The NCN 5th Annual Summit will take place December 11-13, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The three-day event will bring together Native CDFI practitioners, funders, policymakers, and other industry partners to bridge ideas and resources that will advance Native CDFI efforts to build economic resilience and sustainability in areas of housing development, home ownership, and green energy solutions.
This is a unique opportunity to connect with fellow leaders and discuss the pressing needs of Native communities. Your participation will contribute to shaping the dialogue around policy changes and funding that are crucial for advancing the mission of Native CDFIs.
Throughout the event, you will engage in meaningful discussions, attend informative workshops, and network with individuals who share a commitment to strengthening Native CDFIs. Our goal is to enhance the capacity of these organizations and advocate effectively for the support they need to make a lasting impact.
As part of the event, we are delighted to include a networking dinner reception at the National Museum of the American Indian (4th St SW, Washington, D.C. 20560). This special evening will provide an opportunity to tour the Potomac Atrium, Rasmuson Theater, and the museum’s galleries. This venue not only offers a beautiful setting for our gathering but also an enriching experience of Native heritage and culture.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact NCN Communications Director Shauntel Hogan at [email protected]. We look forward to your presence and to the valuable contributions you will bring to this important event.
Note: If you are an NCN Member, your organization will receive up to two complimentary Summit registrations. Additional registrations must be purchased at the non-member rate.
December 11 – 13, 2024
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Ave NW,
Washington, DC, 20001
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Ave NW,
Washington, DC, 20001
Browse sponsorship levels, select a package, and register your team for the summit.
This agenda is subject to change and will be updated periodically. Check back for the latest updates.
5:00 pm
Welcome Reception – Sponsored by Opportunity Finance Network
Harold Pettigrew | President & CEO | Opportunity Finance Network
Pete Upton (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) | CEO | Native CDFI Network
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill – 400 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20001
6:00 pm
Dinner
7:00 am
Breakfast
8:00 am
Invocation & Welcome
Pete Upton (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) |Native CDFI Network | CEO/Board Chair
8:50 am
Environmental Protection Agency Insights
Jane Nishida | Acting Deputy Administrator | Environmental Protection Agency
9:00 am
Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass) on Legislative Milestones in Clean Energy
9:30 am
Collaboration of CCIA and NCIF Awardees: Deploying $20 Billion in Awards
Moderator: Micheal Swack | Carsey Senior Fellow Research Professor | Center for Impact Finance
Amber Bell | Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer | Opportunity Finance Network
Amir Kirkwood | CEO | Justice Climate Fund
Krystal Langholtz | Chief Community Officer | Climate United
Cathie Mahon | President & CEO | Inclusiv
Pam Porter | CFO | Green Bank for Rural America | Appalachian Community Capital
Kristen Wagner | National Program Director | Native CDFI Network
10:45 am
Solar for All – Connecting with NCN’s 63 Community Lenders to Expand Solar Access in Native Communities
Moderator: Ellen Lurie Hoffman | Director | Center for Impact Finance | Carsey School of Public Policy
Chrystel Cornelius (Oneida, Ojibwe) | President & CEO | Oweesta Corporation
Kyle Felsman | Tribal Program Director | GRID Alternatives
Kerry O’Neil | CEO | Inclusive Prosperity Capital
Vanessa Farley (Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy Indians) | Director of Tribal Energy Programs | MTERA
11:20 am
Economic Potential of Wind and Solar in Native Communities
Moderator: Pamela Boivin | CCIA Program Manager | Native CDFI Network
Dominic Parker | Anderson-Bascom Professor | University of Wisconsin – Madison
12:00 pm
Lunch
1:00 pm
Developing Clean Energy Solutions for Indian Country
Moderator: Kristen Wagner | National Program Director | Native CDFI Network
Brett Isaac (Navajo Nation) | CEO | Navajo Power
1:30 pm
NCRC Update: Opportunities in the Newly Revised Community Reinvestment Act
Moderator: Ian Record | Ian Record Consulting
Jesse Van Tol | President & CEO | National Community Reinvestment Coalition
2:00 pm
DOE Funding Opportunities for Rural and Remote Energy Projects
