Board of Advisors
Tracy Loving Medicine Eyes Ramos
Tracy is a citizen of the Nipmuc Tribe, the original People of Central Massachusetts, a wife and mother of three adult daughters. She was born in Putnam, CT, and lived on her family’s homestead in Woodstock, CT in her early years. Raised in New York City, Tracy returned to Massachusetts in 1990 and currently resides on ancestral Nipmuc land.
Tracy has always made a conscious effort to be involved in the Indigenous community including powwows, regalia making, beading, being a member of the Nipmuc women’s group, and continuing to preserve our traditional language. She believes there is nothing else like being in community with other Indigenous People and contributing to the preservation of our culture and traditions.
Tracy has a Master’s degree in Public Health and continues to work on research pertaining to the connection of intergenerational trauma and health disparities of the Indigenous population. She will use her knowledge of structural bias, social inequities, and racism to assist in improving the health equity of the Indigenous communities she serves.
Mar Parrilla
Founding Artistic Director- Lead Choreographer of Danza Organica
Producer- Educator
Taíno Afroborikua artist Mar Parrilla was birthed by Mother Earth in the Caribbean, Borikén (so called Puerto Rico). She is the Founding Artistic Director, and lead Choreographer of Danza Orgánica. Mar holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Languages from the University of Puerto Rico, and a Master’s Degree in Dance Education from New York University. Since 2014, Parrilla has produced the annual festival: We Create!- devoted to promoting the work of BIPOC self-identified mujeres, and gender non-conforming artists. Mar is also an educator, and founder of the Dance for Social Justice™ program. She has served in public schools, colleges and universities in the United States since 1998. Besides Danza Orgánica she devotes her life to her spirituality, her solo artist practice, her family, and community organizing.
Scott Strong Hawk Foster
Scott Strong Hawk Foster is a Black-Native American photographer whose proud roots include Hassanamisco Nipmuc, Mohegan, and Cherokee lineage.
Scott’s photography philosophy is to share his artistry and life experiences, as an Indigenous photographer, through the lens of his camera. “Capture the Moment…Share the Experience”©, his photography tagline, embraces that belief. He feels life is filled with unique and fleeting moments that must be captured and imprinted or they could be lost forever. Scott strives to use photography to educate the unaware, misinformed, and people who thirst for truth and knowledge, while never losing sight of the beauty in all things.
A graduate of FSU with a BA in Economics, Scott has sold for IBM, BCBS, Adtech Systems, and Konica Minolta Business Solutions. As a free-lance photographer, Scott’s past work experience coupled with his creative mindset now allows him to focus on working in and casting light on the people, places, and forgotten traditions in the Indigenous community.
He is known as a collaborative leader and team member with an unwavering job focus, work ethic, and someone who thinks outside of the box to get the job done.
Michelle Sylliboy
Award winning author and Interdisciplinary artist Michelle Sylliboy (Mi’kmaq/L’nu) was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised on her traditional L’nuk territory in We’koqmaq, Cape Breton. While living on the traditional, unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, Sylliboy completed a BFA at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, and a Masters in Education from Simon Fraser University. She is currently a PhD candidate in Simon Fraser University’s Philosophy of Education program, where she is working to reclaim her original written komqwej’wikasikl language. Her collection of photography and L’nuk hieroglyphic poetry, Kiskajeyi—I Am Ready, was published by Rebel Mountain Press in 2019.
Justin Beatty
Justin Beatty works as a visual artist, cultural educator, Native American intertribal powwow singer, and powwow emcee. He is the founder of the Odenong Powwow. Justin also created the 5-College Native American & Indigenous Alumni & Community Network and sits on the Board of Directors for the Social Distance Powwow. He works with various Native American communities & artists throughout New England while focusing on raising the visibility of Native American & Indigenous artists in Western Massachusetts.
Justin Beatty is a multi-disciplinary artist of Native American (Ojibwe, Saponi) & African-American descent. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Massachusetts with a concentration in Indigenous Policy, Culture, & Art, a self-created interdisciplinary curriculum through the University Without Walls degree program.
Neftalí Durán
Neftalí Duran is a community cook, advocate, educator, and organizer, working towards an equitable food system and building a network of Indigenous food leaders. He is a former Salzburg Global Fellow and co-founder of the I- Collective.
Neftalí’s work is informed by his own experience as an Indigenous and formerly undocumented migrant worker and 20 years of experience in the restaurant and food industry as chef, baker, and small business owner. He engages in grassroots work and advocacy regarding Indigenous culinary traditions, the effects of migration on people and food, and the environment. His interests include documenting the culinary traditions of the different regions of Oaxaca, Mexico, reclaiming the roots and culture of the original peoples of the Americas, having conversations about the impact of colonialism in our communities in regards to traditional food-ways, and engaging in conversations about the impact of climate change on frontline communities.
Board of Directors
Rebecca Ramsey – Chair
Rebecca grew up in St. Louis, Missouri spending most of her time outside barefoot in the yard, in the garden with her grandpa, or with her nose in a book. She moved to Montana in 1998 after starting her career as a horse breeding farm manager. Her wide-ranging professional experience in Southwest Montana focused on rural community relationships in various venues including education, arts, hospitality, agriculture and most recently working as the Ruby Watershed Coordinator with the Ruby Valley Conservation District, Volunteer Coordinator for the Red Ants Pants Music Festival, and Executive Director of the Virginia City Area Chamber of Commerce before moving to the Crown of the Continent and becoming the Executive Director of Swan Valley Connections, a nonprofit organization at the confluence of conservation and education.
Mike Roberts – Treasurer
Vanna Boccadori – Secretary
Vanna Boccadori has been a wildlife biologist for the state of Montana for the past 15 years. She has a demonstrated conservation ethic, work ethic and ability to form long-lasting professional partnerships. She enjoys nothing more than finding effective solutions to problems and rolling up her sleeves to make it happen. She sees on-the-ground person-to-person relationships as being the key to making good things happen.
Tiny Seed Team
Emily Cayer – Co-founder, Executive Director, and Director of Operations
Emily Cayer is deeply committed to collaborating with community-led project leaders. Since 2019, she has provided fundraising support, grant administration, and project coordination to over 30 community-initiated projects. Her focus is on providing back-office assistance to project leaders so they can dedicate their time and energy to their mission. Prior to co-founding Tiny Seed, Emily worked as a biologist and conservation program coordinator in Montana and Alaska. In these roles, she successfully secured and managed millions of dollars for research and conservation projects. Emily holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Fish and Wildlife Management from Montana State University. Her experience restoring habitats and protecting rare species fueled her dedication to bringing people together for collective learning and advancing common goals. She brings this passion for community empowerment to her work at Tiny Seed.
Laura Stone – Co-founder, Director of Development and Communications
Laura Stone is dedicated to the success of our sponsored projects. She has over 20 years of experience in creative marketing, graphic, and web design, and over a decade in fundraising and development. She currently serves as Development Coordinator for HCP Cureblindness and co-founded Tiny Seed Project.
Laura holds a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Marlboro College.
Stephen Cayer – Director of Finance
Stephen Cayer is a global board-level advisor with thirty years of experience in risk management. He joined Tiny Seed as Director of Finance in 2020 to establish policies, procedures, and systems related to finance, accounting, legal, compliance, and reporting. As nonprofit advisor, he helps program directors to operate with precision, transparency, and accountability.
Tiny Seed Project does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, selection of contractors, volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our community, project-leaders, contractors, volunteers, vendors, and funders.