The National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC K-12 School Mental Health Program has partnered with Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPPA) to develop a program titled Sacred Seeds. Sacred Seeds was developed specifically as an IEP advocacy training for AI/AN students to further the movement that EVERY CHILD DOES MATTER. Upon the completion of the course, participants will receive a Sacred Seeds IEP Training Certificate.
Apply by June 24 to participate in the 11-part series!
Classes are every Tuesday from July 19 through September 27, 2022
3-5 ET / 2-4 CT / 1-3 MT / 12-2 PT / 11-1 AKT
Click to view an informational video
Dwight K. Lomayesva (Hopi)
Dwight K. Lomayesva, JD, is a member of the Hopi Tribe and is a co-founder of American Indian Recruitment Programs, a non-profit organization that serves American Indian youth within education.
Ronalda Tome-Warito (Diné (Navajo))
Ronalda Tome-Warito, Diné (Navajo), is an advocate for Native American children with disabilities, with 20 years of experience working alongside parents, Native communities, and school districts. Ronalda specializes in special education law, the process, and parents' rights. Ronalda is a powerful force in the arena of special education, networking, and mentoring parents in the process. Ronalda was inspired by her three children and the voice for parents in education.
Susan Bruce
Susan is the mother of three children with disabilities and has more than a decade of experience as a parent advocate and trainer on special education and civil rights law.
Shatta Mejia
Shatta García Mejía, MEd, has worked toward a vision of leveling the playing field in K-12 education. As a consultant and content developer with HMH for more than 5 years, Shatta experienced many aspects of the publishing world and saw so much left to do to reach learners.
Ilana Lopez
Ilana Lopez, MEd, is the education manager at COPAA, has worked in nonprofits dedicated to transforming education for over a decade, and is passionate about educational equity.
Teresa Brewington, MBA, MEdL (Coharie enrolled, Lumbee descendent)
Teresa works for the Native Center for Behavioral Health at The University of Iowa. She is co-director for the National American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health TTC – School Mental Health Program and the National American Indian and Alaska Native Child Traumatic Stress Initiative – Category II. She is an enrolled member of the Coharie Tribe and a descendent of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Teresa’s personal vision is to influence and inspire others to shower Native children with all they need to become a success story—the person they are supposed to become.