
Secretary/Treasurer, Board of Directors
Helen has 5 years experience as a tax preparer professional and is a Tax Associate for H & R Block in Rio Rancho, NM. Along with Helen's background in finances, she brings her extensive board leadership experience having served on several non profits and church boards over the past 15 years. Helen also has a B.S. degree in Biology and Medical Technology.
ADVISORS AND CONSULTANTS
Stanley Lucero (Laguna Pueblo) is former Tribal Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Interpreter and Councilman for Laguna Pueblo. He is a Cultural Education Specialist in the areas of Language Retention and Cultural Preservation and teaches at Laguna Elementary School.
Cecilia Lucero (Acoma Pueblo) is a Cultural Education Specialist and has taught elementary school for many years. She received the prestigious “Walt Disney Hand Honoree Award” of which only 32 honorees were selected across the country. She is a committed environmental advocate, especially related to tribal culture and life-ways. Cecilia is presently working with her daughter Shiyah (former Miss Indian World), to revitalize Native medicinal plants and their use for healing and wellness.
Scott Pittman, Permaculture Institute
Scott Pittman is one of the foremost teachers of permaculture in the U.S. and has taught the subject extensively worldwide on four continents. He is founder of the Permaculture Drylands Institute and co-founder of the Permaculture Credit Union. Scott co-taught with the founder of permaculture, Bill Mollison, and helped establish the permaculture movement is the Southwest. His experience includes working with indigenous and traditional people worldwide, design projects that range from backyards to thousand-acre farms and activism in promotion of sustainable living. Working closely with Hamaatsa founding director, Larry Littlebird, Scott and his talented wife Arina, created a site analysis and visionary master plan for Hamaatsa.
David O. Riley, Hopi/Laguna Pueblo architect, Water Parrot Design Studio
David Riley, has a long history of providing natural climate induced designs that incorporate solar and daylighting techniques. His urban planning and design thoughts have been termed "visionary". David has been involved in many community affairs in Albuquerque and on planning tasks forces for State, County and Local governments as well as New Mexico Pueblos. From1985-2000, David was a guest lecturer and instructor at UNM's School of Architecture and Planning from which David himself graduated in 1977. It was during this time, that David began to take a serious look at his educational experiences and observed that a European philosophy of design was still being taught as the dominant concept in American design institutions. As an architectural activist, David has formulated a design approach through what he terms "Philosophica de Principalis do los Pueblo Nuevo". These concepts draw from his ancestry of the Hopi and Pueblo Worldview to engage mankind in a new conversation with his Universe and to create designs that contain and express the Human Spirit. David is working closely with Hamaatsa founding directors, Larry and Deborah Littlebird, to revive these spiritual design concepts with the architecture and building of Hamaatsa's Center. View Design Rendering
Photo to come
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The elders tell us, "Accept your particular life, the whole of it, then celebrate it with joy, your connection to it, so you can give back, all that has been given to you."
ervant Leaders
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Secretary/Treasurer
Bill Bailey
Gene Tagaban,Tlingit storyteller & Pueblo elder, Larry Littlebird
Copyright 2007 Hamaatsa. All rights reserved. HAMAATSA is a Native led 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.
