Executive Director of Strategic Homeland Partnerships for the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
For over 25 years, Jennifer Aultman has connected people with cultural heritage sites and landscapes, including iconic places like Monticello, Serpent Mound, and the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks World Heritage Property, for which she was inscription project director for nearly a decade. Currently serving as the Executive Director of Strategic Homeland Partnerships for the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, she has had the extraordinary opportunity to work in partnership with Tribal nations for most of her career. It is her great honor to help the Eastern Shawnee Tribe reconnect with their Ohio River Valley homelands.
Jen earned her MA in anthropology with a specialty in landscape archaeology from the University of Virginia. She serves on the Uptown Westerville, Inc. board (a Main Street organization), is elected to the Westerville Board of Education, and is on the World Heritage USA Board of Trustees. She lives in historic Uptown Westerville with her family and firmly believes that Main Street communities make Ohio home.
In this session, we will discuss how Main Street organizations and other historic revitalization and local history groups can help support Tribal Nations with Ohio homeland reconnection efforts. From public art to special events to welcoming Tribes to their communities, such organizations often underestimate their importance in sharing authentic, accurate local history with Tribal visitors. We will discuss how local organizations should include Tribes in this work. We will explore several examples from across the state and workshop ideas for your community.