Suzanne Blue Star Boy, Policy Advocate, Washington, DC

Suzanne Blue Star Boy, Ihanktonwan Dakota, is a Policy Advocate for the Indian Land Tenure Foundation. Working as a consultant out of Washington D.C., she tracks key legislative and administrative actions affecting Indian lands and other areas of high significance to Indian people. The information Blue Star Boy collects allows ILTF to develop strategies that respond directly to land tenure needs and opportunities in Indian Country. In addition to her work with ILTF, Blue Star Boy consults with other foundations, government agencies, corporations and nonprofits around the nation that focus on health issues, domestic violence, welfare reform, tribal issues and women’s leadership organizing and advocacy. Throughout her career, she has worked as a Public Policy Specialist for numerous organizations such as the National Resource Center to End Violence Against Native Women, Intertribal Agriculture Council, and Wakanyeja Pawicayapi and Cangleska, both of which are located in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

Blue Star Boy currently serves on the Board of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, and in 2003 was the recipient of the National Women’s Political Caucus’s “Women of Courage” award.  Blue Star Boy holds a master’s degree in applied behavioral science from the Leadership Institute of Seattle City University.