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| CAPB materials and concepts were created by the following contributors: Funston Whiteman ~ Author, Cheyenne Project Director
Author, Cheyenne Project Director
Children’s Author / Illustrator, Project Coordinator
Arapaho Contributor
Arapaho Contributor
Illustrator, Southern Arapaho
Artist / Illustrator, Southern Cheyenne
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Funston Whiteman is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. He is Southern Cheyenne and Navajo, and has lived in Oklahoma for most of his life. Growing up in Seiling, Oklahoma, Funston remembers the rich history of the Southern Cheyenne. Today, he lives in Norman, Oklahoma with his wife Alicia and their two children Ethan and Ella. Funston received his Associate Degree in Secondary Education from Rose State College; a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching History from University of Utah; and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Oklahoma. Funston is also a former Marine and a Cheyenne Society Member. Funston hopes the Cheyenne and Arapaho Book Project begins a small change for all learners in Oklahoma. It is his goal to provide a written, supported curriculum for school districts in Oklahoma.
Vickie was born and raised in Colorado. As a child, Vickie loved to hear about Colorado’s earliest ancestors. Her love of history inspired her to write a series of historical books for children, and to help tribes throughout the country write their own histories for future generations of American Indian children. Vickie is the author of Searching for Chipeta (winner of the 2005 Mountains and Plains Booksellers Association Regional Book Award), We are the Noochew (winner of the 2005 Evvy Award), Hiking Through Colorado History, One Step Closer to Heaven, Keeper of the Pipe, and Cucumber Soup (winner of the 1999 Benjamin Franklin Book Award). She has also written for Highlights for Children Magazine, Wild Outdoor World Magazine, and Kid City Magazine. Vickie was thrilled to be a part of such an historic moment in the history of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. She has long been an advocate for teaching tribes how to write and produce their own histories through her self-publishing workshop, “Preservation through Print.” When Vickie isn’t writing or illustrating, she is painting in her studio in Northglenn, Colorado. 
When Frank isn’t teaching, he spends his time singing with his seven brothers at benefit pow wows. He has participated in the Sun Dance, and enjoys beading for relaxation. His beadwork can be seen on moccasins and gourds. Although Frank coaches, he also enjoys playing fast-pitch softball. Frank lives in Anadarko, Oklahoma with his three daughters, Kristin, Stephanie, and Pamela. He has three grandchildren, Lloyd James, Frankie, and Lexi Lachel. In addition to his teaching duties, Frank is a member of the Methodist Church and an active member of the board of regents for the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribal College. He teaches long-distance learning classes for the University of Oklahoma for members of the Southern Arapaho tribe. He has had the honor of being a Four Corners All Star Coach for basketball and baseball in New Mexico. He is a State Qualifier Coach for Baseball in Seiling, Oklahoma. Frank was also an honored guest and guide at the opening of Sand Creek site in Colorado. Frank’s love of teaching and his commitment to the education of young people has extended to schools in Seiling, Canton, and Red Rock, Oklahoma; as well as Tohatchi and Zuni, New Mexico. Frank is currently teaching at Riverside Indian School in Oklahoma. In 1979, Frank graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma, with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education and history. During his college years, Frank was a participating team member of the Southwestern Bull Dogs who played in the Apple Bowl. Frank Mosqueda is a member of the Southern Arapaho tribe. He was born in Canton, Oklahoma, to Frank P. and Imogene Mosqueda. As a boy, Frank attended public school in Canton, Oklahoma.
An Indian Education advocate, Michael Bell serves as support staff for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Book Project. Born on Guam to David Bell and Rosa Matanane, Michael considers McLoud, Oklahoma to be his hometown where his grandparents Juan and Salome Matanane and sister, Christina Matanane, live. He continues to involve himself there and elsewhere in leadership capacities in places like the Kickapoo Friends Church. Along with his twin brother, Gabriel Bell, Michael obtained a Bachelors degree in Mathematics with an emphasis in Education from Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma as a Bill Gates Millenium Scholar. During the project, Michael resided with his wife, Jessica (Edminsten) Bell, in Oklahoma City and appreciates her and the rest of his family for all the support they gave during the Project. An enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes as an Arapaho of the Salome Whiteshirt family, Michael is enthused to have had the privilege and honor of taking part in the Project, another historic step for Cheyenne and Arapaho Education.
Brent Learned is Arapaho and lives in Oklahoma. Brent’s impressionistic artwork is inspired from the life and culture of the plains Indians. Brent received formal training in fine art at the University of Kansas. His works have been exhibited in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, and in the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis. Brent’s work can be seen online at 
George Levi is an enrolled member of the Southern Cheyenne tribe of Oklahoma. He is married to a wonderful wife Heather and a proud father of five children, Harding, Halcyon, Casey, Lillian, and James. George was raised in the El Reno and Geary communities, and currently resides in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. George is a Kitfox Society member and participates in Cheyenne ceremonials. He was drawn to artwork at an early age, and has been creating ever since. The artwork that he does was traditionally incorporated by the Cheyenne people; this includes ledger-style drawings, rawhide items, as well as beadwork. He also works in acrylic and oil when he is painting. His artwork is in various museums as well as private collections across the United States. He is excited to be a part of the book projects for the Cheyenne-Arapaho tribes, and wishes the best for everyone.