NCIA staff and commissioners attended the historic dedication of the Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center in Walthill, Nebraska on Saturday, June 14th. The ceremony featured numerous members of the Dr. Susan La Flesche Center non profit board, as well as NCIA Executive Director Judi gaiashkibos and Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen. A ribbon cutting ceremony immediately followed the dedication. Guests then toured the facility and attended a luncheon event.
NCIA was instrumental in bringing together a group of stakeholders in 2017 who were tasked with finding a way to save the historic building built by the first Native American physician in the United States. The agency worked with the University of Nebraska to successfully submit a grant to USDA funding a building assessment and development of a strategic plan.
NCIA also then took lead on submitting the building for recognition on a National list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Buildings.
Once the project was up and running, a revitalized non-profit board took lead of the project, while NCIA stayed active as a supportive partner to the project.
