Russell Brooks (Southern Cheyenne) has been the Executive Director of RES since 2017. Russell spent the majority of his life among his Cheyenne people in Montana but has made the Greater Puget Sound area home since 2011, enjoying the artistic vibrancy of the Pacific Northwest. Russell attended Montana State University-Billings and received a degree in Organizational Communications and Native American Studies in 2000. He worked with Northern Cheyenne tribal youth & other diverse populations of youth for years before making his way to Seattle. He is a former radio disc jockey and amateur boxing competitor and coach. Russell came to Red Eagle Soaring after spending five years with the Quileute Tribe as their Events Coordinator.. Russell also managed the development of the Quileute’s tribal teen program and guided construction of the Quileute Teen Center. Russell has long been invigorated by theatrical performances, taking several theatre based classes in college and attending plays wherever the opportunity presented itself. Russell was inspired at a young age to pursue filmmaking as long standing Hollywood stereotypes he detested were being shattered by films such as ‘Powwow Highway’ & ‘War Party’, films shot in Montana during his early teens. Russell is also a filmmaker and became a founding member of the award-winning Olympia Film Collective in 2012 in Olympia, WA. Russell wishes to continue creating intersectional opportunities for Native artists and actors in the greater performing arts creative industry, to support Native storytellers in unleashing their creativity across mediums, blending opportunities to tell their stories and finding the necessary support to bring their vision to the greater public.