Our Mission
At Tribal Support Network, our mission is to empower Native communities by fostering resilience, opportunity, and wellness. We are committed to creating pathways that honor Indigenous knowledge, strengthen community well-being, and build sustainable futures for generations to come.
Our Vision
Creating a world where Tribal communities flourish through strong governance, vibrant economies, and generations of holistic wellness.
Teresa Melendez
Pokagon Band Potawatomi
Executive Director
Teresa Melendez is a community and political organizer, youth advocate, and Sundancer, dedicated to bridging cultural knowledge gaps and revitalizing Indigenous traditions, ceremonies, and lifeways. She has led initiatives supporting Native youth, including college and career coaching and performing arts programs, and has directed Language & Culture efforts focused on preserving language, traditions, and traditional ecological knowledge.
As a lobbyist and Tribal government affairs expert, Teresa partners with Tribal communities to strengthen political and economic power and advance Native priorities. She is deeply committed to organizing Tribes in ways that foster collective healing from historical trauma, ensuring the enduring vitality of Native voices, traditions, and rights.
Eva Menefee
Oneida of the Thames Band
Board Member
Eva Menefee is a member of the Oneida of the Thames Band. Her tribe is located on a settlement near London, Ontario. She has lived in Lansing, Michigan for over 45 years. Originally from Dearborn Heights Michigan, Eva moved to Lansing to attend Michigan State University. Currently, Eva works at Lansing Community College as the Lead Faculty Advisor and has been there for over 31 years. Prior to that time, she worked at Michigan State University as an Assistant Director of Admissions, an Undergraduate Academic Advisor, and the Director of the Michigan College/University Partnership program. She has a passion for working with college students, especially those who are new to higher education or looking for a career change.
In addition to working full time, Eva is on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Michigan Education Association, and is the president of her Faculty Union. As president of the Michigan Indian Education Council, Eva chairs the planning committee for the Annual Michigan Indian Critical Issues Conference. She also sits on the boards of the Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center and the Anishinaabek Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party.
Eva lives with her husband Robin, who is and member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, and her Shih Tzu, Sophie. Her children, Maryanne and Jacob, are grown and live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During the summer, Eva and her husband have a food trailer called Anishnabe Meejim. They go to Pow Wows and other festivals selling Native American food.
While keeping busy with work and boards and the food trailer, Eva still has time to try new things. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and watching home improvement shows on TV. She often dreams of being the next Food Star!
Melissa Isaac
Ojibwe, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan
Board Member
Melissa Isaac is an educator, policy leader, and advocate dedicated to strengthening the systems that shape the lives of Indigenous children, families, and Nations. With more than two decades of experience in education, Tribal–state policy, and community-centered leadership, Melissa’s work focuses on restoring relational accountability between Tribal Nations, state agencies, and local institutions so that Indigenous learners and communities can thrive.
Melissa holds an Associate of Arts in Elementary Education from Mid-Michigan Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Education from Central Michigan University (CMU), and a Master of Science in Administration with a concentration in Leadership from CMU. She is currently completing her Doctor of Educational Leadership at CMU, where her research centers Tribal consultation policy and Indigenous research methodologies.
Her leadership and advocacy have led to three gubernatorial appointments, including service on the Michigan College Access Network Board of Directors, the Native American Heritage Fund Board, and earlier state-level advisory work supporting Michigan’s students and families. Melissa was also a guest at the Presidential State of the Union Address in recognition of her work in youth mental health—an acknowledgment of her deep commitment to creating systems where young people feel seen, supported, and valued.
Melissa currently serves within the Michigan Department of Education’s Indigenous Education Initiative, helping guide statewide efforts rooted in Tribal sovereignty, cross-agency partnership, and community-driven innovation. A former Director of Education for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and an elected member of the Mt. Pleasant Public Schools Board of Education, she brings extensive experience in building systems that honor Indigenous knowledge, advance educational equity, and strengthen nation-to-nation relationships.
As a board member for the Tribal Support Network, Melissa draws on her commitment to sovereignty, wellness, and future generations. She believes that Tribal Nations thrive when their inherent strengths are affirmed, their stories are valued, and their communities have access to resources that support economic strength, responsive governance, and holistic well-being. Her work is guided by the teachings that remind us that our decisions today ripple forward to the faces yet to come—and that we each carry a responsibility to help build a future worthy of them.
