Sammye Meadows
223 South Boulevard
Gunnison, Colorado 81230
970.641.1355  jermond@pcrs.net
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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
4/2007-present:
Self-Employed: Author, Editor, Non-Profit Consultant
Gunnison, Colorado
Recent projects: AIANTA (American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association) development associate and project leader
for partnership between American Indian nations and National Park Service to include tribal voices in 2016 Park Service
centennial commemoration. Wrote and edited Enough Good People, a book about tribal participation in the 2003-2006
bicentennial of the Lewis & Clark Expedition with recommendations for involving tribes in future historical commemorations.
Wrote website narrative for National Park Service’s and University of Montana’s www.lc-triballegacy.org, scheduled to launch
August 2010. Keynoted plenary session at 2009 national conference of AIANTA. Advised Old Spanish Trail Association on
involving tribes along the Trail. Team member of Tribal Museum Planners & Consultants. Registered federal contractor.
6/2008-7/2009:
High Country Citizens’ Alliance
Crested Butte, Colorado
Development Director: Wrote grant proposals, special appeal letters, case statements, membership materials, brochures, ads,
news releases; created 2009 major donors campaign; coordinated special fundraising events, online giving opportunities, online
store; developed new funding sources; responsible for raising $250,000 annual budget.
9/2000-4/2007:
Circle of Tribal Advisors (COTA)
National Council of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial
Gunnison, Colorado/St. Louis, Missouri/Portland, Oregon
COTA Coordinator, Cultural Awareness Coordinator, Tribal Involvement Coordinator: Coordinated all activities of the Circle
of Tribal Advisors of the National Council of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial (40 tribal nations whose ancestors encountered
the 1803-1806 Lewis & Clark Expedition or whose homelands were traversed by the expedition); created Ad Council-endorsed
national public awareness campaign of tribal messages for TV, print and internet; created and maintained national media
relationships that produced extensive bicentennial coverage of tribal perspectives and activities; consulted on bicentennial
projects, films, books and symphonies; liaison between COTA and non-Indian bicentennial events and communities nationwide; authored numerous articles about COTA, the bicentennial and Lewis & Clark; raised funds for tribal projects, including
$300,000 IMLS grant for Native language education, over $1 million in National Park Service grants for tribal participation in
the bicentennial and assisted with $2 million Leadership Grant for the National Council from the William & Flora Hewlett
Foundation (75% of which funded tribal involvement); managed creation of $1.6 million Native language endowment fund;
managed $500,000 cultural awareness & $500,000 tribal involvement budgets - delivered both under projections. Reported to
Executive Director of the National Council, St. Louis, MO. Co-wrote Lewis & Clark For Dummies in 2003.
3/1998-9/2000:
Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation (LCTHF)
Great Falls, Montana
Executive Director: Served as LCTHF’s first full-time executive director; provided visionary leadership, management and
media communications for the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail’s official non-profit partner organization; worked
synergistically with National Park Service under ongoing Cooperative Agreement; established national office, library and
archives; supervised trail, library, membership, publications departments, including LCTHF’s widely acclaimed history
magazine, We Proceeded On; spearheaded strategic planning, doubled fundraising success (including $50,000 grant and
designation of the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail as a National Millennium Trail in 2000); grew membership in prelude
to the Lewis & Clark bicentennial. 2,700 members, 28 chapters, 400 volunteers, 6 staff. $445,000 annual budget.
1997:
Colorado 5th Judicial District Court
Eagle, Colorado
Clerk of the Court: Served as Clerk of the Court for Eagle County Judicial Complex under the Honorable Richard H. Hart
(retired) and the Honorable Terri S. Diem (retired).
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Sammye Meadows
1994-1997:
Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Vail, Colorado
Executive Director: Served as Betty Ford Alpine Gardens’ first executive director; provided leadership, management and
expanded fundraising (including prestigious grant from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust and special donor events with
Mrs. Ford) for the nation’s highest botanical garden (8,200 ft. elevation); supervised marketing, horticultural, volunteer and
membership departments; raised capital funds and supervised developmental stages of new Alpine Rock Garden; created
children’s programming that continues today. 150 volunteers, 3 staff. $220,000 annual budget.
1993-1998:
Self-Employed: Non-Profit Consultant/Agent
Taos, New Mexico
Projects: Fundraising, strategic planning, marketing plans, project development, community outreach. Clients: Deep West
Consortium (Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe, DanceAspen, Colorado Dance Festival, Telluride Institute), Institute
for the Preservation of the Original Languages of the Americas (now Indigenous Language Institute), SOMOS literary society
in Taos, Taos Pueblo flutist Robert Mirabal.
1991-1993:
Taos Art Association (now Taos Center for the Arts)
Taos, New Mexico
Executive Director: Provided leadership and management for revered community arts council; negotiated and booked eclectic
seasons of dance, theatre and music performances, residencies and workshops; marketing; fundraising from established and
new sources (including first ever grant from National Endowment for the Arts); supervised visual arts exhibits and film series;
created groundbreaking opportunities for American Indian and Hispanic artists to exhibit and perform. 150 volunteers, 7 staff.
$400,000 annual budget.
1985-1990:
Robert Redford & Sundance, Utah
Personal Assistant, Environmental Liaison: Provided personal and executive support for Mr. Redford; served as senior
member of communications team for regional and national environmental issues; served as liaison to grassroots,
environmental, governmental, educational and industrial leaders; assisted with Redford speech, article, op-ed writing; wrote
and edited The Sundancer community newspaper; analyzed film scripts; supervised American Indian apprentices on film, The
Dark Wind; worked as production assistant on film, The Milagro Beanfield War.
Other Employment:
EDUCATION:
Alaska Legal Services, Kodiak AK – Paralegal for Kodiak Island Natives
Town of Vail, Vail CO – Executive Assistant to Town Manager and Town Attorney
Centre College of Kentucky. BA – history & government
Colorado Master Gardener
Appalachian Writers Workshop, Hindman, Kentucky
Naropa Institute Writers Workshop, Boulder, Colorado
Aspen Writers Workshop, Aspen, Colorado
PUBLICATIONS:
 Enough Good People – Reflections on Tribal Involvement and Inter-Cultural Collaboration 2003-2006 – Bureau
of Indian Affairs, 2009
 Series of four public service ads on tribal issues for national television – “We Are Still Here,” “Respect,” “Taking
Care of the Gifts,” “Indian Languages are Libraries” – Circle of Tribal Advisors, endorsed by the Ad Council,
2004-2005
 Many articles on the Lewis & Clark expedition, Lewis & Clark bicentennial commemoration and tribal
involvement for national, regional, community, history & travel publications & websites, 2000-2006
 Lewis & Clark For Dummies, co-authored with Jana Sawyer Prewitt – Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2003
 “Death on a Dayglo Morning,” a poem – The Gunnison Valley Journal, 2007
 “Excerpt from The Ravenmocker,” a novel, in A Gathering At the Forks Anthology – Vision Books, 1993
 “A Song and a Dance,” a short story – Anchorage Daily News, 1983
INTERESTS:
Organic gardening, writing, learning, hiking, camping, snowshoeing, skiing, kayaking