AISES awarded Jennifer Randell (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) the Indigenous Excellence Award, which acknowledges an individual who has done substantial work for 10 or more years to advance programs and opportunities for Indigenous students and professionals within their Indigenous community and/or in support of Indigenous people at the national level.
Jennifer Randell (Kno Kwe – “Eagle Woman”) is the co-founder and director of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Eagle Aviary in Shawnee, OK — one of the first Native-run aviaries in the United States.
For 17 years, she has dedicated her life to caring for eagles that hold deep cultural significance to the Potawatomi people and to communities across the nation. As chief caretaker and advocate, Jennifer leads work in animal care, wildlife rehabilitation, and telemetry research, collaborating closely with federal, tribal, and cultural authorities.
Her leadership shows how Indigenous values can guide environmental stewardship, conservation, and science.