- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Economic Development
Native leaders across the country stepped into new roles in economic development, cultural preservation, and community advocacy this month, with appointments spanning from tribal gaming and finance to philanthropy and government affairs.
Key highlights included Paul F. Huberty being named a Rockefeller Foundation Big Bets Fellow to strengthen Indigenous economies through the Wind River Development Fund, while three accomplished Native women joined Indigenized Energy's leadership team. In Alaska, Laresa Syverson took the helm as president of Ounalashka Corporation, and several professionals advanced in banking and finance roles serving Native communities.
HIRES + PROMOTIONS
Indigenized Energy named three Native women to leadership positions. Lorilee Morsette was appointed chief operating officer, bringing decades of corporate and tribal leadership experience. An enrolled member of the Suquamish Tribe and Chippewa Cree, Morsette was born and raised in Rocky Boy, Montana, and most recently served as a corporate officer for a financial firm in New York City. Mauricia Chavarria, a member of Santa Clara Pueblo, was named chief financial officer. She brings more than 24 years of experience in finance, tribal enterprise and public utility operations, with a bachelor's degree and MBA in finance and executive training from Harvard Business School. Serena Romero was appointed director of marketing and communications. An Emmy Award-winning producer and communications strategist, Romero is a member of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and brings storytelling and mission-driven marketing expertise to the role.
UC Berkeley Law's Center for Indigenous Law & Justice named Merri Lopez-Keifer as executive director. Lopez-Keifer brings extensive experience serving California Native Nations and will lead the center's efforts in promoting tribal sovereignty and advocating for Native Nations. She aims to integrate her legal expertise, community engagement and strategic planning into the center's mission of advancing tribal sovereignty and supporting Native Nations. Lopez-Keifer says the position presents "a valuable opportunity to deepen institutional understanding of tribal sovereignty, to advance recognition of Indigenous peoples' inherent rights to self-determination, and to promote sustained, respectful partnerships that strengthen tribal justice." She will focus on building upon UC Berkeley Law's growing commitment to Native issues through curriculum development, fellowship opportunities and collaborative initiatives.
Ounalashka Corporation named Laresa Syverson as president, effective May 2. Syverson, who served as the Alaska Native village corporation's technical lands manager for five years, succeeded Denise Rankin, who stepped down after three years as president and 27 years with the corporation. As president, Syverson will oversee the corporation's World War II debris removal efforts from its lands and work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on cleanup initiatives. She will continue serving a two-year term as Arctic Energy Ambassador for the Aleutians, a U.S. Department of Energy communications position focused on energy development in Alaska. Syverson said her immediate priorities include maintaining day-to-day operations and working closely with staff to understand their workflows without making sweeping changes.
Seneca Gaming Corporation named Kimberlee Dunlop as chief operating officer. An enrolled member of the Seneca Nation, Dunlop will focus on developing and implementing the company's strategic plan and lead initiatives to drive revenue, profitability and growth at the corporation's three properties. She served as counsel to the Seneca Gaming Corporation Board of Directors for five years, advising on corporate governance matters and strategic planning. Dunlop has more than 20 years of experience assisting Native Nations with sovereignty matters, including extensive experience with tribal gaming laws and regulations. She previously served on the Seneca Gaming Corporation Board of Directors from 2013-2016. Dunlop graduated from Bucknell University, earned her J.D. from the University at Buffalo School of Law and received executive education certifications from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business.
Nevada Department of Native American Affairs named Dr. Joshua Bonde as director of the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center & Museum. A citizen of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone, Bonde has worked for Nevada-based nonprofits and museums for more than 15 years. His previous experience includes serving as faculty at UNLV, director of conservation and research at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, co-founder and director of research at the Nevada Science Center, and director at the Nevada State Museum. Bonde grew up in Fallon and graduated from Churchill County High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Nevada, Reno, a master's degree from Montana State University and a doctorate in geoscience from UNLV. He previously served on boards including the Southern Nevada Conservancy and Geological Society of Nevada.
Native American Contractors Association named Haven Harris, senior vice president of Growth and Strategy at Bering Straits Native Corporation, as co-chair of its board of directors. The appointment was announced during NACA's Annual Conference. Harris, a BSNC shareholder, brings more than 15 years of experience in government contracting, including extensive expertise in business development. His leadership journey at BSNC has included roles as vice president and senior vice president of Growth and Strategy. Harris currently serves on the Alaska Community Foundation Board and has previously held board positions with the Alaska Native Heritage Center, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation and Sitnasuak Native Corporation. NACA advocates for Native American-owned businesses in the federal contracting marketplace and provides resources, networking opportunities and policy advocacy for its members.
Center for Native American Youth at The Aspen Institute named Neely Bardwell as program coordinator. Bardwell previously served as political editor at Native News Online, where she also worked as staff reporter from July 2021 to September 2023. She completed a policy internship at the National Congress of American Indians and worked as a research intern at Michigan State Center for Economic and Community Development. Bardwell earned a bachelor's degree in social relations and policy from Michigan State University in 2023. She speaks Spanish at a professional working level and has elementary proficiency in Anishinaabemowen. Her published work includes articles on land rights and Native American issues. In her new role, Bardwell will work to address challenges and barriers facing Native youth.
