Institute for Environmental Sovereignty
Who We Are
Cynthia R. Harris
Director
Cynthia R. Harris is director of the National Congress of American Indians’ Institute for Environmental Sovereignty. She brings to NCAI’s leadership team an extensive background in public policy and legal research focused on tribal and Indigenous sovereignty, climate change adaptation and mitigation, water quality and conservation, and green infrastructure. Earlier in her career, Harris worked at the Environmental Law Institute and in San Diego local government. She serves on the Standing Committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Environmental Health Matters Initiative and on the American Bar Association’s Indigenous Law Committee. Harris received a JD from the New York University School of Law and earned her bachelor of arts at the University of California, San Diego.
Angela Medina Garcia
Senior Research Associate
Viswatej Attili
Environmental Analyst
Viswatej is currently serving as an Environmental Analyst at NCAI, where he focuses on utilizing advanced technologies such as drones, satellites, AI, smart sensors, 3D printing, and virtual reality for environmental monitoring and protection. His expertise lies in environmental monitoring and implementation projects, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. Viswatej has a robust background in managing government funding and leading initiatives aimed at assessing air and water quality, mitigating climate change impacts, and promoting sustainable energy solutions. He has also worked on patented solutions for arsenic cleanup and carbon dioxide reduction, demonstrating his proactive approach to environmental stewardship.
His collaborations with tribal communities, governments, educational institutions, and funding organizations reflect his commitment to implementing impactful environmental projects. Viswatej’s academic journey includes a B.Tech in IT from VIT, India, and both a Master's and PhD in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management from the University of Wyoming. Beyond his professional role, Viswatej teaches yoga, leads backpacking trips, and served as Secretary and webmaster for the Florence Medical Society and Alliance.
Sarah Wilson
Environmental Analyst
Sarah is an Environmental Analyst with NCAI’s Institute for Environmental Sovereignty. Currently, Sarah is co-leading the institute’s inaugural 50-state report card project that aims to evaluate how well states advance tribal sovereignty and self-determination on a number of environmental issues. Sarah brings experience in research, analysis, project and data management, and grant writing from a number of industries including civil engineering, archaeology, sustainable agriculture, and food systems.
Prior to joining NCAI, Sarah secured over $3.4M in state and federal grants for sustainable agriculture, and helped collect and evaluate socioeconomic and ecological data on payment for ecosystem services. Additionally, Sarah’s graduate research was two-fold through considering both the relationship between people and their surroundings and analyzing the effectiveness of using a drone to collect photogrammetric data for modeling cultural landscapes in Nunatsiavut (Labrador, Canada). Sarah is interested in continuing to put Indigenous knowledge frameworks at the forefront for the management and protection of natural and cultural resources. Sarah holds an M.A. in Archaeology from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, and a Certificate in Public Policy from the University of Montana. Outside of work, Sarah leads group trail runs, and enjoys rock climbing, xc skiing, and making her own clothes.
Charlie Thayer
Research Analyst
Charlie Thayer, Lac Courte Oreilles/White Earth Anishinaabe, graduated from Hamline University in 2012 and the University of Minnesota in 2016. Thayer is a Research Analyst at NCAI’s Institute for Environmental Sovereignty and is currently focusing on Just Transition efforts with Tribal Nations. Prior to his work with NCAI, Thayer worked with the Indian Land Tenure Foundation providing outreach activities and consultation with tribes about the American Indian Probate Reform Act, the Cobell Land Buy-Back Program and the Conservation Reserve Program, the outreach focused on educating Native farmers and landowners about options to gain financial and environmental sustainability with their operations.
Ben Gray
Policy Lead
Ben Gray co-leads the Institute’s inaugural State Report Card project, evaluating how well each state’s environmental policies advance tribal sovereignty. Prior to joining NCAI, he served as a law clerk at the Connecticut Superior Court in Danbury, Connecticut. Gray’s experience includes his time at the Narwhal Tusk Research Project, where he coordinated the translation and integration of Inuit and Greenlandic elders’ traditional knowledge into a book about Narwhal. He ran a successful gardening business from his home in northwestern Connecticut, focusing on organic flower and vegetable gardening. Gray is also a published biologist, having discovered two algal species new to science as an undergraduate student, and he is an amateur boxer, naturalist, and historian. He holds both a juris doctor and a Master of Environmental Law and Policy degrees from Vermont Law School (VLS), and a B.Sc. from Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Canada.
