Ruth Anna Buffalo

Ruth Buffalo, Mia Eh’Desh or Woman Appears, is a citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, and is originally from Mandaree, North Dakota, located on the Fort Berthold reservation.

Buffalo has devoted her education and career to improving the health and lives of the public. She has 20+ years of community work ranging from youth to building community coalitions. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (Si Tanka University), and earned a Master degree in Public Health from North Dakota State University (NDSU), and Master degrees in Management and in Business Administration from University of Mary.

Her background includes health services, research, policy and education in public health. She has worked on several projects in the areas of community wellness, traffic safety, substance use community interventions, culturally tailored breast cancer awareness materials, and maternal and child health. Ruth is also a small business owner, as her family owns a local barbershop.

Ruth’s background in public health and indigenous perspective guide her work. She recently ran for public office in 2016 as a candidate for ND Insurance Commissioner, and also completed work for the ACLU of North Dakota which focused on Standing Rock. She is a new board member to the ND Human Rights Coalition, and is an alumni of several women’s leadership initiatives. Prior consultant work includes the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation’s Summer Youth Employment Program and Sacred Pipe Resource Center. Currently, she is a consultant for Honor the Earth, which focuses on anti-racism work through community capacity building, reconciliation, education and partnerships.

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