Buffalo Tail Consulting, LLC
Championing Advocacy for Tribal Nations
Advocating for Tribal Voices | Bridging Policy and Community Vision
Project Development and Capacity Building
We don’t just deliver services — we help build Tribal capacity. Through technical assistance, training, and mentorship, we support long-term growth and sustainability for your programs and initiatives.
Facilitation & Engagement Strategies
Expert Facilitation and Engagement Strategies rooted in Native knowledge systems and community-driven practices.
Capacity Building & Technical Assistance Workshops
Providing culturally grounded Capacity Building and Technical Assistance Workshops.
Bridging Policy and Community
We specialize in translating complex policy language into actionable plans. From strategic program development to implementation support, we help Tribes move from advocacy to impact. Our team brings extensive knowledge of federal, state, and Tribal policy landscapes. We’ve supported Tribal Nations through various projects — from community development to navigating funding opportunities — always with cultural humility and care.
Buffalo Tail Consulting, LLC is an American Indian woman-owned small business, proudly based in Indian Country. We specialize in providing government relations and a wide range of consulting services designed specifically for Tribal Nations. With deep roots in both reservation and urban Native life, our work is guided by lived experiences, traditional values, and a deep respect for cultural protocols.
About Us
Our mission is to advocate for Tribal and community-driven initiatives by translating complex policy needs into strategic program development and implementation.
Our Mission
Grounded in ceremonial ways of life and kinship, Buffalo Tail Consulting brings a culturally-informed, strengths-based perspective to every project. We don’t just work with Tribal communities — we are part of them. This allows us to navigate the intersections of governance, sovereignty, and policy with insight, respect, and authenticity.
Our Approach
Our Team… Bringing 50 years of combined experience in Tribal Affairs
Founder and CEO
Marisa Miakonda Cummings is a citizen of the Omaha Tribe, raised in Sioux City, Iowa. She brings over two decades of leadership experience across Tribal government, higher education, non-profit executive leadership, and the federal government. Her expertise lies at the intersection of public health, public safety, and traditional healing models, and she is known for her ability to translate Tribal community challenges into federal policy language and strategy.
Most recently, Marisa served as Senior Advisor for Tribal Affairs at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In this role, she led work on key policy priorities impacting Indian Country, including Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), Indian Child Welfare, Early Childhood Development, and Native language preservation.
Marisa also served as a Commissioner on the Not Invisible Act Commission, where she helped shape national recommendations addressing the intersections of violence prevention, intervention, and public safety in Tribal communities. She led interdepartmental initiatives to advance the Commission’s recommendations, fostering cross-agency collaboration and accountability in the federal response to the MMIP crisis.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Iowa, a Master’s in Tribal Administration and Governance from the University of Minnesota Duluth, and a Certificate in Philanthropic Fundraising from the Lilly School of Philanthropy.
Marisa is the proud mother of four and grandmother of two. She is deeply rooted in Umonhon cultural and ceremonial ways of life, which continue to guide her leadership and advocacy.
Marisa Miakonda Cummings
Citizen of the Omaha Tribe
SENIOR ADVISOR | ADVOCATE | THOUGHT LEADER | FEDERAL INDIAN POLICY
Ryan Wilson (Tatanka Wasake’) is an Oglala Lakota leader from the #4 Community on the Pine Ridge Reservation, currently residing in New Town, North Dakota. A lifelong advocate for Native education and language revitalization, Ryan is the founder and President of the National Alliance to Save Native Languages, an organization dedicated to preserving and strengthening Indigenous languages across Indian Country.
For over two decades, Ryan has been at the forefront of national Native education and policy reform. In 2004, he was appointed by U.S. Senator Tom Daschle to the Senate Democrat Native American Leadership Forum, where he worked alongside prominent leaders—including Senators Ted Kennedy, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, and Byron Dorgan—to shape policy recommendations for Indian Country. His early leadership helped establish critical priorities in Native education.
Ryan launched the NIEA Native Language Revitalization Initiative in 2005 and played a leading role in the passage of the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act. Under his guidance, federal funding for Native language programs grew from $1.5 million to over $12 million annually. His advocacy secured sustained resources from key federal agencies, including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, and Interior.
In 2009, Ryan was appointed by Secretaries of the Interior and Education to advise on Indian education policy. He later organized the first-ever U.S. Department of Education consultation held on Tribal lands, hosted at Pine Ridge High School, advancing government-to-government dialogue in Native education.
In 2024, Ryan co-chaired the National Congress of American Indians’ Native Language Task Force, supporting the development of a tribally led 10-year federal plan for Native language revitalization. He continues to advise Congress and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, offering testimony on Native children’s treaty-based educational rights and federal appropriations.
Ryan earned his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Washington, graduating magna cum laude. In addition to his national leadership, he is a small business owner, a committed community member, and an active participant in Lakota ceremonial life.
Government Relations
Ryan Wilson
Citizen of the Oglala Sioux Tribe
NATIONAL NATIVE EDUCATION & POLICY ADVOCATE | POLICY LEADER
Contact Us
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