Fall/Winter 2023
Understanding Workforce Grantmaking in Native Nations and Communities: A Webinar Series
December 7 at 3:00 PM ET
Workforce Grantmaking in Native Nations and Communities (WGNNC), an emerging funder collaborative focused on supporting workforce development in Native Nations and communities, is convening a three-part webinar series launching this fall to deepen the understanding of those working in philanthropy about the current Native workforce development landscape. Attendees of this series will gain an understanding of how philanthropy can more impactfully support self-determined efforts by Native nations and communities to develop the professional skills and knowledge of Native people in accordance with their holistic values, needs, and long-term goals. This series is being co-sponsored by Native Americans in Philanthropy.
Webinar III: Native Workforce Development Policy and Data: The Current Landscape and Ways Philanthropy Can Strengthen Them (December 2023)
This webinar will provide a comprehensive overview of the main federal policies governing Native workforce development and their degree of effectiveness, the nature and extent of the data explaining the current state of the Native workforce nationally and locally, and how increased philanthropic focus and resources can strengthen Native workforce policy and data, leading to better outcomes on the ground. Attendees will hear from Indian Country policy and data experts about specific policy and data issues and the ways their organizations can help Native nations and communities address them.
Speakers:
Lora Ann Chaisson
Ms. Chaisson is Principal Chief of the United Houma Nation and a current resident of Point aux Chene, LA. She is the UHN's National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Alternate Delegate as well as the Southeast Regional Alternate Vice President to the NCAI Executive Committee. She is also a current member of the United States Department of Labor Native American Employment and Training Council as well as a Board Member and Treasurer for the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association. Chaisson is employed as a Vice President of Tribal Solutions Group. Her work with Tribal Solutions Group encompasses a variety of divisions with solution based services in areas such as education, gaming, medical, and broadband/ communications specifically for tribal nations, entities, and enterprises.
Casey Lozar
Casey Lozar is a vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and director of the Center for Indian Country Development (CICD), a research and policy institute that works to advance the economic self-determination and prosperity of Native nations and Indigenous communities. Prior to joining the Minneapolis Fed in 2018, Casey served in economic development and higher education roles for the State of Montana. Additionally, he held executive leadership positions in national Native American nonprofits, including the American Indian College Fund and the Notah Begay III Foundation. A Montana native, Casey was raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation and is an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.