By Caryn Avila

Muckleshoot Indian Reservation — August 4 & 5, 2026 — Wellness-Fitness professionals and Tribal leaders gathered August 4–5 at the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe for Native Fitness, a two-day event focused on health, movement, culture and community wellness.

The conference featured keynote speaker OJ Fiander, owner and CEO of Native Fitness. OJ shared nearly three decades of experience as an entrepreneur in the health and fitness industry, along with lessons from the past seven years spent working with tribes across the United States.

OJ said his work has increasingly focused on giving back and helping tribal communities strengthen their wellness programs. He noted that diabetes rates continue to be a serious concern in Indian Country despite substantial investments in prevention and treatment.

The Special Diabetes Program for Indians, established in 1997, has received more than $2.3 billion in funding, OJ said. However, he argued that funding alone has not produced the desired results.

“In my view, this is not a funding problem—it’s an operations problem,” OJ said.

He emphasized the need for tribal wellness facilities to have clear systems, measurable goals and defined expectations. According to OJ, effective programs should include:

• Clear performance metrics
• Standard operating procedures
• Staff training that explains both what employees do and why it matters
• A shared definition of success
• Accountability and consistent execution
  

“These teams are the frontline of preventative health in our communities,” OJ said. “We owe them better support, better systems and leadership that prioritizes results.”

In addition to the keynote presentation. Muckleshoot offered breakout sessions addressing traditional foods, plants, movement, aquatic fitness, recovery and traditional games.

• Valerie Segrest, owner and CEO of Old Growth Solutions, led a session on Northwest traditional foods.
• Racheal Heaton presented culture, wellness and traditional plants, plant-based fitness recovery.
• MIT Wellness Center team—including Tayla LaClair, Clayton Menzel, Jeffrey Sheldon and Andrake West—led a HYROX fitness session. Amelia Merrill, Marcia Jansen, and Tiffanee Leeper of Muckleshoot Aquatics conducted a water aerobics breakout session.
• Participants also took part in a traditional games’ session led by Shane Lopez Johnston and Tommy Ghost Dog. Marissa Baumgartner led a breakout on breathwork and movement.
  

The breakout sessions highlighted the connection between physical activity, cultural knowledge and long-term community health. By bringing together wellness professionals and tribal community members, NPAIHB-Native Fitness aimed to promote practical strategies that can strengthen prevention programs and support healthier futures throughout Indian Country.

The two-day conference brought together tribal partners from 12 states to learn new ways to support their communities in the fight against diabetes. Through exercise education, plant-based recovery and nutrition, the event empowered Native people with practical tools to improve individual and community wellness. The gathering also reinforced the importance of combining culturally grounded practices with structured, sustainable wellness programs. Traditionally the conference was held at commercial venues Muckleshoot was the first Tribe to host on a reservation. It took a lot of great people to make this happen.

A special thank you to the following MIT support teams.

• Tribal Council Chairman Donny Stevenson, Welcome to Muckleshoot
• General Services
• MTS Tribal School
• Transportation
• Inter-governmental affairs
• MIT communications IGA
• HWC Facilities