Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Tawney Brunsch (Oglala Sioux) is the Executive Director of Lakota Funds, the first-ever Native community development financial institution on a reservation. Since becoming Executive Director of Lakota Funds in 2010, Ms. Brunsch has led this financial institution through several more history-making accomplishments, including: the charter of the Lakota Federal Credit Union, the launch of a child development account program, and the conversion that is currently underway of a low-income tax credit housing development into privately-owned homes. She innovated a collaborative of key regional leaders in the Native asset-building field to form the Great Plains Native Asset Building Coalition, and is a member of the South Dakota Indian Business Alliance and the Native CDFI Network. In addition, Ms. Brunsch serves on the Board of Directors for Mazaska Owecaso Otipi Financial, a Native community development financial institution dedicated to creating opportunities for homeownership on the Pine Ridge Reservation, and was recently appointed to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Advisory Council. Ms. Brunsch received her Bachelor’s Degree in Commercial Economics from South Dakota State University and is certified as a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Preparer.
Richard Dryden is the Branch Manager of the Black Hills Federal Credit Union in Hot Springs, South Dakota. As a long-time credit union employee, he has also held a loan officer and teller position for the Black Hills Federal Credit Union and the Agricultural Loan Officer position for the Rapid City Production Credit Association. Mr. Dryden has served on several local boards and committees including the City of Oelrichs Town Board, the Oelrichs School Board, and the Hot Springs Child Protection Team. He graduated from Chadron State College.

Supervisory Committee

LaVonne Randall (Oglala Sioux) is the Finance Manager of Lakota Funds, a certified Native community development financial institution located on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Ms. Randall has several years of experience in financial management as she owned and operated her own business prior to joining the Lakota Funds team. She has also held positions with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Real Estate Services and the United States Air Force. LaVonne has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Associate’s Degrees in Word/Information Processing and Secretarial Science. She is also certified as an Economic Development Finance Professional by the National Development Council and Citigroup.