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Who We Are
Native Health Matters is an Indigenous-led group of experts leading the nation in agronomy, emerging crops, and innovative plant varieties. We are a diverse, highly conscious Alliance of people and businesses working together to ensure the fruition of a healthier future for Indian Country.
Within our organization, you will find:
- Ph.D.-level researchers aligned with leading universities
- Forward-thinking entrepreneurs and agricultural stakeholders
- Human health and environmental safety authorities
- Professionals in grain and fiber supply chain development, processing, and manufacturing
Our Mission As a community organization and educational foundation, Native Health Matters is dedicated to advancing the following core principles for all of Indian Country:
- Sustainable Agronomics & Conservation: Building soil health and implementing practices that protect our lands for future generations.
- Environmental Safety: Ensuring clean, safe environments through expert soil and water remediation.
- Training & Education: Providing the essential knowledge required for farm development, self-sufficiency, and economic sovereignty.
- Health & Wellness: Improving community vitality through better agricultural practices and access to health resources.
- Home Grown Energy: Developing local, sustainable energy solutions.
- Cultural Preservation & Stewardship: Honoring Indigenous traditions and our deep, historical connection to the earth.
What We Do
Our programs are designed to solve complex challenges through science, education, and community-based action. Our core areas of expertise include:
1.Agronomy & Emerging Crops We are at the forefront of researching and introducing resilient plant varieties and emerging crops to Native lands, empowering farmers with the tools they need to succeed in changing climates.
2. Hemp Industry & Supply Chain Development From seed to shelf, we are experts in building robust grain and fiber supply chains. We provide guidance in marketplace development, processing, and manufacturing to ensure Native communities can capitalize on the thriving hemp industry.
3. Soil & Water Remediation Healthy communities require healthy earth. Our environmental safety authorities specialize in remediation strategies to restore and protect the soil and water ecosystems essential to our people.
4. Community Education & Farm Development Education is the root of our mission. We provide on-the-ground training for farmers, stakeholders, and community members, sharing knowledge that is vital for sustainable farm development and long-term economic independence.
Native Health Matters Foundation: Empowering Communities
Tim Houseberg
J.B. (Brad) Fausett
J.B. (Brad) Fausett
President & Co-founder | In-Situ Field Operator
A visionary executive and tireless advocate for tribal sovereignty, Tim Houseberg’s three-decade career is defined by monumental, first-of-their-kind achievements in environmental governance and economic empowerment. Beginning his legacy with the Cherokee Nation Environmental Commission in 1991, he developed the first "Treatment as a State" program for RCRA solid waste management and co-authored the historic 1993 Cherokee Nation Environmental Protection Act. Recognizing that ecological health requires economic independence, he established the Tribal Domicile in 2011 to generate lucrative tribal revenues, founded Tahkox e2 for complex environmental remediation, and architected the first university-backed agronomic hemp study in the U.S. He serves as interim director of the Indigenous Production Trade Alliance and is a vocal member of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable.
J.B. (Brad) Fausett
J.B. (Brad) Fausett
J.B. (Brad) Fausett
Vice President | Director, Agriculture Committee
J.B. Fausett is an environmental strategist and serial technology entrepreneur operating at the leading edge of geospatial innovation, high-voltage infrastructure, and ancestral knowledge. Currently serving as Transmission Policy Manager for Audubon Delta, he drives massive clean energy grid expansion across the Mid-South in collaboration with major utilities (Entergy, SWEPCO) and regional operators (MISO, SPP). Previously, he co-founded a $20M multi-state agricultural venture and led Ark UAV, a pioneering aerial robotics firm executing national security contracts for the FBI, CIA, and DHS. A three-time University of Arkansas graduate with an Honorary Doctorate in geospatial technologies, he holds advanced certifications in wetland delineation, LiDAR remote sensing, and thermography.
Jenifer Pechonick
J.B. (Brad) Fausett
Jenifer Pechonick
Secretary & Treasurer | Director of Indigenous Native American Affairs
A deeply respected tribal leader and master of organizational development, Jenifer Pechonick brings an unmatched wealth of experience in non-profit governance and the preservation of traditional holistic health. She holds the profound distinction of being the youngest woman ever elected to the governing body of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, serving three administrations alongside her mother—the first woman elected Chief of the Delaware Tribe. A highly sought-after expert in Native American law, she has provided critical testimony to the U.S. Department of the Interior. As a gifted naturopath, she integrates modern wellness paradigms with ancient methodologies, ensuring NHM's operations remain intrinsically connected to the cultural lifeforce of Indigenous communities.
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Directors & Key Personnel
Stephanie Rainwater | Director of Ecological Projects: A leading authority in ecological regulatory compliance and hazardous site remediation. A member of the Delaware Tribe and Cherokee Nation, she commands large-scale environmental assessments, including NEPA analysis for the Chickasaw Nation’s 1,462-mile broadband project and FERC relicensing studies. She is federally permitted by the USFWS for endangered species surveys and serves as Chair of the Environmental Federation of Oklahoma’s Natural and Cultural Resources Committee.
SJ Johnson, RN | Tribal Liaison & Health Wellness Programs Director: A transformative healthcare executive who masterfully bridges Native American healing with clinical Western medicine. Formerly overseeing systems-level changes across the federal Indian Health Services (IHS), she now leads NHM’s Medicine Clan and American Indian Microbes projects, implementing holistic healing protocols driven by advanced data analysis and regenerative physiology.
