INDIGENOUS DATA WARRIORS AWARDS
Community Award
This award was established in honor of Ms. Nikki Ducheneaux (Cheyenne River Sioux) to recognize an Indigenous person whose leadership has built on the ground IDSov power in Indigenous communities. Nikki was a founding partner of the Big Fire Law and Policy Group and a fearless warrior for tribal rights. She led some of the biggest fights in Indian Country using data as evidence, including the Dakota Access Pipeline and suing President Trump over his federal COVID-19 responsibilities to tribes.
Hannah-Marie Ladd (Sicangu Lakota and Spanish)
Hannah holds a Master’s in Marine Policy and brings a strong background in environmental science to her Indigenous Data Sovereignty work. She is the Program Director of the Indigenous Sentinels Network (ISN) at the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island (ACSPI) Tribal Government where she supports Tribal communities in building their own environmental monitoring and data systems. Hannah-Marie truly embodies this year’s Summit theme, as a leader who has grounded her Indigenous data work in community for years. Through her leadership, Indigenous-led climate monitoring continues to expand across Alaska, all while strengthening community authority over data, and advancing long-term environmental resilience.
Student Award
This award was established in honor of Hon. Joe Garcia to recognize an Indigenous student who is advancing IDSov in their studies and is an emerging leader. Mr. Garcia was a three-term governor of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, two-term president of the National Congress of American Indians, Chairman of the All Indian Pueblo Council, and founding member of the U.S. Indigenous Data Sovereignty Network. He was a champion for educating the next generation of leaders in Indian Country.
Dr. Alec Calac (Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians)
Dr. Calac earned his PhD from UC San Diego. His PhD dissertation “Indigenous Data Sovereignty in the Era of Big Data” explored the responsible stewardship of digital health data generated by Indigenous Peoples and barriers and facilitators to IDSov in digital health and health policy. He is a MD Candidate at UC San Diego School of Medicine. He is a former national president of the Association of Native American Medical Students. He is a former Youth Fellow at the National Indian Health Board and a 40 Under 40 Leader in Minority Health. He will start an Internal Medicine Residency Program at San Ysidro Health in July 2026.
Ally Award
This award was established in honor of Mr. Norm DeWeaver to recognize non-Indigenous allies who de-center themself and use their privilege to provide support and resources to the Indigenous Data Sovereignty movement. Mr. DeWeaver was an economist and a 45-year data advocate in Indian Country. He was one of the founding non-Indigenous allies in the U.S. Indigenous Data Sovereignty Network.
Dr. Richard “Dick” Todd
Dr. Todd is an economist with a 40-year career at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis where he was instrumental in the establishment of the Center for Indian Country Development. He has worked in partnership with tribal communities for decades and has been a champion of increasing data access and analytical training for junior Indigenous researchers. He is an excellent example of an ally that has gone the extra mile to mentor Indigenous researchers and build data power for Indigenous communities.