Tanksi M. Clairmont
Co-Executive Director National Tribal Program – Development
Tanksi, Pte’ Sa Sapa Winyan (Black Buffalo Calf Woman) is an enrolled tribal member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate (Dakota) from Sisseton, SD, and Sicangu Lakota Oyate from Rosebud, S.D. She has a B.A. from Metropolitan State University of Denver and a Master’s in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota. She is deeply rooted in Lakota/Dakota culture through ceremony, language, and social dancing (pow-wow). Tanksi enjoys exercising, sewing and beading traditional regalia, reading, traveling, and best of all being a mother.
Tanksi brings her experience in grant administration, research and evaluation, and advocacy of tribal issues on sovereignty, energy, education, equity, and funding in tribal communities. She has worked extensively in Indian Country to advance and address the unique economic, social and environmental needs while developing, strengthening and enhancing relationships with tribal partners, government relations, funders and industry stakeholders.
Tanksi joined GRID Alternatives in December 2018 as the Managing Director of the Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund. She conceptualized and created the tribal-focused grantmaking and leadership programs which have grown in scope and impact over the years. Currently, she provides thought-leadership to the TSAF team and leads fundraising efforts for GRID’s tribal work which includes the TSAF and Tribal Program implementation team.
Darrell Hill
Senior Program Officer, Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund
Darrell Hill is an enrolled member and descendant of the Oneida and Menominee Nations of Wisconsin. He recently joined GRID Alternatives Tribal team as the Sr. Program Officer. Before joining GRID Alternatives, Darrell was the Chief Executive Officer of the Meskwaki Nation’s tribal corporation and business development with an emphasis on community, partnerships, and future sustainability. In this role, Darrell’s goals and objectives were to improve and revise the organizational structure, capital improvements, and overall strategic plan.
Darrell’s educational background includes an associate degree in Business Management (MATC), a bachelor’s degree in Communications and a master’s degree in Education with a focus on Leadership from the University of Iowa (Go Hawks).
Darrell currently resides in Iowa with his loving wife Grace, 3 awesome children, Jr., Jaymison, and Jaslynn and his fur relative Rocky (Cat). In his free time, you can catch Darrell enjoying the great outdoors traveling, camping, fishing, dancing and singing or just having a fun time with his family. Darrell is thankful for this new opportunity and looks forward to learning and growing with the organization.
Catherine Zingg
Tribal Policy Director
Catherine Zingg serves as the Tribal Program Policy Director for GRID Alternatives and oversees best practices, strategic development and campaign oversight for Tribal, state, and federal-level policies and initiatives. As a proud member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, Catherine centers Indigenous place-keeping in policymaking spaces. In her role, she protects and preserves the political autonomy that Tribal Nations have as sovereign nations. With over five years of working within nonprofits and policy work, Catherine brings a diverse range of skills rooted in writing good solar policy that actively includes Tribal Nations and elected Tribal leadership, building diverse coalitions across lines of power and led by Tribal advocates, and setting best practices for community engagement strategies.
Driven by a commitment to Tribal self-determination and sovereignty, she has worked with several different Tribal Nations in the Midwest and Southwest regions focused on strengthening Tribal-state relations, intervening within rate cases on behalf of Tribal ratepayer assistance, engaging in regulatory arenas defending the value of solar, and lending her expertise to statewide solar programs with Tribal-specific incentives for state-based Tribal Nations. The magnitude of Tribal participation in state-level policy change is clear: the stakes are high for Tribal communities in the energy transition and there is an urgent need for every state to uplift solar adoption and accessibility for Tribal Nations. She has completed her Bachelor’s of Arts from Arizona State University. In her free time, she loves to read, write, and blog about baking while spending time with her dog, friends and family.
Angelica Wright
Tribal Workforce and Education Manager
Angelica is a Citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. She serves as the Tribal Workforce and Education Manager. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education from the University of Denver and a Bachelor of Science in Business from Colorado State University. With a passion for education and sustainability she is working to advance TSAF workforce development initiatives by supporting scholars, interns, and fellows in their education and leadership within tribal renewable energy.
In her role as the Tribal Workforce and Education Manager, Angelica helps support tribal energy leaders by overseeing experiential learning, education, and community based programming. She has developed tribal renewable energy specific curriculum focusing on access to project funding, industry related curriculum, project management training and culturally centered professional development.
Prior to coming to the Tribal team, Angelica worked in college and university settings assisting Native students navigate higher education and professional and career opportunities. Angelica has supported Native college students and youth to access their education and career goals through academic advising, professional skill development, and cultural support.She is dedicated to using these experiences to assist her in helping with the development of tribal energy leaders throughout Indian Country.
Danita Ordaz
Tribal Workforce Coordinator
Danita Ordaz is Jicarilla Apache and Lipan Apache and currently works as the Tribal Workforce Coordinator within the GRID Alternatives National Tribal Program. In this position she provides administrative support in the efforts of the National Tribal Education and Workforce initiatives.
Danita has her bachelor’s degree in Ethnic Studies with a focus in Indigenous Studies from Colorado State University. Her passion for both education and uplifting tribal members/communities has been a driving force in what type of work she has engaged in her professional career. She has worked in a variety of positions within the K-12 school system and higher education institutions. Her work has a focus on access, recruitment and retention within the realm of Indian Education. Her work in education has been nationally recognized by NASPA’s Indigenous Peoples Knowledge Committee when she was awarded “Outstanding Professional in Service”. Aside from work she enjoys being a mother, crafting, singing hiking and traveling.
John Teller
Tribal Communications Officer
John is a Menominee/Oneida from Wisconsin and serves as the Communications Officer for the National Tribal Program. John has a Bachelor’s degree in Information Science and a Master’s degree in Management from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. John is a United States Marine Corps veteran and is actively involved in the Native American community. John brings a wealth of experience in the media and public relations industry.
Prior to joining GRID Alternatives, John owned and operated his own media company and produced traditional Native powwow music. John has also worked progressively in the education field as well as the Information and Technology markets. John is a former voting member of the Grammy Foundation and is a “40 Under 40” award recipient from the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development.
John’s communication skills are utilized to help TSAF and all associated partners tell thoughtful and engaging stories in a variety of mediums. John is dedicated to enhancing the value of any project through effective communication strategies which includes: social media, marketing, print and digital media, graphics design, website development, and audio/visual engineering.