Cheryl Ann Kary

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

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Cheryl Ann Kary (Hunkuotawin) is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from the University of Mary, as well as Master’s Degrees in Management and in Business Administration. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication & Public Discourse from the University of North Dakota.  Kary served as a newspaper columnist for nearly 10 years, writing for several regional newspapers on Native issues. She has previously served as the Curriculum Development Specialist at the Native American Training Institute, the Research Director at United Tribes Technical College, the Executive Director for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and a Grants Management Specialist at the N.D. Department of Health. In 2013, Kary was awarded a Bush Foundation fellowship under which she developed and conducted a survey of off-reservation American Indians in the Bismarck-Mandan area. This work helped her establish the Sacred Pipe Resource Center (SPRC), a non-profit organization serving the American Indian population in Bismarck-Mandan. She has worked in and with Tribal communities and populations for the majority of her career and, in addition to professional responsibilities, Kary advocates for Native people and Tribes in a variety of volunteer efforts. Kary was a 2015 OTA Builder (weareota.com), seeking creative ways to build civic and community engagement for American Indians in the Bismarck-Mandan area. While she is an introvert by nature, Kary enjoys peopling in moderation. She the mother of four children - Dalayne, Trevan, Tayson, and Tallon – and unci to Emmerie, Tayvin, and Tacaya.