Dawnielle is a Modoc tourism professional and enrolled citizen of the Klamath Tribes with extensive experience in stewardship and Indigenous tourism. She currently serves as Education and Business Development Director with the American Indigenous Tourism Association, having previously assisted with strategic planning and community engagement as a Senior Associate Principal at Coraggio Group. As a DMO leader, she focused on regenerative travel and diversity initiatives. After law school, she owned small businesses before finding her passion in tourism, where she helped form a Destination Management Organization in Southern Oregon and became a liaison to her tribe. Her career includes overseeing global marketing for the Hualapai Tribe at Grand Canyon West, developing an early economic development plan for the Hopi Tribe, and working with multiple tribal organizations including Grand Ronde, Siletz, and Klamath Tribes. She holds a Class III gaming license in three states and has been a speaker for prestigious organizations like The World Travel and Tourism Council regarding Indigenous tourism. Dawnielle’s credentials include being a Certified Diversity Tourism Professional, Certified Autism Specialist, graduation from the Oregon Tourism Leadership Academy, and recognition as Woman of the Year from the National Tour Association. She Chairs the National Tour Association’s DEI Advisory council, is a member of the Tourism Cares Program Committee and has served as a Climate Champion within the Expedia Sustainable Destination DMO program. In all her work, she remains dedicated to unifying stakeholder voices while promoting stewardship that sustains communities for generations.