Toniqua Hay | Stakeholder Engagement Lead | Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas | Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations | U.S. Department of Energy
3:30 pm
“Voices for Change: A Night of Inspiration and Collaboration”
Shuttle Departs from Hyatt Regency Hotel
National Museum of the American Indian, 4th St SW, Washington, D.C. 20560
4:00 pm
Creating Opportunity: The Intersection of Public Policy and Private Investment in Indian Country
Moderator: Brian Edwards | Associate Publisher & Editor | Tribal Business News
Wizipan Garriott (Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota) | Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs | U.S. Department of the Interior
Fatima Abbas (Haliwa Saponi) | Director | Office of Tribal & Native Affairs | U.S. Department of the Treasury
National Museum of the American Indian, Rasmuson Theater
4:30 pm
National Native Voices: Advancing Financial Access for Native CDFIs and Native Communities
Moderator: Brian Edwards | Associate Publisher & Editor | Tribal Business News
Chris James | President & CEO | National Center of the American Indian Enterprise Development
Kim Pate (Eastern Band Cherokee, Mississippi Choctaw) | NDN Fund Managing Director | NDN Collective
Pete Upton (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) | CEO | Native CDFI Network
National Museum of the American Indian, Rasmuson Theater
5:15 pm
NWAF – Allowing Communities to Thrive on Their Own Terms
Pete Upton (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) | CEO | Native CDFI Network
Kevin Walker | President & CEO | Northwest Area Foundation
National Museum of the American Indian, Rasmuson Theater
6:00 pm
Networking Reception – Sponsored by Farmer Mac
National Museum of the American Indian, 3rd Floor Galleries
6:45 pm
Dinner and Keynote Speaker
Winona LaDuke | Author, Activist, and Environmentalist
National Museum of the American Indian, Potomac Atrium
9:00 pm
Evening Concludes, Shuttle Departs to Hyatt Regency Hotel
7:00 am
Breakfast & Networking
8:00 am
NCN Policy Priorities for 2025: Shaping the Policy Agenda for Native CDFIs
Ian Record | Ian Record Consulting
Pete Upton (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) | CEO | Native CDFI Network
8:30 am
NREL CAP Program Overview
Jonathan Morgenstein | Senior Project Manager | National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
8:45 am
Rolling Out a new Technology Platform for Native Communities
Dhruv C. Patel | Co-Founder & CEO | Syncurrent
9:15 am
CDFI Fund: Updates from the U.S. Treasury and CDFI Fund Leadership
Pravina Raghavan | Director | CDFI Fund | U.S. Department of the Treasury
Pete Upton (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) | CEO | Native CDFI Network
9:45 am
A Fireside Chat with Pete Upton and Janie Hipp
Moderator: Pete Upton (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) | CEO | Native CDFI Network
Janie Hipp (Chickasaw Nation) | President & CEO | Native Agriculture Finance Services
10:20 am
Leading the Charge: A Native Communities Path to Renewable Energy Projects
David Cade | Housing Director | Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians
Dennis Ickes | CEO | Tule River Economic Development Corporation
Pete Upton (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) | CEO | Native CDFI Network
11:00 am
NCN CCIA Updates
11:30 am
Cross-Border Insights: Advancing Economic Reconciliation with Indigenous Communities – A Dialogue with The Honourable Greg Rickford – Ontario Canada
12:00 pm
Lunch
1:00 pm
Harnessing SSBCI for Sustainable Growth: Economic Development and Clean Energy in Native Communities
Zakaria Shaikh | Consultant | State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) |
U.S. Department of the Treasury
1:30 pm
Strategic Philanthropy: Exploring Mission-Driven Finance to Grow Native Economies
Moderator: Brian Edwards | Associate Publisher & Editor | Tribal Business News
Ted Piccolo (Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation) | Senior Director | Indigenous Futures Fund | Mission Driven Finance
Dante Desiderio (Sappony) | Chief Financial and Economic Strategist | Native Americans in Philanthropy
Caitlin Duffy | First Vice President, Commercial Banking | Amalgamated Bank
Karla Miller | Vice President | Northwest Area Foundation
John Balbach | Director of Impact Investments | John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
2:15 pm
Transforming Data into Action: Research Insights from the Heritage One Program
Kimberley Carr | Single-Family, Affordable Lending Manager | Mission & Community Engagement | Freddie Mac
Dennis Smith | Affordable Lending Manager | Single-Family Acquisitions Division | Freddie Mac
2:45 pm
Reflections and Calls to Action
Pete Upton (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) | CEO | Native CDFI Network
3:00 pm
Adjorn
TBD
Karaoke Night
Location: TBA
