Loni Bernally-Holyan is Dine and from Shiprock, New Mexico. She is born of the Towering House clan and the Weaver Zia Clan. She graduated from Shiprock High School also earning a BFA in Indigenous Liberal Studies with a minor in museum studies from the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) and a certificate of Tribal Court Advocacy from Phoenix Community College (PCC). Loni currently works for the Southwestern Association on Indian Arts (SWAIA) and has been with the organization for nearly 8 years as their Event Planner and works in the Artist Services department.
“Working within the non-profit art sector has been one of my biggest accomplishments helping ensure the continuation of Indigenous arts and the narrative behind those creations is a vital part of my job. I absolutely love working with all the artists and learning about their own personal stories behind their creations.”