Please join us as we:
This event provides a unique platform for participants to engage in meaningful discussions, share experiences, and forge collaborations to advance clean energy initiatives and economic equity. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with industry partners, explore funding options, and leverage regional resources to drive impactful change in your communities. cxc
This three-day event will take place in two locations. It is recommended that you fly into Bangor International Airport (BGR) and rent a vehicle for transportation.
This three day event will begin on Monday, September 9 with a welcome luncheon and community tour of Penobscot Nation on Indian Island, near Bangor. Four Directions Development Corporation will share the history of Four Directions and area tribes that will set the context for ‘where we’ve been’ and their vision for the future.
Tuesday through Wednesday conference days will be held at the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel. The conference will include workshops and a speaker line-up hosted by NeighborWorks America and the Native CDFI Network. Sessions will focus on best practices for workforce development, youth development, housing needs, and household savings with an emerging Clean Energy Finance market that centers Native CDFIs as the cornerstone.
If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please reach out to Shauntel Hogan, NCN Communications Director, at [email protected].
This agenda is subject to change and will be updated periodically. Check back for the latest updates.
11:30 am
Welcome Lunch
Sockalexis Arena – 12 Wabanaki Way, Indian Island, ME, 04468
Featuring James Beard nominated Native chef, Chef Joe Robbins (Penobscot Nation)
1:30 pm
Community Walking Tour of Four Directions Projects in Partnership with Penobscot Nation
Walking distance from lunch arena
3:00 pm
Recreation Time and Travel to Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel in Carrabassett Valley
Guests will provide their own transportation
7:00 am
Registration Check-In & Breakfast Opens
9:00 am
Welcome, Grounding & Connecting
Pete Upton | CEO | Native CDFI Network
Mel Willie | Senior Director of Native American Partnerships & Strategy | NeighborWorks America
10:30 am
Break
10:45 am
Connecting with NeighborWorks America’s Native Strategy
Mel Willie (Navajo) | Senior Director of Native American Partnerships & Strategy | NeighborWorks America
12:00 pm
John Bear Mitchell | Wabanaki Cultural Bearer/Storyteller/Singer
1:15 pm
Four Directions Development Corporation’s Creation Story
Matthew Lewis | Executive Director | Four Directions Development Corporation
Susan Hammond | Founder and former Executive Director | Four Directions Development Corporation
Jayne Crosby Giles | Former CEO of Mainestream Finance, the CDFI of Penquis Community Action Program
Debra Ellwood | Executive Director | Maine Community Foundation Executive Director
2:45 pm
Break
3:00 pm
Peer Discussions: Cultivating Strategies through Partnerships
4:00 pm
Moving Forward
4:30 pm
Adjourn
5:30 pm
Networking Reception
Located at Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel – Widowmaker Lounge
7:00 am
Registration Check-In & Breakfast Opens
9:00 am
Welcome Remarks
Pete Upton (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) | CEO/Board Chair | Native CDFI Network
9:30 am
State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) – Case Examples from Indian Country
Zakaria Shaik | Contractor | U.S. Department of the Treasury
10:00 am
Partnering with the Federal Home Loan Bank System to Support Homeownership in Indian Country
Michael Volpe | Senior Vice President Chief Bank Operations Officer | Federal Home Loan Bank of New York
10:30 am
Green Mortgage Financing – The Future of Sustainable Homeownership
Sean Skulley | Advisor, Environmental Impact | ESG Engagement & Impact | Fannie Mae
Caroline Yezzi | Lead Associate, Duty to Serve | Engagement and Impact | Fannie Mae Engagement
11:00 am
Increasing CDFI Liquidity for Mortgage Lending through Solutions from Native Organizations and Partners
Moderator: Mel Willie | Senior Director of Native Strategy | NeighborWorks America
Tawney Brunsch | Executive Director | Lakota Funds
Susan Hammond | Relationship Manager for Native CDFIs | Fahe
Linda Marin | Director of Homeownership | cdcb
Nadia Erosa | Rio Grande Valley Multibank CDFI Operations Manager | cdcb
12:00 pm
1:00 pm
USDA RD Programs Supporting Housing and Business Development
Leroy Garcia | Rural Business Cooperative Service Chief of Staff | USDA RD
Rudy Soto | Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of External and Intergovernmental Affairs | USDA RD
1:30 pm
USDA RD Programs Supporting Clean Energy Development
Jaime Jackson | Senior Advisor for the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) | USDA RD
2:00 pm
Clean Energy Finance Resources Available through the Greenhouse Reduction Fund
Brian Edwards – Moderator | Associate Director | Tribal Business News
Chrystel Cornelius (Ojibwe | Oneida) | CEO/President | Oweeta Corporation
Wendolyn Holland | Sr. Advisor for Policy, Tax & Government Relations | Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy
Kristen Wagner | National Program Director | Native CDFI Network
3:00 pm
Clean Energy Programs and Resources for the State of Maine
Tagwango Obamsawin | Clean Energy Partnership Program Manager | Maine Governor’s Energy Office
3:30 pm
Reflections and Next Steps
4:00 pm
Adjourn
