Artificial Intelligence in Indian Country
Thursday, September 25, 2025
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. | Reception
Thunderbird Pub, 401 N 1st St, Phoenix
Friday, September 26, 2025
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, ASU
Great Hall & Room 644, 111 E. Taylor St., Phoenix
Agenda
7:30 a.m. | Check in
8:15 a.m. | Welcome
- Kate Rosier, Assistant Dean, Institutional Advancement and Public Engagement & Executive Director of the Indian Legal Program, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
- Dr. Traci Morris, Executive Director, Center for Tribal Digital Sovereignty & Executive Director, American Indian Policy Institute, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. | AI Overview (Fireside Chat) Intro to AI for tribal communities: what it is and the various types
- Tyson Winarski, Professor of Practice, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
- Elizabeth Reilley, Executive Director, AI Acceleration, Enterprise Technology, Arizona State University
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Governance & Policy: Avoiding the Next Digital Divide (Fireside Chat Great Hall) How tribes can shape and lead in AI policy and regulation
- Diana Bowman, Associate Dean for Applied Research and Partnerships, Professor of Law, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
- Mari Hulbutta, Director of Data Stewardship at the Chickasaw Nation
- Nelli Babayan, PhD, AI Director, Federal Civilian, Microsoft
11:00 a.m. | Break
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Leveraging AI for Research and Writing in Tribal and Federal Indian Law & Policy (Breakout 1A) A demonstration of free and commercial GenAI tools and examining the use of generative AI in legal research and writing, highlighting attorneys’ duty of competence, common pitfalls, and best practices.
- Beth DiFelice, Assistant Dean + Librarian, Law Library, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
- Tamara Herrera, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Distinguished Endowed Professorship in Legal Method, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
11:15 am – 12:00 p.m. | Sovereign by Design: Indigenous-Centered Machine Learning for Health Equity (Breakout 1B) This session demonstrates the Data for Indigenous Implementations Interventions and Innovation (D4I) Tribal Data Repository, showing how “sovereign by design” AI enables Tribal Nations to retain authority over health data while supporting equitable, culturally grounded research and innovation.
12:00 – 12:30 p.m. | Lunch Provided
12:30 p.m.-1:00 | Keynote: “The Future of AI and Beyond” Explores emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping artificial intelligence and its broader impact on society.
- Gary Marchant, Regents and Foundation Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Center for Law, Science and Innovation, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | AI & Economic Growth in Indian Country (Breakout 2A) How AI supports negotiations, economic strategy, and enterprise growth
- Grace Signorelli-Cassady, Attorney, Jenner & Block
- Max Spivak, In-House Counsel, Morongo Band of Mission Indians
- Jason Carrizosa, Interim CEO, CAO, Morongo Band of Mission Indians
- Mac Quig, Director, Microsoft Cloud and AI Platforms – Tribal Nations
- Patrick Tinklenberg, Vice President Information Technology, Casino-Information Technology, Sycuan
1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | AI in Language & Culture Revitalization (Breakout 2B)
- Carrie Billy, Consultant at Tribal Colleges and Universities
- Sean Dudley, Associate Vice President, ASU Knowledge Enterprise
- Al Kuslikis, Senior Associate for Strategic Initiatives at American Indian Higher Education Consortium
- Leonard Bruce, Data Analyst, Gila River Indian Community
2:45 p.m. | Break
3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. | AI and Tribal Court Practice: (Breakout 2A) This session explores how AI can assist tribal court practitioners in researching and applying tribal law, with a focus on sovereign immunity, potential benefits, and risks.
- Matthew Fletcher, Harry Burns Hutchins Collegiate Professor of Law, Co-director, Program in Race, Law, and History, University of Michigan College of Law
- Nikki Borchardt Campbell, Executive Director, National Indian Court Judges Association
- Amanda White Eagle, Director, Great Lakes Indigenous Law Center, University of Wisconsin School of Law
3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. | AI and Cybersecurity (Breakout 2B)
- Jon Tidwell, Practice Leader, Cloud & AI Security Services, Google Public Sector
- Paula Starr, Cherokee Nation Chief Information Officer (Invited)
3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Building a Body of Policy on AI Serving Tribal Digital Sovereignty
- Geoff Blackwell, General Counsel and Chief of Staff, National Congress of American Indians
- Dr. Traci Morris, Executive Director, Center for Tribal Digital Sovereignty
- Governor Stephen Lewis, Gila River Indian Community
5:00 p.m. | Closing Remarks