Dr. Myrna Cunningham —  a Miskitu from the Wangki river region of Nicaragua — is a leading indigenous authority on women’s rights. She serves as the Chair of the guiding committee of the Pawanka Fund, an indigenous-led grant making effort supporting Indigenous Peoples initiatives. She served as Chair of the Permanent UN Forum on Indigenous Issues until 2012. 

In 2014, she was appointed as Special Ambassador for FAO, and she served as Adviser to the President of the UN General Assembly for the World Conference of Indigenous People. She is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Tenure Facility.