Cherokee Nation Rare Disease Summit
Cherokee Nation Rare Disease Summit
Chuck Hoskin Jr. serves as the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the largest tribe in the United States with more than 440,000 citizens. Prior to being elected in 2019, he was Cherokee Nation’s Secretary of State and also served as a member of the Council of the Cherokee Nation.
Bryan Warner was elected as Deputy Principal Chief in 2019. Deputy Chief Warner formerly represented District 6 on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council. In his role as Deputy Chief, he has championed culture and language preservation, training & readiness and expanded education opportunities.
Canaan Duncan currently serves as Deputy Secretary of State for the Cherokee Nation, focusing on community engagement and assisting in daily operations of the Tribal Government. Prior to this role, he worked as a Senior Advisor on Community Engagement, leading efforts in community capacity building.
Dr. Beth Harp, D.O., is the Executive Medical Director for Cherokee Nation Health Services, the largest tribally operated healthcare system in the U.S. With a background in primary care, she leads multiple clinics, certified stroke center, actively serving her community in various leadership roles.
Dr. Prashant Kaushick is a board-certified rheumatologist and clinical professor at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, with expertise in internal medicine, rheumatology, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and lifestyle medicine. He is an award-winning educator and researcher.
Dr. Smaranda Galis, MD, FAAN, delivers comprehensive neurology services at Cherokee Nation Outpatient Health Center. Through her clinical, educational, and stroke program leadership, she has improved access to quality neurological care in the communities she has served.
Registered nurse with nearly 40 years of experience across six states, with a strong pediatric focus. Since 2021, part of Oklahoma’s Newborn Screening team. Now an NBS Educator, providing outreach and education to improve outcomes for Oklahoma babies and their families.
A registered nurse with 20+ years of experience, has focused on infant and child health. She coordinated Oklahoma’s NBS Program, supervised 14 nurses, and worked on immunization and protocol development. She is now a Program Manager and co-chairs a national Long-Term Follow-Up Workgroup.
Originally from Florida, I trained in Tulsa at OSU Pediatrics, then completed a Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellowship at the University of Florida. Now back in Tulsa at St. Francis Children’s (St. Jude Affiliate). I enjoy running, hiking, volleyball, and time outdoors with my dog, Mabel.
Marianna Wetherill, PhD, MPH, RDN/LD, DipACLM, is an OU Tulsa associate professor and director of OK-FIMI. She leads culinary medicine and Food First Pharmacy programs and conducts NIH-funded research on “food is medicine” to address food insecurity and nutrition inequities.
Lacy Eidson, RN, has 12 years with Cherokee Nation Health. She earned her ASN (Connors State) and BSN (SWOSU). Now Nursing Programs Manager, she oversees specialty case management. Known for compassionate leadership, she enjoys family time, swimming, shopping, and OU football.
Sky Collins is founder of Oklahoma Rare, a grassroots group connecting and supporting the rare disease community statewide. As a parent of a child with an ultra-rare condition, Sky advocates for awareness, collaboration, and policies so no family navigates rare alone.
Leah Campbell is an Oklahoma rare disease advocate living with NMOSD. After a 17-year diagnostic odyssey and misdiagnosis that left her blind and quadriplegic, she became a national advocate for accessibility, rare disease awareness, and accessible voting rights in Oklahoma.
Tonya Swim is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian with 16 years of experience in women’s health and diabetes care. Named Oklahoma Outstanding Dietitian of the Year in 2018, she is known for her practical, patient-centered approach to sustainable lifestyle change.
Cherokee Nation citizen and Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. After her daughter was born with intestinal malrotation, she founded the Intestinal Malrotation Research Alliance and leads patient-centered studies to improve care.
Dr. Danielle DeMarzo-Burdsall is a clinical geneticist and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center specializing in medical genetics and genomics. She provides care for children and families navigating rare and complex genetic conditions.
As a Rare Disease Case Manager with the Cherokee Nation Care Coordination Rare Disease Program, I support families navigating complex conditions by connecting them with care, resources, and specialists while providing compassionate, patient-centered guidance.