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Director. He hopes to bring his experience and expertise back to his
tribe in an effort prepare workers to meet the needs of the industries,
to get ahead of the upcoming oil boom, and rebrand the image
of TERO.
Shawn Burke
Shawn Burke is the Program Leader for South Dakota State University
(SDSU) Extension Native American Programs, and is the
Project Director for three grants that fund Extension offices on
Cheyenne River, Pine Ridge, and Rosebud Reservations. Shawn
has worked for SDSU Extension for nine years, beginning as the Agriculture
and Youth Outreach Educator for Pine Ridge Reservation.
He is a graduate of the University of South Dakota and has experience
in education, natural resources management, and community
development in four countries.
Sandy Burns
Sandy Burns has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical and Petroleum
Refining Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines,
and owns Project Solutions Inc., a project management company.
Project Solutions Inc. was started in 2000 and now manages 19
projects and employs 36 people throughout the US and Italy. Some
of the projects include the Small Business Administration (SBA) 7j
Consulting and the South Dakota Department of Transportation’s
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program. She assists
women and minorities in bidding for contracts with the government
and in running successful businesses. She has presented many workshops
on the reservations and cities in South Dakota, Wyoming, and
Montana. Sandy won the SBA Minority Small Business Champion
of the Year Award for South Dakota in 2011.
Danny Butcher
Danny Butcher is the Business Success Coach at Four Bands and
provides outreach, coaching, and technical assistance to promote
entrepreneurship and small business development in all communities
on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. He graduated Tiospaye
Topa High School, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration, and plans to achieve his Masters in Lakota Studies.
Danny’s passion for business development led him to a finalist position
in the 2011 South Dakota Governor’s Giant Vision Business
Competition. In addition to his role at Four Bands, Danny is the
owner of Rez Kid Studios, an art company that specializes in tattoos,
graphics, murals, canvas paintings, photography, and apparel.
Danny is an enrolled full blood member of the Cheyenne River
Sioux Tribe. Danny was born in Rapid City and raised in the communities
of Eagle Butte and La Plant, South Dakota.
Ruth Christopherson
Ruth Christopherson is the Director for Community Development
and a Senior Vice President with Citibank. Ruth is a 15 year veteran
of Citi, holding a variety of positions including Financial Controller
for Citi Global Technology, Vice President of Operations for the
Student Loan Corporation, and Managing Director of Mortgage
Originations for CitiMortgage in St Louis. She returned to South
Dakota and assumed the role of State Director for Community
Development in October of 2009.
Ruth was a member of the South Dakota Air National Guard with
over 30 years of service, culminating in attaining the rank of Colonel,
and holding the position of Chief of Staff for the South Dakota
Air National Guard prior to her retirement in 2008. Ruth is an
Adjunct Professor and received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees
in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota.
She currently serves as a director on five community boards as well
as serving in numerous other volunteer activities. Ruth and her husband
Reid reside on an acreage near Garretson, South Dakota. They
have two grown children.
Lisa Claasen
As Business Development Specialist for the South Dakota District
Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Lisa Claassen
is responsible for 8(a) Business Development duties, including
HubZone and Native American Affairs, and is also the Administration
Division point of contact. She has been with the Agency for
22 years, and since 2000, has been working with the 8(a) Business
Development Program.
James A. Cordry
James A. Cordry is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux
Tribe. He is a graduate of the University of South Dakota, having
attended the University of South Dakota School of Fine Arts and
the University of South Dakota School of Business. From 1983 to
2004, Mr. Cordry was a Registered Investment Advisor and Financial
Advisor in the Kansas City metropolitan area, specializing in tax
advantaged investments, fixed income, and management of equity
portfolios. During that time he hosted a weekly call-in radio talk
program, featuring investment talk of the day, and interviewing
notable investment professionals from around the country. Since
2004, Mr. Cordry has held the position of Fiduciary Trust Officer
for the Rosebud Agency, Office of the Special Trustee for American
Indians.
David Cournoyer
David Cournoyer has worked in a variety of roles for over 25 years:
the news media, communications, and the nonprofit sector, focusing
his professional and personal work in support of vulnerable children
and communities. An enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe,
David is especially passionate about “connecting the dots” across
Indian Country by helping connect people, ideas, and resources in
order to build stronger Native American communities. He has more
than 17 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, at national foundations
and nonprofit organizations. At the W.K. Kellogg Foundation,
he provided communications support to youth and education
initiatives including the Native American Higher Education Initiative.
In 2005, he became a program director at Lumina Foundation
for Education, helping lead the national KnowHow2GO Campaign
to show low-income students the steps to get ready for college. David
chaired the board of Native Americans in Philanthropy for four
years, and previously worked at the American Indian College Fund
to publicize how tribal colleges are effective by blending academics
and tribal culture. His tribe’s college is named for his great-grandfather,
Sinte Gleska.
APRIL 10-12, 2013
RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA
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