AISES Board of Directors Election Results

The American Indian Science and Engineering Society will be welcoming three new member to the Board of Directors at the National Conference in November in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The new members are Bill Black (Associate Member), John B. Herrington (General Member) and Michael Richard Lee Laverdure (General Member). In addition, Rick Stevens (General Member) was re-elected for a second term. For more information please see their bios below.

While greeting the new members, AISES bids a fond farewell to departing board members Dr. James May and Dr. Mark Bellcourt who will be greatly missed. AISES appreciates the hard work and breadth of knowledge our departing members brought to our board.  For a full listing of AISES board members visit:http://www.aises.org/about/board.

Bill Black

Recently retired as Vice President and Executive Director of the Comcast Foundation, Bill Black oversaw more than $1.5 billion in grants, corporate contributions and in-kind support during his nine-year tenure in that role. Under his leadership, Comcast implemented new and innovative strategies for forming national, regional and local partnerships. Bill previously served Comcast and other telecommunications providers in community relations, public policy and operations positions, and has 40 years of management experience.

In his role at Comcast, Bill created an unprecedented portfolio of support to Native American nonprofits. Through his personal development of grants and in-kind support, and his ongoing participation in funder relationships, Bill established very strong ties in Indian Country and remains involved there. His past and present partners include AISES, American Indian College Fund, First Nations Development Institute, Native American Rights Fund, Notah Begay III Foundation, Americans for Indian Opportunity and many more.

Bill serves on the board of the American Indian College Fund and its Finance and Investment Committee. He is an adjunct professor at Temple University and Cabrini University. Bill received an MBA and Master’s in Business Communications from Jones International University. He received a Bachelor’s in Business Management from Thomas Edison State University.

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John B. Herrington

I am a retired Naval Aviator, test pilot, and astronaut. I hold a Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, a Master of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the US Naval Postgraduate School, and Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Education from the University of Idaho. I am an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma and considered the first tribally enrolled Native American to fly in space. As a NASA Astronaut I was assigned as a Mission Specialist on STS-113, which was the 11th American assembly mission to the International Space Station. I spent over 330 hours in space and conducted three spacewalks, totaling nearly 20 hours. I have been a member of AISES since 1997 and a Sequoyah Fellow. I served as a AISES board member from 1998 to 2000. I have supported AISES by appearing in both print and multimedia productions to increase public awareness and support of the organization. I believe it is imperative for Native American professionals in the STEM fields to act as mentors and role models for the generations to follow. As a board member I will work closely with the AISES leadership to strengthen our outreach to Native students through more effective networking between student and professional chapters.

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Michael Richard Lee Laverdure

Mike Laverdure. Migisi Migwan (Eagle Feather), Makwa Doodem (Bear Clan), is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, located in North Dakota. He is a registered architect and a Sequoyah member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society.

Mike attended North Dakota State University’s College of Architecture, graduating in 1996. He is currently a partner at DSGW Architects and President of a Native American owned planning firm, the First American Design Studio.
He has been a member of AISES since his junior year at Turtle Mountain Community High School and has served on the leadership council for the Region 5 professional chapter, NSAAP since its inception in 2010. Mike also serves on the board for the Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce and is the President-elect for the American Indian Council of Architects and Engineers.

Mike is a past award winner of the AISES Executive of the Year and has made it a mission in his life to promote Architecture and Engineering as valid and vital STEM careers for our Tribal Youth.

His mother, Betty Laverdure, instilled in him that giving back to our Tribal Nations should be at the core of what we do on a daily basis, and Mike has found that designing great places is a great way to accomplish that goal.

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Rick Stephens

Rick Stephens is an enrolled member of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, was tribal chairman for his band, has been a member of AISES since 2004, is a Sequoyah Fellow, was the first recipient of the AISES Executive Excellent Award in 2004, has been a member of the AISES board for 3 years, and currently services as the AISES Board Chair. Rick retired from the Boeing Company in 2013 as a senior executive for the company. Rick’s Native heritage, experience and insight about leadership, fiscal management, and his dedication to ensuring that the vision and values of AISES are upheld and honored are important attributes and capabilities that he brings to ensuring the mission of AISES is fulfilled and that AISES has in place a strong foundation for the next 40 years.

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