My job is to bring as much capital as possible to American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities. These investments help change agents build new health care, education, infrastructure, housing and other developments in their communities. If you want to know specifically how Travois can help you structure your investments, attract capital, design buildings and manage your developments, call or email me any time.
We see value where other people don’t. We identify leaders in local communities who have a vision. We support those leaders as they build consensus around that vision. Once the community gets behind the idea, we provide the capital and technical assistance required to make it a reality. Then we bring in outside investors and show them what you and I already know — that when Indian Country communities come together, there is nothing they can’t accomplish.
After the deal has closed, the doors are open, and the celebration has quieted down, we remain right next to those local leaders. We continue on the journey helping that specific development to succeed while keeping an eye on the horizon for what comes next.
Every day in this job, I find myself relying on the great education I was so blessed to receive. I use my bachelor’s degree in English from Wake Forest University as I write for the Travois blog. I use my master’s degree in public administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City as I work with various levels of tribal and federal government to move projects forward. I use my executive certificate in negotiation from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government every day as I try to get Elizabeth’s and my three kids fed, brushed, dressed, combed and off to school on time.
Then I settle into my desk here at Travois and do what I love to do: listen to Indian Country’s most dynamic community economic development professionals talk about their vision for the future. Then we work together to make it a reality.
Any follower of ours on social media knows that we log a lot of miles. This means many hours on the road with our clients riding between site visits or to meetings. We highly value that face time.
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The Pascua Yaqui Tribe works hard to keep its language vibrant. Our friends at the tribe have told us the translation of Itom Hiapsi: our heart.
That is what the words mean in English. But, more importantly, we are seeing what the Itom Hiapsi project means to American Indian families.
Travois is excited to be in a new program, sponsored by Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) and Goldman Sachs, called the Small Business Finance Collaborative. This is part of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses Initiative.
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Travois has directly deployed $180 million in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation and brought an additional $115 million from other Community Development Entities (CDEs) to Native communities for economic development projects.
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The Coastal Villages Region Fund is constantly reinvesting directly into the futures of local people.
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There are a few things that need to happen at Travois before any serious work begins. Of course, there is coffee. Next, of course, comes discussion of the likelihood of our Royals making it to a second straight World Series.
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I recently had a chance to catch up with longtime Travois partner David Small, dean of administration at Little Big Horn College. We talked basketball, climate change adaptation and online learning among other topics.
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If you drive through the heart of the reservation, you will see evidence that health and wellness are important to the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Nowhere is this on clearer display than at the Peter Christensen Dental Clinic on the Lac du Flambeau Reservation.
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American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities are extremely diverse. Our project map shows that our investment track record reflects this diversity. There is one thing all of our NMTC clients have in common. They are deeply rooted in their communities.
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Two things are clear to me from my recent trip to Washington, D.C., for the New Markets Tax Credit Coalition Conference:
Officials hear Indian Country’s concern about the recent lack of New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocations.
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