Dr. Valeriah Big Eagle (Ihanktonwan Dakota/Nakota) is the Director of He Sapa Initiatives at NDN Collective, where she helps lead place-based work grounded in Indigenous values and guided by community priorities. A mother of three, wife, and basketball coach, Dr. Big Eagle is deeply committed to uplifting her community through both her professional role and volunteer efforts.

She holds a B.A. in Sociology, an M.Ed., and an Ed.D. in Administrative Leadership. Dr. Big Eagle is a 2020 Bush Fellow and a graduate of Leadership Rapid City, Leadership South Dakota, and the Native Nations Rebuilders program. In 2023, she brought her vision for Indigenous representation and equity into the political arena as a candidate for Rapid City Council, Ward 4.