Our History

IndigiGenius originated from a collaboration between the NeurIPS affinity group, Indigenous in AI, and the nonprofit organization, Natives in Tech, after they produced a summer program in 2022 called the Lakota AI Code Camp. This summer program was the catalyst that justified the need for a standalone organization to house the Lakota AI Code Camp in order to scale, but not just the camps were catalyzed. The increased demand for AI Code Camps exacerbated the need to increase the number of Indigenous instructors needed to scale camps to more Indigenous communities. 

On October 21, 2022, IndigiGenius began as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in the state of Washington. The Lakota AI Code Camp’s original team of six now serve as the board of directors and Executive Director. LAICC was held for a second year in June 2023 and is considered the pilot program that brought this nonprofit organization recognition and success before inception. More programs, projects, participants, and partnerships will come from these program implementations. 

Who We Are

IndigiGenius is an Indigenous-led team of data scientists, developers, and educators.

Board of Directors

  • Headshot of Michael Running Wolf

    Michael Running Wolf (Lakota/Cheyenne)

    CHAIR

    First Languages AI Reality (FLAIR)

  • Headshot of Mason Grimshaw

    Mason Grimshaw (Lakota)

    VICE CHAIR

    Lakota AI Code Camp (LAICC)

  • Headshot of Ian Her Many Horses

    Ian Her Many Horses, PhD (Lakota)

    SECRETARY

    Lakota AI Code Camp (LAICC)

    Teach the Teacher Professional Development (T3PD)

  • Headshot of Caroline Running Wolf

    Caroline Running Wolf (Crow/Swabian/Pikuni/Oglala/Winnebago)

    TREASURER

    First Languages AI Reality (FLAIR)

  • Headshot of Elizabeth Starks

    Elizabeth Starks (Shiwi/Diné)

    MEMBER

    Curriculum Committee

    Lakota AI Code Camp (LAICC)

    Teach the Teacher Professional Development (T3PD)

Staff

  • Headshot of Andrea Delgado-Olson

    Andrea Delgado-Olson (Northern Sierra Miwok)

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  • Headshot of Shawn Tsosie

    Shawn Tsosie, PhD (Navajo/Little Shell)

    APPLIED MACHINE LEARNING SCIENTIST

    Lakota AI Code Camp (LAICC)

    First Languages AI Reality (FLAIR)

    Teach the Teacher Professional Development (T3PD)

  • Headshot of Michelle Brown

    Michelle Brown, PhD (Euskalduna/German)

    PROGRAM MANAGER

    Lakota AI Code Camp (LAICC)

    Teach the Teacher Professional Development (T3PD)

  • Amelia Napitupulu (Toba Batak/Manado)

    MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST