Perseverance Across Generations, Day One

Thank you for your overwhelming interest in our upcoming conference! We have officially reached capacity for Day One (October 3, 2025) and registration for that day is now closed.

You may still register to attend Day Two (October 4, 2025), which will feature additional keynote speakers, panels, and discussions.

We appreciate your support and look forward to welcoming you!

For questions, please contact [email protected].

This year’s conference, Perseverance Across Generations (October 2–3, 2025), explores the shared and diverse experiences that have shaped tribal communities in Virginia across time.

Agenda for Day One:

9:00 Registration - Commonwealth Hall

All programming will take place in Halsey Hall for Day One.

9:30 Opening Remarks from Second Assistant Chief of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe and VTEC Chairperson, Reggie Stewart. Including prayer from Hailey Holmes and Native Drum/Song. 

9:45 Multi-generational Discussion: Separation from Tribal Communities: Introduction and Moderator: Kara Canaday, Tribal Ombudsman, Commonwealth of Virginia, and Chickahominy Indian citizen

 Panelists: 

• Ken Adams, Chief Emeritus of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe 
• Dr. Drew Allmond, Native Youth Community Project (NYCP) Project Director and Upper Mattaponi citizen 
• Kevin Brown, Chief of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe 
• Michael Tupponce, Vice-Chair of the Legislative Council for the Chickahominy Indian Tribe Eastern Division, VTEC Board Member and citizen of the Chickahominy-Eastern Division Indian Tribe 
• Reggie Tupponce, Senior Advisor to the Virginia250 Commission Tribal Nations Leadership Advisory Council and Upper Mattaponi citizen 

10:45 Break 

11:00 Pursuit of state and federal recognition for Virginia tribes – Introduction by First Assistant Chief of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, Wayne Adkins 

Moderator: VTEC Fiscal Agent and Pamunkey citizen, Matt Gifford 

Panelists: 

• Stephen R. Adkins, Chief of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe 
• Wayne Adkins, First Assistant Chief of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe 
• Anne Richardson, Chief of the Rappahannock Indian Tribe 
• Kevin Brown, Chief of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe 
• W. Frank Adams, Chief of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe 

11:45 Break

12:10 Lunch 

1:15 CULTURE KEEPERS: voices of the land, introduced by Executive Producer and citizen of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe, Raven Adams 

2:05 Break 

2:20 Challenges in Indian Country – Introduction and Moderator: Career and Technical Education (CTE) Project Director and Chickahominy Indian citizen, Kerry Canaday  

 Panelists: 

• Kara Canaday, Tribal Ombudsman, Commonwealth of Virginia, and Chickahominy Indian citizen
•  Melissa Holds the Enemy, Chief Justice of the High Court of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe; citizen of the Crow Tribe of Crow Agency, Montana, and a descendent of the Absentee Shawnee and Delaware tribal nations of Oklahoma 
• Kitcki Carroll, Executive Director for United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. (USET) and the USET Sovereignty Protection Fund (USET SPF); citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and a descendant of Cheyenne Peace Chief, Chief Black Kettle

3:30 Closing Remarks from Second Assistant Chief of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe and VTEC Chairperson, Reggie Stewart