Congressional Keynote
Sharice Davids, U.S. Representative for Kansas’ 3rd District, was one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress in 2018. She has spent her time in Congress advocating for not only her home district, but Indian Country as a whole. Join us for this keynote session to hear how Representative Davids’ work on her two pivotal committees -- The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and The Committee on Small Business -- will help the nation and Indian Country recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic.
Speaker:
Representative Sharice Davids (D KS 3rd District)
Entertainment Break
Join us for a performance by Shelley Morningsong (N. Cheyenne), 2019 Native American Music Awards Artist of the Year & Multiple Music Award Winner and Fabian Fontenelle (Zuni/Amaha) who presents Northern Traditional dancing, storytelling, and traditional hand drum songs.
Agency Plans for Indian Country
The Administration is planning to invigorate the Consultation process to include tribal views and needs in their planning over the next few years. We will hear from members of the Administration about plans in their respective agencies followed by a question and answer session. Join the conversation and influence an agency's understanding of tribal concerns.
Moderator:
Colby Duren, Director of Policy and Government Relations, Intertribal Agriculture Council
Speakers:
Heather Dawn Thompson, Director, Office of Tribal Relations, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Jigar Shah, Director, Loan Program Office, U.S. Department of Energy
NAFOA Leadership Awards - Tribal Leader of the Year
Congressional & Administrative Update
The Biden Administration along with the 117th Congress are off to a strong start for Indian Country. The American Rescue Plan provides substantive relief for tribes and a renewed focus on the consultation process bodes well for the government-to-government relationship. Our guests will focus on what the new government means for tribes and give thoughts on what may be next for Indian Country.
Equitable Economic Recovery
The new administration hit the ground running and is faced with the monumental challenge of building our economy back with a heightened charge to address long-standing racial and economic disparities - on top of navigating the immediate health needs to end the pandemic. Our guest will discuss the administration’s bold plans to build a strong economy and a more just society.
Speakers:
Cecilia Rouse, Chair, Council of Economic Advisers
Aaron Klein, Economic Advisor, NAFOA
Comedy Break
Take a break for some laughs with Marc Yaffee. Marc is the founder and co-star of the Pow Wow Comedy Jam which was featured on the historic Showtime special Goin' Native. He can currently be heard on Sirius XM and seen on Comics Unleashed, DryBar Comedy & PBS. Marc's "funny not filthy" comedy has made him a hit with audiences of all types. His fans range from comedy club Millennials to casino showroom Baby Boomers. Marc skewers sacred cows, dissects societal stupidities, and confronts our common frustrations, all with humanity and humor.
Strategy and Stakeholder Communication: Preparing for the Re-Opening
2020 was a year of navigating constant change and overcoming challenges. Even as the economic recovery gains momentum and Indian Country recuperates from the full impact of the pandemic, expect uncertainty to remain a norm in 2021. This session will discuss key trends and ideas to safely move your economies forward, manage customer expectations, and sustain lender relationships with strategic optimism.
Moderator:
Kristi Jackson, Chairman, TFA Capital Partners
Speakers:
Melanie Benjamin, Chief Executive/Chairwoman, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Glen Gobin, Vice-Chairman, Tulalip Tribes
Ben Rechkemmer, Managing Director, KeyBank Native American Financial Services
NAFOA Leadership Awards - Executive of the Year
Financial Management Planning for a Post Pandemic World
The financial impact of the pandemic for Indian Country requires that tribes pay special attention to cash and debt management. With a record amount of cash coming into Indian Country, understanding the best method for strategically utilizing cash reserves to manage debts, lines of credit, and emergency loans have become more important today in order to plan for tomorrow. Planning for the next stage of your economy is essential to the success of the tribe.
Moderator:
Leonard Harjo, President, The Harjo Group, LLC
Speakers:
Dakota Cole, Secretary, Chickasaw Nation Department of Treasury
Joshua Branum, Senior Manager, Audit, Wipfli
Tim McDonough, Managing Director, PNC Capital Advisors
Treasury and Tribes: Assisting Indian Country Through Pandemic Relief Programs
The Department of Treasury is the agency responsible for getting many of the pandemic relief program funds to recipients – including the $8b Coronavirus Relief Fund set aside for tribal governments in the CARES Act. With additional relief on the way, our guest will discuss Treasury’s role in assisting Indian Country to receive these funds in an equitable and efficient manner.
Entertainment Break
Join us for a performance by Shelley Morningsong (N. Cheyenne), 2019 Native American Music Awards Artist of the Year & Multiple Music Award Winner and Fabian Fontenelle (Zuni/Amaha) who presents Northern Traditional dancing, storytelling, and traditional hand drum songs.
