Executive Team

Ruth BlackHawk Cameron is a dedicated professional, currently serving as the President of Rezilience Community Support Services. With a career centered on empowering Indigenous communities, she plays a vital role in developing programs that support Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students and professionals in the financial literacy field.

Ruth’s long career in education began at Northern Illinois University in the 1980s and continued for 20+ years at the University of Colorado (CU) in Boulder, Colorado. She worked as the Indian Education Director and teacher at an at-Risk High School for 14+ years. Recently, Ruth held the position of Director of Curriculum and Instruction at the Advancing Indigenous Science and Engineering Society, where she developed culturally relevant curriculum and professional development for Native teachers.

Ruth holds a bachelor’s degree in applied Anthropology with an emphasis in American Indian Education and a master’s degree in education. Her graduate studies focused on bilingual education (English to Lakota) and included best practices in education for Native students.

Before her current role, she was involved in several community-focused leadership initiatives, often collaborating with other Indigenous leaders to address systemic barriers in education. She is recognized for her commitment to intergenerational healing and advocating for policies that support the well-being of Native children and families.

Ruth is a member of the Ho-Chunk and Lakota Nations. She lives in the Colorado mountains with her family. She enjoys reading, camping, hiking, and spending time with her two grandchildren.

Kathleen Sharbono, Vice President of Operations for Rezilience Community Support Services, graduated from Montana State University, Bozeman, with a bachelor’s degree in English/Business Education, Teaching, and from the University of Montana, Missoula, with a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction.

Kathleen has been an educator for 29+ years, teaching in various districts in Montana, Alaska, and Arizona. While working in the Indian Education Department of Missoula, MT’s School District, she served as the Title VII Indian Education Specialist and Native Studies teacher for two high schools. She also worked two years for the Office of Public Instruction in Helena, MT, in the Indian Education Division-- working onsite at both Hays/Lodgepole Schools and Heart Butte Schools as an Instructional Coach. Additionally, Kathleen has served as the Director of Chapter Development for the American Indigenous Business Leaders (AIBL) team, where she mentored teachers and recruited new Chapters for five years.

For the past two years, Kathleen worked for AISES, Advancing Indigenous People in STEM, serving as a consultant who provided services in financial literacy, curriculum development, professional development workshops, and assisted at on-site community events.

In her spare time, Kathleen enjoys gardening, hiking, reading, and playing the piano.