Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
The Montana Two Spirit Society is an organization driven by a passionate team of board members and staff, all of whom identify as two-spirit. Their dedication to creating opportunities, establishing networks, and protecting two-spirit rights make them invaluable allies in championing the two-spirit community.
LEADERSHIP
David Herrera
Mestizo & Adopted Blackfeet —Pronouns: (He/Him)
Co-Founder & Executive Director
David is the current director for FDH & Associates and the Montana Gay Men’s Task Force, and has conducted HIV prevention, testing & counseling in Montana since 1986 after receiving his degree in Cultural Anthropology from Stanford University in 1986. He was a founding member of the board of directors for the Yellowstone AIDS Project and served as the organization’s executive director from the late 90’s until 2001. He has served as the Community Co-Chair for the Statewide Community Planning Group (CPG) and as Chair for the Governor’s HIV / AIDS Advisory Council as well as a member of the planning committee for the 2005 National Gay Men’s Health Summit held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Since 1995, he has helped coordinate the annual Montana Two Spirit Gathering, which he still helps host today. As a long time community organizer for the 2SLGBT+ community, he currently serves as a board member of the Western Montana LGBT Community Center and is an active tennis player and works to promote tennis in the LGBT and Native communities by serving on the Garden City Tennis Association board as its President.
Steven Barrios
Pikunii Blackfeet Nation — Pronouns: (He/Him)
Co-Founder & Board Chair
As a founder of the Montana Two Spirit Society, Steven continues to educate and bring awareness about a culture that due to colonization was almost forgotten and eliminated. For over 20 years he has worked to educate Native and non-Native communities about two spirit culture and the impact of HIV infection on Native communities. Since 1997, he has helped plan and coordinate the annual Montana Two Spirit Gathering as well as conducting HIV testing on his home reservation. He serves on the Montana Community Planning Group, as well as the Montana Gay Health Task Force. He has served on the National Native American AIDS Prevention Center’s Harm Reduction Board, National Native American CPG, and Pride Foundation’s Racial Equity Initiative. He has conducted presentations on two spirit history throughout the Pacific Northwest and states such as Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Hiram Calf-Looking
Pikunii Blackfeet Nation
Pronouns: (He/Him)
Hiram is a Native family/community advocate, cultural knowledge-keeper, educator, and artist. Hiram Calf Looking currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Washington Indian Civil Rights Commission, Co-Chair of the Northwest Two-Spirit Society, serves on the Board of the Montana Two-Spirit Society, and is an active delegate/member of the International Council of Two-Spirit Society, and the Blackfeet Nation Northwest Delegation. Hiram Calf Looking currently lives in Seattle, Washington.
Raven E. HeavyRunner
Pikunii Blackfeet Nation
Pronouns: (He/Him)
Raven is one of the many Two Spirit voices in the western United States, reclaiming a tradition that European colonization. had nearly extinguished among Native Americans. Raven is currently a social worker with the Muckleshoot Tribe in Washington State, and he continues to be active in the revival of Two Spirit awareness nationwide.
Renee Bremner
Pikunii Blackfeet Nation & Littel Shell Cree
Pronouns: (She/Her)
Renee’s Blackfeet name is Holy Mountain Woman. As a board member, Renee’ works to ensure that the Montana Gathering remains one of the most successful across Turtle Island. She currently works with the Montana Office of Public Assistance and is the proud mother of two beautiful children!
Jet
DuMontier
Salish-Kootenai &
Mexica
Pronouns: (They/them)
Jet is 19 Years old, a Libra, and a Direct Descendant of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) where they were born and raised on the Flathead Reservation. They also recently graduated from Two Eagle River School where they connected with the CSKT Circles of Care and helped kickstart and maintain our two-spirit beading group, Nk̓ʷuwilš, with fellow and former Fruit Bowl Club members from their school. Jet is currently attending Salish Kootenai College working towards an associates degree in Tribal Historic Preservation and strives to preserve & create Two-Spirit history. They are also very passionate about learning the Salish Language with hopes of becoming fluent, helping to sustain this part of their culture. They chose to join the Montana Two Spirit Society as a youth representative on our board with the hopes of supporting and uplifting their fellow two-spirit peers.
Renee
Hawley
aaniiih
Pronouns: (She/Her)
Renee is another new addition to our Board of Directors, joining in 2023! Born in the Fort Belknap Reservation who resides in Lodgepole, MT. A self-identified lesbian 4-ever and Army Veteran, Renee has a passion for reaching the youth within her home reservation in an effort to curb the epidemic of suicide amongst our Native LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit Youth. Driven to create safe and nurturing spaces for our two-spirit community, she feels honored to be counted amongst the members of the MTTSS Board of Directors. With a knack for creating vibrant and accepting spaces for all, we are happy to welcome Renee to our team.
Omar
Lopez
Mayo/Pascua Yaqui
Pronouns: (he/they)
Omar is our final new member to our Board of Directors. Omar is from the people of the Sonoran Desert in the Southwest areas of Turtle Island and was born in Central California to a Mayo and Pascua YAQUI.
A recent graduate from Salish Kootenai College, and they are happy to live amongst the people of the Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes, whom they consider family. Omar helps facilitate a space for our youth in Pablo and wishes to create a space for two-spirit youth to express themselves in their home communities and while out in nature. They speak Spanish and English, yet also understand many other languages because of their curiosity for life and her people that make it interesting.