Native Americans in Philanthropy named Deanna Mousseau as youth programs lead. Mousseau, who is based in Wounded Knee, South Dakota, also serves as an advocate with the National Foster Care Youth & Alumni Policy Council. She previously worked as advancement coordinator at Emergence LLC and Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation, where she also served as an AmeriCorps VISTA member. Her experience includes roles as a special education paraprofessional with Oglala Lakota County School District 65-1, summer youth supervisor with the Oglala Sioux Tribe WIOA Program, and personal care assistant with Interim HealthCare Inc. Mousseau earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Black Hills State University. She has also worked with the Seven Sisters Community Development Group and participated in the Encampment for Citizenship program.
Native Americans in Philanthropy also named Savannah Baber as program manager for Indigenous Leadership Initiatives. Baber previously served as coordinator of Virginia Indian Programming at Virginia Humanities for two years. She also worked at Wake Forest University for more than three years, including as assistant director and program coordinator at the Intercultural Center. Her experience includes internships with the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, North Carolina Department of Administration's Commission on Indian Affairs, and Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. Baber earned a bachelor's degree in politics and international affairs from Wake Forest University and is currently pursuing a master's degree in public administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a Udall Scholar and has published work including "Wake the Artifacts- Groundbreakers."
PNC Bank named James Su as senior vice president and senior relationship manager for the Native American Finance and Gaming Division. Su brings more than 20 years of financial services experience to the role, where he will provide banking solutions to tribes across the country and develop specialized loan, deposit, investment and treasury management products for the Native American market. He previously served as corporate relationship manager and senior vice president in the gaming division at Zions Bancorporation. His background includes roles as middle market underwriter at Chase and various positions at Wells Fargo, including gaming portfolio manager, relationship manager, financial analyst and branch manager. Su held a Series 7 license as a financial advisor and has experience structuring, negotiating and executing complex financial transactions. He earned a bachelor's degree in hospitality administration and management from Cal Poly Pomona.
APPOINTMENTS
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation elected Pamela Boivin as board chair. Boivin, a member of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, was appointed to the WEDC board by Gov. Tony Evers last year and has served on the organization's Audit and Budget Committee since 2022. She currently works as program manager at the Native CDFI Network, where she enhances lending services and supports economic and business development through Native Community Development Financial Institutions. Boivin brings more than 17 years of experience in the CDFI sector and previously served as executive director of Woodland Financial Partners. She holds an MBA from Marquette University and owns Boivin Excavating, a small business. Boivin succeeds Hank Newell, who served as the board chair since 2019.
Alaska Native Professional Association named Brittany Vo as a board member. Vo currently serves as Fab Lab program manager at Cook Inlet Tribal Council, where she has worked for five years in various roles including inventory lead, inventory specialist, administrative assistant, tutor and summer intern. Her career focus is on leadership and management opportunities within Alaska Native Corporations and roles involving strategic development. Vo earned a master's degree in rural development from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Alaska Anchorage.
KUDOS
The Rockefeller Foundation named Paul F. Huberty as one of 12 fellows in its inaugural U.S. Big Bets Fellowship program. Huberty will focus on strengthening Indigenous economies by disrupting the status quo to increase access to capital, training and technical assistance to support investments that create jobs, increase wages and foster small business development in Wind River. An enrolled member of the White Earth Ojibwe, Pillager Band, Huberty previously held executive roles in nonprofit health care, including at the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Colorado Access. He holds a bachelor's degree in Quantitative Business Analysis from Penn State and an MBA/MS from Drexel University. Through the Wind River Development Fund and its four partners, his work aims to reclaim Native sovereignty by aligning investments with place-based economic development projects.
Ziehl-Abegg Inc. announced that Carmen Deese, director of human resources, was named one of Triad Business Journal's Outstanding Women in Business for 2025. Deese was honored at a ceremony April 23 alongside other professionals recognized for leadership and impact across business, government and nonprofit sectors. An enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, Deese has been instrumental in building North American HR infrastructure to support the company's rapid growth, including during the opening of Ziehl-Abegg's new North American headquarters in Winston-Salem. She created workplace policies that earned the company Family Forward NC Certification in 2024 and received the inaugural HR Impact Award from the Triad Business Journal that same year. Deese serves on the Princess Pageant committee for Guilford Native American Association and volunteers with the Kellin Foundation and Choral Arts Collective.
South Dakota Hall of Fame named Dr. Sophie Two Hawk among its 2025 inductees. A member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Two Hawk was the first Native American to earn a doctorate of medicine from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine. During her 20 years in public health service, she served as CEO of Indian Health Services in South Dakota, pioneered the state's first WHO Baby Friendly designation and improved culturally competent care across the state. Two Hawk's great grandmother was a medicine woman and her two daughters are physicians today. The Hall of Fame also recognized Valentine McGillycuddy in a new historical figure category. McGillycuddy, who lived from 1849 to 1939, served as the state's first surgeon general, was an Indian agent at Pine Ridge and advocated for humane treatment of Native people. He was the attending physician at Crazy Horse's death.
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