ᎣᏏᏲ - Osiyo (hello)!

We are the official Mt. Hood satellite community of the Cherokee Nation and act as the official point of connection between the Cherokee Nation and its Mt. Hood Cherokee citizens.

Mt. Hood Cherokees is a community of Cherokees dedicated to Cherokee history, culture, heritage, tradition and fellowship. Most of our members live outside the 14-county reservation, located in northeast Oklahoma, and reside primarily in Oregon and SW Washington. We have come together on the basis of our shared history and heritage and out of an interest in the continuation of and a love for the Cherokee People and Nation.

We are a non-political, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

ᎠᏂᏟᏏᏍᎬ - Anitlisisgv (gathering):

We meet on the second Saturday of the month, usually at Great Spirit Methodist Church in Northeast Portland.

Mt. Hood Cherokees Council

  • Abby Hall

    CHAIR, MT. HOOD CHEROKEES

    Abby Hall is a Citizen of the Cherokee Nation, was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and attended Oologah-Talala schools. Abby earned a master’s degree in Anthropology from Stanford University. She is a mom of three young kids and works for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where she works on disaster planning and climate adaptation.

  • Oweta Smith

    MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR

    Oweta Smith is semi-retired and enjoys working two days a week for a dermatologist.

    She enjoys volunteering with the Corvallis Greenbelt, Willamette Riverkeepers, and as a wood carver for the Albany Historic Carousel.

    She is proud to be a Citizen of the Cherokee Nation and said, “I am grateful for the Mt. Hood Cherokee group who are so welcoming and have taught me so much about my Cherokee Heritage. I enjoy working with, and getting to know, the current and new members!”

  • Sara Dilks

    ASSISTANT SECRETARY/ALTERNATE RECORD KEEPER

    Sara Dilks is a graduate of Oklahoma State University. She is a full time mom and part time ceramic artist.

  • Emma Barrow

    SECRETARY/RECORDS KEEPER

    Emma Barrow is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation who grew up in Portland, Oregon. Emma is a writer and filmmaker with a BFA in Acting from California Institute of the Arts. Her writing often centers complex intergenerational family dynamics and her goal is to tell compelling stories centering Native people.
    Emma has been a volunteer on the Mt. Hood Cherokees Meeting Committee since 2021 and recently redesigned the Mt. Hood Cherokees website. As a citizen who grew up at-large Emma is grateful to be in community with other Cherokees. She is excited to join the MHC Council as Secretary and is excited to continue assist in planning engaging meetings that deepen our cultural connections and hopefully grow our community.

  • Cynthia Prater

    VICE CHAIR/MEETING COORDINATOR 1

    Dr Cynthia Prater, PsyD recently returned from working six years on the San Carlos Apache reservation and is now working for PeaceHealth’s Young Adult Behavioral health team and is a board member of the Oregon State Hospital Museum of mental health.

  • Breanna Potter

    MEETING COORDINATOR 2

  • Elizabeth Ebensteiner

    TREASURER

    Elizabeth Ebensteiner was born in Houston, Texas and moved to Oregon when she was seven. She is Cherokee from the Farmer and Reynolds families and is proud to be a member of the Mount Hood Cherokees along with her aunt and uncle. She works as a speech-language pathologist for Clackamas ESD and is passionate about helping children find their voice—verbally or with machines. She has two children who are 6 and 9 and the whole family enjoys spending time in water, playing board games, and doing crafts.