The Osage Nation Foundation primarily works to promote and enhance the general welfare of the people of the Osage Nation by supporting cultural, educational, health, historical, community and other appropriate activities and programs. Our funding supports projects directly impacting and benefiting Osage Nation members, particularly artists and youth, in addition to causes and activities supporting the communities where Osage live and work. The projects we support are intended to have definable and measurable outcomes and make a meaningful and lasting difference in and around the Osage Nation. Visit osagefoundation.org for more information.
BOARD MEMBERS
Monte Boulanger - Chair
Monte Boulanger, descendant of Osage Chief Paw-Hiu-Skah, has 26 years of leadership experience with Walmart, Inc. based in Bentonville, AR. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees for the Osage Nation Foundation since its inception in 2010, he has served as Chair of Tribal Voices, Walmart's American Indian and Alaska Native Resource Group, which engaged Walmart leaders on challenges in Indian Country, including health & wellness, financial services, secondary education, and American Indian mascots. He is an expert in the data-driven retail shopping habits of underbanked and underserved consumers and has been a public speaker on Indian Country in the retailing and supplier communities for over 15 years. He holds a BBA in Finance from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS, an MBA from Nova Southeastern University in Davie, FL, is a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt in process improvement and a Certified Retail Analyst. He has served on the Board of Directors of The Museum of Native American History in Bentonville, AR, since 2011.
Nancy Pillsbury Shirley - Secretary/Treasurer
Nancy Pillsbury Shirley brings more than 40 years experience in both the for-profit business world as well as philanthropy to the Osage Foundation. She is President of Pillsbury Marketing Company. Additionally, she serves as Executive Vice President and Treasurer of the Ed and H Pillsbury Foundation and Chairperson of the Board of the Winter Opera St. Louis. She is a graduate of Stephens College in Columbia, MO and lives in Madue, MO.
Julie O'Keefe - Board Member
Julie O’Keefe is with Gilliland Consulting LLC. She has served on the board of the Osage Nation Foundation for 9 years. Julie is a member of the Osage Tribe and was born and raised in Pawhuska, OK. She has extensive experience in product development and importing for furniture, gifts, candles, and clothing. She has worked as a project manager on installation projects that include the Hempel Hotel in London, showrooms for national trade shows, and the Osage Visitors Center. Currently Julie is living in Tulsa, OK and is immersed in managing and restoring the Bacone Art Collection at Bacone College, one of the oldest Native American colleges in the United States. Julie has sat on several boards including Martha’s Table, Smithsonian NMAI, Osage Nation Foundation, and Post Traditional Indigenous Arts.
Welana Queton - Board Member
Welana Queton is from the Osage, Muscogee, and Cherokee Nations. Her Osage name is Me-tsa-xe, meaning Sacred Sun, and is a member of the Bear Clan and the Osage Zon-zo-lin District. Welana has over twenty years of experience working within museums and collections. She specializes working with American Indian ethnographic collections as it is her joy to work with cultural materials of her ancestors. She developed and co-curated the inaugural exhibition, WINIKO: Life of an Object, at the First Americans Museum featuring a loan from Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of the American Indian. Welana recently created the Wahzhazhe Puppet Theatre and currently serves as the Artistic Director.Welana Queton is from the Osage, Muscogee, and Cherokee Nations. Her Osage name is Me-tsa-xe, meaning Sacred Sun, and is a member of the Bear Clan and the Osage Zon-zo-lin District. Welana has over twenty years of experience working within museums and collections. She specializes working with American Indian ethnographic collections as it is her joy to work with cultural materials of her ancestors. She developed and co-curated the inaugural exhibition, WINIKO: Life of an Object, at the First Americans Museum featuring a loan from Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of the American Indian. Welana recently created the Wahzhazhe Puppet Theatre and currently serves as the Artistic Director.
Bill Webb - Executive Director
Bill Webb is the founder and Senior Managing Partner of Legacy Foundation and Event Management, a Southlake, Texas-based firm that develops and manages foundations and charities for professional athletes and coaches, corporations and individuals. He serves as Executive Director of the Osage Nation Foundation and manages the daily operations of the foundation. He has served in this capacity since 2010. He is also an investor and owner of a number of businesses across multiple industries. He is the author of Igniting the Blue Flame: Answer the Call To Leadership and speaks throughout the country on the topic of leadership. He is active in a number of charitable causes. He is married for more than 20 years to his wife Jill and has three teenage sons.