Principle Directors
Andrew Glassford
Drew has 27 years of Development, Project Management and Group Management experience, including the completion of more than 2 million square feet of retail and 25 multi-unit hospitality and residential facilities (over 2000 units total) in the United States and Canada. He has extensive knowledge, skills and experience in group management and staff development, budget generation, value engineering, site discovery and due diligence, entitlements and permitting, consultant and general contract negotiation and structure, construction methods and design selection. Proven effectiveness on projects ranging from $1.5 million to $150 million. Retail experience includes the successful completion of projects for Costco, Lowes, Sears, Car Max, Home Depot, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, and Walgreens. Hospitality and Residential projects have included facilities for Comfort Suites, Extended Stay of America, Suburban Lodge, The British Home, Sunrise Assisted Living, Hispanic Housing Development Corporation, Peace Memorial Village, Provena Health Systems, and Metropolitan Development. Drew is also a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for The British Home Retirement Center, a 10 acre Campus of Independent Living, Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing Care Facilities for Seniors located in Brookfield, Illinois. He’s been a co-instructor in the Native American studies program at College of DuPage, a Workshop Leader at the Northern Illinois University Native American Colloquium, a founding member and past secretary of Tribal Wisdom foundation, an is very committed to the understanding and support of Native American values and culture. Drew is currently serving as Executive Director of Turning Pointe Autism Foundation, which is developing a campus that includes an educational/vocational center, recreation center and residential community for children and adults with autism.
Beth Huss—Secretary
Beth is a founding member of Tribal Wisdom Foundation (TWF). She has served on the Board of Directors since the inception of the organization. Beth has held the office of Treasurer and is currently the Secretary. In addition to her membership in TWF, Beth has also served on the Board of Midwest SOARRING (Save Our Ancestors Remains and Resources Indigenous Network Group) Foundation as the Historian and the Secretary. Beth is committed to working for social justice in particular for Indigenous People and protection of the environment. Beth was a middle school social studies and math teacher for 34 years and has worked on district wide committees for curriculum and staff development in Roselle, Illinois. In her curriculum work she encouraged the use of culturally sensitive materials on Indigenous People. She has also been a grade level team leader and sponsored community service projects benefiting Native Americans. Beth has taken a number of courses in the Native American Studies Program at the College of DuPage. Through these courses and the work of Tribal Wisdom Foundation Beth has travel to reservations in South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Arizona and had the privilege to learn from and work with Indigenous People.
Karen Hutt—Treasurer
Karen Hutt is a middle school librarian in Naperville, Illinois. For many years she has worked to promote culturally-sensitive public school curriculum focusing on First Nations, including a Title IV federal project in Omaha, Nebraska, and curriculum development and teacher training for the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska. She has taught staff development classes “Teaching about Native Americans” for the Indian Prairie School District in Naperville, Illinois, and helps area teachers and librarians identify and select appropriate books about Native Americans. She has worked to bring Native writers and storytellers to speak to middle and high school students, most recently Joseph Bruchac as the featured author for Naperville (Illinois) Reads 2007 and Sherman Alexie to speak to Naperville, Illinois high school students in September 2007. Karen has been a member of Tribal Wisdom Foundation since 2003 and on the board since 2006. She served on the board of Midwest SOARRING Foundation for 4 years, and is the volunteer bookkeeper for Green Earth Institute, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit education organization promoting nutritional health and sustainable living practices.
Lisa Snow
Lisa Snow is a founding member of Tribal Wisdom Foundation. She is a Certified School Psychologist and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with Indian Prairie School District in Naperville, Illinois. She has 16 years of experience working with children and families within the special needs population and at risk youth. Lisa has developed and taught several staff development classes addressing culturally-sensitive topics including “Teaching about Native Americans” and “Windows and Mirrors.” She was a founding member of the school district’s diversity committee. Lisa was an instructor in the Native American Studies program at College of Dupage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where she taught the “Contemporary Issues in Native America” course. Lisa also teaches graduate courses designed specifically for educators, including “English Language Learners.”
Elisa Tessier
Elisa Tessier is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is the founder and owner of ET & Associates, which has been providing support services to families in the Early Intervention program for the State of Illinois since December 2005. Prior to creating ET & Associates, Elisa worked as a school social worker for eight years. She also has her certification as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Elisa takes a high interest in diversity issues and in particular sovereignty for Native Americans. She has completed many college level courses in the area of Native American studies, which included cultural immersion classes on the Lakota, Hopi, and Ojibwa reservations. While working as a school social worker, Elisa also co-lead workshops for educators that focused on Cross – Cultural issues, and she is a founding member of Tribal Wisdom Foundation.