Kendra serves as Connect Advisors’ Tribal Development Manager, based in Claremore, Oklahoma. A Citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and of Euchee descent, she proudly carries forward the traditions of the Snow family from Polecat Ceremonial Ground.

With more than 15 years of professional experience in Indian Country, Kendra brings deep expertise in policy advocacy, community-driven program development, and Indigenous-centered strategic planning. Her background includes leading large-scale initiatives, managing organizational budgets, and guiding cross-functional teams toward sustainable, long-term outcomes. She is also highly skilled in culturally responsive research, trauma-informed methodologies, and systems change for Tribal communities.

Kendra’s academic journey reflects her dedication to education and cultural preservation. She holds a master’s degree in Native American Studies from the University of Oklahoma and is currently pursuing a PhD in Education and Human Sciences at Oklahoma State University, with a focus on Social Foundations.

Her leadership includes serving as head of a Native women-led nonprofit’s research and evaluation team, where she secured critical grant funding, created an evaluation strategy, and delivered the organization’s first IRB-approved Tribal community research project.

Kendra has also received national recognition for her work:

• 40 Under 40 Award from the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (2023).

• One of only three Native Americans selected for the International Summer Program on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Policy at Columbia University (2022).

She remains an active member of several Tribal organizations, including the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Oklahoma and the United Indian Nations of Oklahoma.

Beyond her professional work, Kendra is deeply committed to advancing Indigenous sovereignty, fostering truth and healing, and building partnerships that elevate Native voices. Together with her husband, Chris Samples (Second Chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma), and their daughter, Kenslei, she participates in traditional ceremonies within both the Muscogee Nation and Eastern Shawnee Tribe.

Kendra credits her mother and stepfather for shaping her values—teaching her the strength of Native womanhood, the importance of empowering Tribal communities, and the resilience of walking in two worlds with one spirit.