Ren Herdman

Ren “Anavae Wolf” Herdman is the Chief and CEO of the Central Appalachian Cherokee Tribe. She is the first woman to become chief since the tribe’s public inception in 1916. Chief Ren is a direct descendant of three ancestral Cherokee chiefs, Chief Aaron “Redbird” Brock from the Chilhowee Northern Cherokee Territory (a tribal requirement to be chief,) Chief George “Old Ned” Sizemore and Chief Garner “Young Wolf” Greene. Thousands of her ancestors are documented to have applied for the Eastern Cherokee Rolls. Chief Ren also performs living history re-enactments, literally taking on the role of her 4 times great aunt Mary “Tame Dove” Brock in “Torn Between Two Worlds.” This role explains assimilating into white society during the Cherokee War of 1776 and is a compilation of both historical facts and oral family tradition.

The Central Appalachian Cherokee Tribe is a 501c3 community-based and educational tribe. They provide tribal blankets to law enforcement agencies and first responders to be dispensed when children are forcibly removed, or someone has lost their home do to flood or fire. Blankets were a much-needed item during forcible removal, as many Cherokee people lost their lives from the freezing conditions while on the trail. Today, it is the tribes' goal to help provide a sense of comfort during a time of great need.