Pat Gwin | Ethnobotanist: A legendary guardian of Indigenous botanical heritage and Citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Over 30 years, he served as the Cherokee Nation’s Senior Director of Environmental Resources. He is the architect of the Cherokee Nation Seedbank Garden—the world's largest tribal botanical operation, distributing tens of thousands of heirloom seeds globally—and serves as a founding Board Member of the Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF).
Dr. Jennifer Lewter | Research Center Programs Director & Chief Plant Breeder: An elite molecular geneticist focused on preserving crop diversity and breeding climate-resilient cultivars. With extensive peer-reviewed publications on high-density linkage maps and RFLP-PCR protocols, her research is backed by NASA and the ATU. She brings intense operational discipline from her past role as a Nuclear Security Officer and drives agricultural biotechnology forward across the region.
Earl Hatley | Senior Environmental Scientist: A nationally recognized grassroots leader in environmental justice. As co-founder of LEAD Agency and a Grand Riverkeeper within the Waterkeeper Alliance, he actively defends the upper Grand River watershed against toxic industrial impacts. He previously served on the Oklahoma DEQ Hazardous Waste Management Advisory Council for seven years and operates on the Steering Committee for the Western Mining Action Network (WMAN).
Jeremy Hale | Scholar Practitioner & Contamination Specialist: A globally recognized scientist specializing in soil biome restoration and toxic industrial mitigation. He led rigorous life cycle analysis for the Drawdown Hemp team, achieving top-100 finalist status in the global XPrize competition. Hale facilitates massive multinational collaborations between top-tier universities and international governments to ensure marginalized communities have access to nutrient-dense food and pristine drinking water.
Swan Ray | Director of Supply Chain Development: A founding member of the Indigenous Production Trade Alliance and specialist for the University of Minnesota Extension’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP). With over 20 years in natural foods supply chain management (Whole Foods, National Co+op Grocers), she drives end-to-end commercialization strategy for emerging oilseeds, hemp, and identity-preserved small grains, fundamentally addressing processing barriers for BIPOC farmers.
Laura Madison Campanelli | Director of Community Agriculture: A formidable advocate for food sovereignty and the visionary founder of the Mothers and Sisters Freedom Farm. Operating at the vital intersection of regenerative farming and women's empowerment, Campanelli engineers grassroots agricultural cooperatives that aggressively dismantle food insecurity. Through the Mothers and Sisters Freedom Farm, she secures critical resources, land access, and economic independence for Native and marginalized women. At NHM, she leverages her elite community mobilization expertise to scale sovereign food networks, ensuring every project remains deeply anchored in equity, healing, and ancestral stewardship.
Advanced Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC)
Advanced Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC)
The ATAC consists of globally recognized domain experts who provide the foundational scientific, economic, and logistical architecture for NHM’s most ambitious infrastructural deployments.
Dr. Janet E. Hawkes
Bioenergy & Agroforestry President of Tellus Earth LLC; former Cornell University Director; advised UN FAO and USAID on advanced regenerative farming, CEA, and biomass-to-energy initiatives globally
Dr. Milton Sovo Jr.
Tribal Trust Lands & Ag Ops50-year veteran of farm/ranch operations; trusted advisor to Federal Agencies on natural resource management; empowers minority farmers via Langston University and OSU Extension.
Bernard Allen-Bey
Economic & Community Dev.1st VP of the Oklahoma NAACP State Conference; COO for Indian Country Agriculture Resource Development; secures massive capital for urban redevelopment and Native wealth generation.
Lance W. Beem, M.S .
Agro-Science & Pesticides40-year sustainable agriculture pioneer; former CEO at Beem Agro-Sciences; invented breakthrough biorational fertilizers that spiked yields 20% while cutting nitrogen runoff by 30%
.Dr. Brandon Smith
Soil Carbon & Biochar Creator of the NRCS Soil Carbon Amendment 336; 14-year USDA veteran; Ph.D. from Cornell; globally recognized expert in synergistic biochar applications for climate resilience.
Kevin McKernan
Genomics & Biotechnology CSO/Founder of Medicinal Genomics; veteran of the Human Genome Project (MIT); invented tech that reduced human genome sequencing costs by 100,000-fold; developed Kannapedia.net.
Richard Nash interim Global Logistics & Supply Chain35-year international procurement expert; orchestrates massive-scale disaster relief and infrastructure logistics with USAID, DOD, UN, and DOD; navigates complex global federal contracts.
Workshops Events
Workshops Events
Workshops Events
At Native Health Matters Foundation, our mission is to provide shelter and support to homeless individuals in our community. We believe that everyone deserves a safe and comfortable place to call home, and we work tirelessly to make that a reality.
Outreach
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Workshops Events
We offer a variety of programs to help our clients get back on their feet. From job training to mental health counseling, we provide the resources and support necessary to help individuals achieve their goals.
Collaboration
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Collaboration
Volunteers are the backbone of our organization. We offer a variety of opportunities for individuals and groups to get involved and make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
reseach
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Collaboration
Your donation can make a huge difference in the lives of those experiencing homelessness. Every dollar counts and helps us provide shelter, resources, and support to those in need.