FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Rapid City – In response to volatile political and economic shifts that continue destabilizing communities across Turtle Island, NDN Collective has assembled an advisory council to strengthen the organization’s infrastructure, network, and reach.
By adding the advisory council to their already robust movement ecosystem — which encompasses grantmaking, impact investing, direct action strategies, organizing trainings, narrative power, and more — NDN Collective will continue to resource Indigenous communities, organizations, practitioners, and individuals who are leading the charge for justice and equity for all people and Mother Earth.
The inaugural members of NDN Collective’s new advisory council include:
- Dana Bourland, co-founder and president of Soils and Vessels
- Farhad Ebrahami, Philanthropic Transformation Strategist with the Solidaire Network
- Macklemore (Ben Haggerty), singer/songwriter and activist
- Kevin Walker, President and CEO of the Northwest Area Foundation
- Akaya Windwood, director of the Growing Roots Fund
- Se-ah-dom Edmo, Executive Director of Seeding Justice
- Tina Kuckkahn, President/CEO of First Peoples Fund
- Lisl Schoepflin, President and Board Chair at Panta Rhea
- Leah Salgado, Director of Narrative Power at the Weissberg Foundation
- Marian Moore, co-founder and former faculty of the Just Economy Institute
- Pia Infante, Executive Director and Co-founder of the Trust Based Philanthropy Project
- Lori Villarosa, Executive Director of Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity
- Josh Kirschenbaum, Chief Advancement and Special Initiatives Officer at PolicyLink
The council is a circle of trusted partners—visionaries, advocates, and protectors—who will amplify the mission of NDN Collective through deep relationships, strategic influence, and bold financial commitment. They will strengthen NDN Collective’s work to ensure Indigenous communities have the resources, autonomy, and power to reclaim their lands, defend their rights, and shape a future grounded in self-determination, cultural resurgence, and collective thriving.
“Today, we are proud to announce the launch of the NDN Collective National Advisory Council — a strategic initiative designed to ensure Indigenous Peoples are well-resourced and supported in the face of federal funding freezes and escalating attacks,” said Christina Chavez, Resource Development & Partnerships Manager at NDN Collective. “The advisory council will serve as a powerful conduit for accomplices, advocates, and partners to engage and activate communities across Turtle Island and beyond.”
“As we enter this new chapter, we reaffirm our commitment to building Indigenous power and protecting the sacred,” said Nick Tilsen, Founder and CEO of NDN Collective. “The National Advisory Council is a testament to our belief that when Indigenous communities are resourced, respected, and recognized for their expertise, transformative change follows.”
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NDN Collective is an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power. Through organizing, activism, philanthropy, grantmaking, capacity-building, and narrative change, we are creating sustainable solutions on Indigenous terms.
