Our Team

In addition to our staff and Board of Directors listed below, Tribal Link benefits from the wisdom of a group of Indigenous and other advisers from around the world:


ANDY WANNING, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

Andy has been working with Tribal Link in various roles since 1998, from interning while Tribal Link helped organize the program for the UN International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples to serving as Administrative Officer, and everything in between. A life-long environmentalist, he was first taught the importance of Indigenous traditions and knowledge at a Waldorf school in Blue Hill, Maine, and further developed this interest studying Anthropology & Sociology at Lafayette College, completing a thesis on Indigenous religious practices. He graduated with a Master of Science in Sustainability Management at Columbia University’s Earth Institute while working as a Senior Program Officer at the University. He also served as the Project Coordinator for the Climate Ribbon, a global arts project designed to inspire action on the climate crisis. Previously, Andy spent a year in Costa Rica teaching English with WorldTeach. He enjoys ultimate frisbee, biking, hiking, soccer, and photography. He also produces live music events featuring talented musicians from around the world.


BOARD OF DIRECTORS


Alexandra Hayden

Alexandra is the principal designer and founder of Octave Studio, Inc., an interior design and architecture firm in New York and Los Angeles. Born and raised in New York, she now divides her time between the coasts and spends her downtime in pursuit of metaphysical studies, film production, and fundraising for Tribal Link.


Steffen Landauer

Steffen runs his own consulting firm, Landauer Partners, that focuses on leadership and talent development, prior to which he did similar work in the corporate world for 25 years. His interest in Indigenous Peoples developed through extensive travels across Africa, Asia, and South America, which brought him in close touch with many of these traditions and cultures. He has been supporting Tribal Link and involved in key projects for more than 20 years. He has a B.A. from Columbia College and lives in New York.


Dr. James Merewether

James is currently retired from operating a construction and electrical contracting business in which he was involved for the past 25 years. Prior to that he was an adjunct professor in mathematics and physics in several New York colleges including New York Institute of Technology, FIT, and most schools in the CUNY system. He has been involved in Indigenous Peoples’ issues since participating in the World Conference of Indigenous Peoples on Territory, Environment and Development prior to the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the Earth Summit.


Michael Ventura, Chair

Michael is an accomplished entrepreneur and creative director. In 2005, Michael founded Sub Rosa, a multi-disciplinary studio that provides strategic, design, and implementation solutions. Sub Rosa’s clients include a variety of Fortune 500 companies, as well as some of the world’s most progressive start-ups. As CEO, Michael is responsible for setting and cultivating the organization’s vision, culture and growth. Michael has served as a board member and adviser to a variety of organizations including Behance, Burning Man Project, The Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, Friends of +POOL, and now, Tribal Link Foundation. A dynamic writer and lecturer, Michael is frequently engaged as an adviser to entrepreneurs and leaders of some of the largest corporations across the globe. He is also an adjunct professor at Princeton University where he teaches design thinking and how to integrate empathy into the creative process. Outside of this work, Michael and his wife Caroline have co-founded the New York-based retail experience Calliope, as well as its adjoining gallery And&And. In his personal time, Michael is an active practitioner of eastern and Indigenous medicine, often leading workshops on how to bring these powerful traditions into a modern life and workplace.