Mark Denning

My Anishinaabe name is Nodaway Benaise and I am Sturgeon Clan. I am enrolled in the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin, and my ancestry includes Menominee, Mille Lacs Ojibwe, Stockbridge-Munsee, French and English. My experience as an educator, lecturer and curriculum specialist in American Indian history and culture has taken me all over the world, working with people, communities and organizations. As a parent of four children, I was fortunate to serve on the board to bring about Milwaukee’s Indian Community School, a flagship institution of Urban American Indian education. I have served as an advisor on the Gates Millenium Educational Foundation and I am a board member of Indian Summer Festival. When I am not in the classroom or working on a commercial project or speaking engagement – I lecture at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, in the school of continuing education. I also work as a consultant and trainer with Boeing Corporation and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

​My passion is helping teachers, students and businesses understand and appreciate Native American culture from a historical and contemporary point of view, to create greater understanding, teamwork and communication.