Navigating Compliance Updates During a Pandemic
While Congress delivered trillions of dollars in much-needed relief over the last year, these necessary programs came with mountains of guidance, FAQs, deadlines, and extensions for tribes to keep track of. In this session, our panelists will provide an in-depth overview of timely compliance information to ensure attendees can navigate their reporting requirements with confidence.
Moderator:
Tasha Repp, Partner, Moss Adams LLP
Speakers:
Ryan Claw, Treasurer, Tohono O'odham Nation
Lupita Martinez, Manager, CLA
Tralynna Scott, Treasurer, Cherokee Nation
NAFOA Leadership Awards - Deal of the Year
Open Discussion with IRS and TTAC
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee (TTAC) have been busy behind the scenes this year working to improve matters of taxation related to Indian Country. During this session, our panelists will have the opportunity to fill in tribes on all the exciting happenings at the IRS and with the TTAC’s subcommittee work on General Welfare Exclusion, dual taxation, and tribal pensions.
Moderator:
Lacey Horn, Chairperson, TTAC
Speakers:
Telly Meier, Program Manager, Indian Tribal Governments, Internal Revenue Service
Janine Cook, Deputy Associate Chief Counsel TE/GE, Internal Revenue Service
Lynn Malerba, Chief, Mohegan Tribe
Ron Allen, Chairman, Jamestown S'kllalam Tribe
Standing for Tomorrow: Reflecting on Our Lessons Learned
NAFOA invites tribal leaders to discuss the financial, community, and personal impacts of the pandemic on their tribes. This discussion will explore the topic of Indian Country’s capacity to build back better. What will be required of our communities as we move past the pandemic?
Moderator:
VaRene Martin, Director of Tribal and Corporate Relations/1st Vice President, NAFOA
Speakers:
Jamie Azure, Chairman, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians
Rodney Bordeaux, President, Rosebud Sioux Tribe
Comedy Break
Take a break for some laughs with Marc Yaffee. Marc is the founder and co-star of the Pow Wow Comedy Jam which was featured on the historic Showtime special Goin' Native. He can currently be heard on Sirius XM and seen on Comics Unleashed, DryBar Comedy & PBS. Marc's "funny not filthy" comedy has made him a hit with audiences of all types. His fans range from comedy club Millennials to casino showroom Baby Boomers. Marc skewers sacred cows, dissects societal stupidities, and confronts our common frustrations, all with humanity and humor.
The Rise of a More Inclusive and Automated Work Environment
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we approach the workplace. 2020 has proven that we have the technology to automate many accounting and operations processes. It has also proven that remote and virtual work is a possibility, making jobs more accessible for those with special needs and/or families. How do we take the lessons of the pandemic to create a more efficient, cost-effective, and accessible workplace? Is reallocating capital to automation which has the potential to pave the way for a better future a good plan? Can tribes and companies further expand and diversify their workforce by continuing to offer remote positions post-pandemic?
Moderator:
Therese Yanan, Executive Director, Native American Disability Law Center
Speakers:
John Garrett, Sr. Director, Federal Civilian Agencies, Dell Technologies
Cristin Heyns-Bousliman, Principal, HR Consulting Practice Leader, REDW
Hoskie Benally, Community and Government Liaison, Native American Disability Law Center
NAFOA Leadership Awards - Education Program of the Year
The Cost of Culture: Supporting Innovative & Best Practices for Language Revitalization
The staggering loss of life in Indian Country also means the loss of our cultural knowledge keepers. A concentrated effort will be required to sustain and accelerate cultural teachings post-pandemic. Tribal governments are poised to define the availability of new resources and allocate funding for staffing to meet the increased challenges of cultural preservation. This panel invites thought leaders to discuss innovative approaches to language revitalization.
Moderator:
Jodi Archambault, Director, Indigenous Peoples Initiatives
Speakers:
Howard Paden, Executive Director, The Department of Cherokee Language
Jennifer Westin, Director, Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project
Halay Turning Heart, Project Administrator, Yuchi Language Project
Treasury Tribal Consultation on Dual Taxation
The Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee (TTAC) Subcommittee on Dual Taxation, which included subject matter and legal experts, spent several months examining the issue of Dual Taxation, synthesizing findings, and crafting recommendations to present to the TTAC. The report was the reviewed, discussed in the December 9, 2020 public meeting and adopted with revisions. Upon adoption, the TTAC requested that Treasury engage in consultation with tribal governments to hear their comments and feedback on the report’s findings and recommendations.
For more information please see the DTLL: https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/226/Dear-Tribal-Leader-Invitation-Treasury-Tribal-Consultation-on-Dual-Taxation-April-30-2021.pdf
To view the Dual Taxation Subcommittee Report click here: https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/TTAC-Subcommittee-on-Dual-Taxation-Report-1292020.pdf
Click here to register for the Consultation: https://ustreasury.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsd-2vpzwoEr8qIuSI6RE4ntdmhlJcvT0