Bazile Panek

Bazile Panek comes from the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe where he was born and raised. His culture is an integral part of his life, as he consistently participates in cultural events and ceremonies. Bazile graduated with a bachelor of science in Native American Studies. At university, he made a significant impact as the President of the Native American Student Association, advocating successfully for the university's official observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

He is now the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Good Sky Guidance, a consulting firm specializing in the integration of Indigenous knowledge and culture in environmental initiatives and advising institutions on respectful tribal community engagement. Bazile primarily serves as an Indigenous Consultant for the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP). In his role with ITEP, Bazile is co-facilitating the creation of the Status of Tribes and Climate Change Report, Volume 2. Bazile also works as the “Fire-Plan Research Coordinator” at University of Wisconsin-Platteville for a National Science Foundation-funded project that combines various ways of knowing to help heal fire-dependent lands and cultures in the Great Lakes region. He is a sought-after speaker on topics such as Indigenous environmentalism, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, decolonization, and cultural revitalization. He has spoken all across the United States. Bazile's guiding philosophy in life is to "honor my ancestors by becoming an honorable ancestor for future generations.