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.