Ancestral Wisdom as Our Foundation
Additional Information
This event is part of the Learning Hub program Wisdom Weavers. The Santa Fe Community Foundation proudly offers the Learning Hub as an educational space for nonprofit board, executive directors, staff members, and donors. Each year, the Hub offers dozens of events, workshops, and learning circles that promote leadership, skill building, and peer-supported growth.
Meet the people leading the conversation
Elena Higgins
Elena Higgins
Elena Higgins has cultivated a dynamic career touring with her wife, Tash Terry (Diné), as part of the award-winning musical duo Indigie Femme. Together, they have garnered numerous international and national accolades for their powerful performances. Beyond her musical achievements, Elena is the co-founder and executive director ofIndigenousWays, a nonprofit organization devoted to fostering balance and unity through music, arts, outreach, and events. IndigenousWays serves as a bridge for cultural exchange, supporting Native American, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, andDeaf and Hard of Hearing communities with accessible programs and festivals.Through this work, the organization amplifies underrepresented voices, strengthens cultural resilience, and promotes holistic healing on a global scale.
Elena's dedication to community and cultural preservation is deeply rooted in her heritage. Born inAotearoa (New Zealand), she was raised in a Pākehā (white) foster family, while maintaining close ties with her Samoan matrilineal aiga (family) and Māoriwhānau (family). These connections have instilled in her a profound commitment to honoring cultural traditions and building meaningful community connections.
Marisa Page
Marisa Page
Marisa Page is an enrolled citizen of the Pawnee Nation ofOklahoma and descends from the Ponca and Comanche Nation. Marisa was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM and currently resides in Rio Rancho, NM with her family. Ms. Page’s education includes - Master of Legal Studies with a focus inIndigenous Peoples Law from the University of Oklahoma, Bachelor of Arts inAnthropology with a minor in Psychology from the University of New Mexico, and two Associates of Arts from Central New Mexico Community College. She is a current candidate for 2024 cohort for the Native American Studies, PhD. program at the University of New Mexico. For more than 20 years, Marisa has worked and advocated for Indigenous peoples throughout the world. She has been a fundraiser working with major gifts, planned giving, and grant writing; managed a pre-college education department; guest lectured at various universities; and participated in community organizing. BIPOC-led organizations she has worked for include - First Nations Development Institute, New Mexico Environmental LawCenter, Native Community Development Associates, Americans for IndianOpportunity, Campo Band of Kumeyaay, and the American Indian Science andEngineering Society. Ms. Page is currently the Executive Director for thePawnee Evening Star Fund, a tribal 501c3.
Meet the people leading the conversation
Elena Higgins
Elena Higgins
Elena Higgins has cultivated a dynamic career touring with her wife, Tash Terry (Diné), as part of the award-winning musical duo Indigie Femme. Together, they have garnered numerous international and national accolades for their powerful performances. Beyond her musical achievements, Elena is the co-founder and executive director ofIndigenousWays, a nonprofit organization devoted to fostering balance and unity through music, arts, outreach, and events. IndigenousWays serves as a bridge for cultural exchange, supporting Native American, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, andDeaf and Hard of Hearing communities with accessible programs and festivals.Through this work, the organization amplifies underrepresented voices, strengthens cultural resilience, and promotes holistic healing on a global scale.
Elena's dedication to community and cultural preservation is deeply rooted in her heritage. Born inAotearoa (New Zealand), she was raised in a Pākehā (white) foster family, while maintaining close ties with her Samoan matrilineal aiga (family) and Māoriwhānau (family). These connections have instilled in her a profound commitment to honoring cultural traditions and building meaningful community connections.
Marisa Page
Marisa Page
Marisa Page is an enrolled citizen of the Pawnee Nation ofOklahoma and descends from the Ponca and Comanche Nation. Marisa was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM and currently resides in Rio Rancho, NM with her family. Ms. Page’s education includes - Master of Legal Studies with a focus inIndigenous Peoples Law from the University of Oklahoma, Bachelor of Arts inAnthropology with a minor in Psychology from the University of New Mexico, and two Associates of Arts from Central New Mexico Community College. She is a current candidate for 2024 cohort for the Native American Studies, PhD. program at the University of New Mexico. For more than 20 years, Marisa has worked and advocated for Indigenous peoples throughout the world. She has been a fundraiser working with major gifts, planned giving, and grant writing; managed a pre-college education department; guest lectured at various universities; and participated in community organizing. BIPOC-led organizations she has worked for include - First Nations Development Institute, New Mexico Environmental LawCenter, Native Community Development Associates, Americans for IndianOpportunity, Campo Band of Kumeyaay, and the American Indian Science andEngineering Society. Ms. Page is currently the Executive Director for thePawnee Evening Star Fund, a tribal 501c3.
Meet the people leading the conversation
Funder Panel - Taos
With panelists CJ Grace, Taos Community Foundation; Linda Candelaria-Dodd, Con Alma Health Foundation; Erika Dávila, New Mexico Community Foundation; Mary Nell Wegner, Brindle Foundation; Mona Nozhackum, Taos Ski Valley; moderated by Tanner Martin, Taos Community Foundation
Join representatives from foundations and philanthropic organizations serving northern New Mexico for a conversation about today's funding landscape. Panelists will share their funding priorities, application processes, and perspectives on emerging community needs while offering participants the opportunity to ask questions and build a deeper understanding of how to cultivate strong, lasting funding relationships.
Leading Through Change, Conflict, or Crisis
With Marsie Silvestro & Sarah Silva
Nonprofit executive directors often navigate local politics, shifting organizational cultures, and public scrutiny — sometimes simultaneously. This session offers a supportive space for peer conversation and shared learning around leading through change, conflict, and crisis.
A Community Asset Mapping Workshop: The Wisdom Your Community Holds
With Giovianna Burrell
Nonprofit leaders are often asked to address complex challenges with limited time, funding, and capacity. Yet some of the most powerful resources available to our organizations already exist within our communities. This workshop invites participants to identify and deepen their understanding of these community assets and explore how they can support meaningful partnerships, collaboration, and community-driven solutions.
