Chris Newell
Instructor in Residence, Native American Cultural Director - christopher.newell@uconn.edu
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Nation: Passamaquoddy Tribe
Chris Newell is co-founder/director of education for Akomawt Educational Initiative; a majority Native-owned educational consultancy based in Connecticut and author of Scholastic's If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving. He is a multi-award-winning museum professional born and raised in Motahkmikuhk (Indian Township, ME) and a proud citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the New England Museum Association, Tides Institute, and Maine Public.
Chris is a long-time singer with the acclaimed Mystic River singers based out of Connecticut and has traveled the US and Canada singing and participating in cultural celebrations, pow wows, and live stage performance. Chris was the Senior Advisor for the Emmy-award winning documentary Dawnland and co-director of the short documentary Weckuwapok (The Approaching Dawn) (2022) chronicling a historic sunrise concert collaboration in 2021 with Wabanaki musicians/storytellers and 18-time Grammy-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
Jillian Watt
Graduate Assistant - jillian.watt@uconn.edu
(she/her/hers)
Masters Candidate: Health Promotion Sciences
Nation: Mohegan Tribe
Jillian is currently a first-year master’s student studying Health Promotion Sciences at the University of Connecticut, and she is the Graduate Assistant in the Native American Cultural Program. She graduated from the University of Connecticut as a University Honors Laureate and Honors Scholar with a Bachelor of Science in Allied Health Sciences with a concentration in Health Sciences and minors in both Spanish and Molecular & Cell Biology in August 2024, where she was also a four-year veteran of the UConn Dance Team. As a first-generation, Native American, female graduate student in the STEM field, Jillian’s research focuses on enhancing efforts to encourage healthy eating in Northeastern Native Americans with messages and materials that are grounded in culturally important food beliefs and patterns. With goals of becoming one of the first Native American Reproductive Endocrinologists, Jillian aspires to attend medical school in the Fall of 2026. Outside of academia, Jillian works as a Medical Laboratory Technologist in the Andrology and Endocrinology Laboratories at The Center for Advanced Reproductive Services in Farmington, CT, where she is also involved in research. As a Mohegan individual herself, she is also deeply involved with the UConn Tribal Education Initiative. She also works collaboratively with Dr. Sandy Grande and others on Indigenous initiatives at The UConn Center on Aging and the Pepper Center. Additionally, she sits as a member of the Mohegan Board of Education. In her free time, Jillian likes to spend time with her family and friends and play with her puppy
Nina Reines
Student Coordinator - nina.reines@uconn.edu
(she/her/hers)
Major: Animal Science
Nation: Mam
Nina is in her last year at UConn majoring in Animal Science and has a goal of going into Wildlife Conservation Education. She is apart of the Indigenous Mam Tribe located in Guatemala. Nina is a previous recipient of the K&M Connelly Sisters Scholarship, and a recipent of the Leadership Scholarship and the Kaye Andrus Scholarship. Outside of being a Student Coordinator for NACP, she is the President for the UConn Paws and Claws club and works as a Camp Counselor during the summer months. This will be Nina's 4th year working with NACP. Watching NACP and its programs grow has been exciting to witness. Going into her last year, Nina hopes to help further build a community for Indigenous Students and continue to help the program prosper.
Kylene Chino
Student Coordinator - kylene.chino@uconn.edu
(she/her/hers)
Major: Human Rights
Nation: Santa Ana Pueblo, Acoma Pueblo, and Navajo Nation
Kylene is in her third year here at UConn. She is a proud citizen from Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. Kylene intends to double major in Political Science and Human Rights. Alongside being a student, she is a Student Coordinator for the Native American Cultural Programs and the President of the Native American and Indigenous Students Association.
Being with NACP for two years, Kylene has been working towards building a community for Indigenous students on campus. She hopes to dedicate her last two years to working towards her goals and creating a home away from home for students after her.
Ashlee Hamilton
Student Staff - ashlee.hamilton@uconn.edu
(she/her/hers)
Major: Sustainable Plant and Soil Systems
Concentration: Environmental Horticulture & Sustainable Agriculture
Nation: Mohegan Tribe
Ashlee is in her third year at UConn where she studies Sustainable Plant and Soil Systems. She is also apart of the Mohegan tribe in Connecticut. Aside from being a student, she is part of the Student Staff for the Native American Cultural Programs as well as the Treasurer of the Native American and Indigenous Students Association. Ashlee will promote a community for indigenous students to thrive on campus.