Understanding Tribal Sovereignty and Jurisdiction for Animal Welfare Professionals - On-demand
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Through the guidance of Karen Diver—former White House Special Assistant to President Obama for Native American Affairs and a national leader in tribal governance—participants will gain critical insights into the historical and legal framework that shapes tribal sovereignty.
Explore the government-to-government relationship between Tribal Nations and Federal and State governments, beginning with treaty-making and continuing through key legislation and court decisions that impact jurisdiction and self-determination. The webinar emphasizes that Tribal Nations are not homogenous; each tribe has its own government structure, laws, and cultural perspectives. Understanding these distinctions is essential for building trust and fostering long-term, respectful collaboration.
This course includes:
● the historical and legal foundations of tribal sovereignty
● treaties and the ongoing federal trust responsibility
● differences in tribal, state, and federal jurisdiction
● the diversity of Tribal Nations and the importance of cultural competence
● navigating partnerships in the context of animal welfare, including regulatory and legal considerations.
● case studies highlighting successful collaboration and common pitfalls
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this course, participants will be better prepared to work with Tribal Nations as true partners, recognizing and respecting their sovereignty, honoring their unique histories, and aligning animal welfare efforts with community values and governance structures.
Presenter
Karen Diver, former White House Special Assistant to President Obama for Native American Affairs and a national leader in tribal governance
Host
Marta Pierpoint, Executive Director, Humane Society of Western Montana
To comment or ask questions, please visit Maddie's Pet Forum: https://maddies.fund/TribalSovereigntyForum
Earn continuing education credit from The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement towards 2.0 CAWA CEs. This webinar has also been pre-approved for 2.0 continuing education credits by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). It has also been approved for 2 hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval. Complete the quiz to earn continuing education credit between 10/14/25 - 10/14/27.
keywords Marta Pierpoint, Humane Society of Western Montana, Karen Diver, tribal jurisdiction and sovereignty, cultural competence
Karen Diver
Former White House Special Assistant to President Obama for Native American Affairs and a national leader in tribal governance
Karen Diver was a past Chairwoman of the Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa, and President Obama’s Native advisor. She has been in higher education for 8 years working on Tribal issues. Her board work: Great Lakes Fishery Commission and Honoring Nations at the Harvard Kennedy School. Her education includes a Bachelors in Economics degree University of Minnesota, Duluth, and a Masters degree in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School.
Marta Pierpoint, Esq.
Executive Director
Humane Society of Western Montana
Marta Pierpoint moved to Montana over twenty-five years ago, leaving her San Francisco law practice to join Triaxsys Research LLC as a partner. After serving as Vice President to Triaxsys for three years, Pierpoint switched gears to fuel her passion for education, employed in leadership positions in both public and private academic domains. In 1998, Pierpoint joined the Humane Society of Western Montana as a member and enthusiastically supported the mission in a variety of roles from foster to board chair until nine years ago when she was ultimately hired as Executive Director. During her tenure HSWM has grown from a shelter primarily focused on serving the approximately 1,400 pets in the building to a premier animal welfare organization influencing policy and practice across the state to improve the lives of pets. HSWM now serves thousands of animals a year within and far beyond the shelter walls with a robust team of veterinary, behavior and animal care specialists.
Pierpoint is a frequent speaker on topics pertaining to nonprofit leadership and progressive animal welfare practices. In addition to her Juris Doctor, Pierpoint holds a Fellowship Certificate in Shelter Leadership from the University of Wisconsin Shelter Medicine Program.
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