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Lisa Little Chief Bryan

Lisa Little Chief Bryan, an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, is a Senior Associate with Sundance Research Institute. Her areas of expertise include entrepreneurship, business management, and education. She also is the owner of Little Chief Specialty Foods, a business that manufactures and sells Native American specialty foods including Little Chief Fry Bread and Native American herbal teas. Lisa started the business in 1993 and currently markets her products nationwide in supermarkets, gourmet/specialty stores, Native American casinos, natural/health stores and the Internet.

From 2001 to 2004, Lisa was employed full-time at Black Hills State University as the Director for the Center of Indian Studies and a Professor in the School of Business. In addition, Lisa was a consultant and trainer in the fields of entrepreneurship, Lakota cultural values, marketing and tourism. Lisa also directed the Sitting Bull College/USD Entrepreneurship program from 2006-2007 at The University of South Dakota.

Lisa received her Bachelors Degree in Human Services from Black Hills State University in 1993. While employed at Sinte Gleska University in Mission, SD as the Department Chair for Business, she also completed her Masters Degree in Business, with an emphasis in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, New Hampshire. In May of 2006, Lisa completed her Ph.D. in Business and Entrepreneurship at The Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Lisa published her first book in 1998 titled “American Indian Entrepreneurs.” The book is centered around the correlation between tribal values and entrepreneurship. Each case has a corresponding video of a successful Native American entrepreneur, such as Billy Mills, Tim Giago and others from the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Reservations.