Ms. Karen Wilde began work as the Cultural Liaison/Interpreter for the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site on February 14, 2011.  She will be duty-stationed in Eads, Colorado.

 Karen’s primary responsibility will be to assist the Park management team to engage in consultation and information sharing between the park and the Tribes of the Cheyenne and Arapaho.

 “I am excited to help facilitate this continuing relationship between the park and the Cheyenne and Arapaho people.  Sand Creek is a sacred place that holds deep meaning to American Indian people.  It is rewarding to assist in consultations that will carry on stronger understandings here.”

 Karen comes to NPS as a new employee and brings with her vast experience in partnering with state, federal and tribal governments.  She has served as Tribal Partnership Specialist for the Denver Regional Census Center and previously as Project Coordinator for the Indian Health Service Coordinating Center at University of Colorado at Denver-Anschutz Medical Campus.  In these two pivotal positions, she collaborated with urban American Indians, rural and reservation tribes on education and planning, including across Alaska.  Her experience with consultation and government-to-government relationships evolved during the nine years she spent at the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in the executive branch of the State of Colorado.

 Karen is proud of her Muscogee (Creek) and Pawnee Nation heritage, is a first generation college degreed individual with a B.S. in Business Administration and holds a paralegal certificate.  She has presented at the national, state and local levels at various conferences, workshops and seminars, and she volunteers on an assortment of Boards and commissions such as the Fort Lewis College Board of Directors, Aurora Historic Preservation Commission, Denver Indian Family Resource Center, and the Native American Cancer Research Association.

 Ranger Wilde’s awards include Women’s Leadership Day in the City & County of Denver, Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award, Stephen B. Hart Award-Colorado Historical Society, and American Indian Educator Award-Native American Resource Group (Denver Museum of Nature & Science).