Buffalo Tail Consulting, LLC
Grounded in Tradition.
Focused on a Thriving Future.
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 LLC 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
Where Tribal Vision Meets Federal Expertise
Capacity Building, Stategic Planning & Workshop Facilitation
Buffalo Tail Consulting offers customized Capacity Building Workshops designed to strengthen Tribal leadership, governance, and programmatic effectiveness. Our workshops are grounded in cultural values and tailored to the unique goals, challenges, and strengths of each Tribal Nation or organization.
We facilitate training in areas such as:
Tribal governance and strategic planning
Federal funding navigation and compliance (638, 477, 105(l), USDA programs)
Program development and evaluation
Self-governance and policy advocacy
Integrated care and community-based service models
Trauma-informed and culturally centered approaches
Federal Indian policy and its impacts on Tribal Nations
Historical and intergenerational trauma, including the legacy of federal Indian boarding school policies
Implementation of recommendations from national commissions (e.g., Not Invisible Act, The Way Forward report, and the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Investigative Report Vol. II )
These workshops create space for reflection, learning, and capacity-building, equipping Tribal communities and organizations with tools to reclaim narrative, advance sovereignty, and heal through culturally responsive strategies.
Federal Technical Assistance & Policy Engagement
Buffalo Tail Consulting provides specialized federal technical assistance with a strong focus on federal Indian policy. We offer strategic support and guidance on policy and program issues involving the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
We provide expert support and counsel on Tribal plans and negotiations under Public Law 93-638 (the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act), including 638 contracts, 477 plans, and 105(l) lease agreements. Our services also encompass self-governance planning and implementation.
We offer technical assistance for accessing and managing resources under USDA programs, including the USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program, to support infrastructure and facility development in Tribal communities.
In addition, we specialize in Integrated Care Program Development, helping Tribal Nations design and implement culturally grounded, community-based models that align behavioral health, primary care, and social services to improve overall wellness.
Our areas of specialization include:
The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA)
Self-Governance initiatives
The Not Invisible Act Commission report and recommendations on Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP)
Indian Child Welfare policy and compliance
USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program technical support
Buffalo Tail Consulting is committed to advancing Tribal sovereignty and supporting Tribes in navigating complex federal systems with confidence and clarity.
Budget Formulation & Process Support
Buffalo Tail Consulting provides expert guidance on the Tribal budget formulation process, helping ensure that Native Nations are fully prepared to advocate for their priorities at the federal level. We support Tribes in understanding and engaging with the annual budget cycles of key federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. and Department of Health and Human Services.
Our services include:
Development of federal budget priorities, justifications, and narratives
Technical Advice of Tribal consultation sessions
Strategic preparation for listening sessions and congressional hearings
Analysis of federal budget trends and funding opportunities
Technical assistance in aligning budgets with policy goals and program needs
We are committed to empowering Tribes to effectively engage in federal Tribal consultations, listening sessions, congressional hearings, and budget formulation processes. Our approach helps identify strategic opportunities and navigate the complexities of federal systems, all while centering Tribal sovereignty and community priorities.
Founder and CEO
Marisa Miakonda Cummings is a citizen of the Omaha Tribe and member of the Buffalo Tail Clan of the Sky People, 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 under Jeff Hild, the senior official performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Under Hild’s leadership, ACF delivered an unprecedented regulatory agenda including increasing maternal health support for American Indian families and “477” program integration. As a Senior Advisor for Tribal Affairs, Marisa led work on key policy priorities impacting Indian Country, including Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), Indian Child Welfare, Early Childhood Development, Native language preservation, “477” program integration, and self-governance.
Marisa also served as an alternate Commissioner on the Not Invisible Act Commission, where she helped shape national recommendations on Public Safety 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 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 Tribal 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 National Indian Education Association (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 informally 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.
For over a decade Ryan co-chaired the National Congress of American Indians’ Native Language Task Force. He continues to be a resource with 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 ceremonial life.
Government Relations
Ryan Wilson
Citizen of the Oglala Sioux Tribe
NATIONAL NATIVE EDUCATION & POLICY ADVOCATE | POLICY LEADER
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