Shananaquet-Omey
LTBB Tribal Chair & Vice Chair Candidates
ABOUT US
Jordan
Aanii Boozhoo Inawemaaganak. Gdinmikoon. Anishinaabe-Odawa kwe ndaaw miinwaa Waganakising Odawa ndodabendaagwaz. Nme ndodem miinwaa Anishinaabe aki ndoonjiba. Jaadaan Shawwawnawnawquet ndo zhaaganaashii noozwin. Nhow.
Hello Relatives, I greet you all in a good way. My English name is Jordan Shananaquet I am an Anishinaabe Odawa Woman and a citizen of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. I belong to the sturgeon clan. I am the daughter of Greg Shananaquet and granddaughter of Joan Shananaquet-ba. Our family descends from Burt Lake, Nahma, and Grand River.
Kerstine
Aanii Boozhoo Inawemaaganak. Gdinmikoon. Anishinaabe-Odawa kwe ndaaw miinwaa Waganakising Odawa ndodabendaagwaz. Mshiikenh ndodem miinwaa Anishinaabe aki ndoonjiba. Kerstine (Bennington) Omey ndo zhaaganaashii noozwin. Nhow.
Hello Relatives, I greet you all in a good way. My English name is Kerstine (Bennington) Omey. I am an Anishinaabe Odawa Woman and a citizen of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. I belong to the turtle clan. I am the daughter of Tosha Otto and granddaughter of Gary Otto. My family comes from the Petoskey and Mount Pleasant areas.
Jordan's Experience
After receiving my education at NC State University, I came home—not just to share what I had learned, but to learn what I had been missing. Coming home was more than a return to a place—a place I had hardly been. It was a return to who I am. For a long time, I wasn’t sure where I fit. I didn’t grow up knowing our ways, our teachings, or even my full family story. But our ways are generous. They teach us that it’s never too late to step into who we are meant to be. They remind us that belonging isn’t just about where you’ve been—it’s about showing up, ready to learn, ready to contribute, ready to carry something forward for those who will come next.
As a recipient of the Michelle Chingwa Education Honorarium, I felt a deep responsibility to bring knowledge back. But what I’ve come to understand is that giving back isn’t just about what we offer—it’s also about what we receive. Our knowledge grows when we share it, our community strengthens when we welcome each other in, and our future depends on all of us, across generations, stepping into our roles.
Over the last eight years, I have carried that commitment forward, first as Tribal Archivist and later as the Niigaandiwin Education Director, where I worked to preserve our history, develop programming, and create opportunities that directly responded to the needs of our community.
My time at LTBB shaped me as a steward of both government and community, teaching me how to navigate systems, build relationships, and bring people together around shared commitments. That path led me to serve on Tribal Council for the past two years, where I continue working to uphold our Nation’s sovereignty, advocate for our citizens, and ensure our government remains accountable to the people.
In my current role with the Michigan Department of Education’s Indigenous Education Initiative, I carry that same dedication into state spaces, ensuring that the voices and experiences of Tribal Nations are recognized in broader educational conversations. I work alongside Tribal and non-tribal partners to shape co-governance, strengthen networks, and create meaningful learning opportunities that center Indigenous knowledge and perspectives.
To those who have always been here, who have carried our language, our governance, our ways of knowing through every challenge—miigwech. It is because of you that people like me had something to come home to. And to those who, like me, have had to find their way back—know this: there is space for you.
Kerstine's Experience
I have always called this community home. I grew up here, shaped by the land and people, yet for much of my early life, I found myself watching from the edges rather than feeling part of it. Like many, I left to pursue my education, earning a degree in Political Science from Michigan State University. It was there, away from home, that I truly understood how much I wanted to serve our people—to make sure every Citizen, no matter their circumstances, had the opportunity to connect, learn, and build a future.
My first role upon returning was in Enrollment, ensuring that Tribal Citizens had access to the records that affirm their place in our Nation. But it was my time as a Higher Education Specialist that solidified my passion for supporting our students —not just in funding their education but in reminding them they are capable, that their dreams matter, and that they are never walking this path alone.
That belief became even more important in my work with incarcerated students through the Michelle Chingwa Educational Honorarium Program. Education should never be a privilege reserved for a few; it is a right, a tool for reclaiming our futures–especially as Tribal Citizens. I worked to create pathways for students often overlooked, ensuring they had access to resources, support, and a vision for what comes next.
This commitment has guided me through every role I’ve held—from leading vocational training programs as the Nitaazhitoojik Industrial Training Project Director to understanding the inner workings of our government as the Executive Assistant to the Tribal Chairperson. As Education Director, I continued to advocate for our students and families, strengthen and expand programming, and create systems that truly serve our community.
I know what it feels like to wonder where you belong. That’s why I work every day to ensure our people—our students, families, and community members—feel welcome, supported, and empowered - because that is what it means to be Waganakising Odawa.
Education is more than a degree or a job—it is sovereignty in action. It is how we shape our future, how we lift each other up, and how we honor the generations that came before us. My work has never been just about programs or policies—it has always been about our people, our future, and making sure every Citizen has the support they need to step into their own gifts.
Us in Action
Ishkaakamikwe Kinomaagewin:
Land As Teacher
The land teaches us—through treaty rights, through practice, through relationship. It is where we connect, learn, and assert our sovereignty. Our time on the land strengthens who we are as Waganakising Odawak, grounding us in teachings that extend beyond the classroom and into the places our ancestors walked. Exercising our treaty rights is more than tradition—it is a political act, a living assertion of our sovereignty, and a commitment to future generations.
Indinaanikobijiganag:
Our Past, Present, and Future
Family is more than those we stand with today—it is those who walk with us from the past and those we carry into the future. Indinaanikobijiganag–our ancestors–remind us that we are connected across time, responsibility, and love. Our ancestors’ teachings live in us, and the choices we make now will shape the generations yet to come. We are all our relatives, and all our relatives are us.
Giinwi:
All of Us, Together
We don’t just plan for the community—we are part of it, showing up, participating, and staying present in the moments that bring us together. Giinwi means all of us, together, moving alongside one another in support, action, and connection. Whether organizing, volunteering, or simply being there, we believe community is something we live—not just something we talk about.
Naakinigewin miinwaa Gimaakwewin:
Governance & Leadership
Real leadership is about more than making decisions—it is about building relationships that create lasting change. As Indigenous leaders working across Tribal, State, and Federal governance, we don’t just bridge systems—we create space for meaningful collaboration where Tribal Nations are decision-makers in shaping policy. Together, we bring the power of Tribal, State, and Federal partnerships into leadership, leveraging policy, sovereignty, and Indigenous governance to drive change.
