Gerald Sherman
Chairman – CCDFI Native American Advisory Board
Bar K Management – Consultant
Mr. Sherman, an Oglala Lakota, grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. A graduate of Oglala Lakota College, Mr. Sherman is the founding board chairman and first Executive Director of the Lakota Fund. Mr. Sherman also served as Program Officer for Four Times Foundation. Most recently, Mr. Sherman served for nine years as President and CEO of Indian Land Capital Company, and is currently working as a consultant.
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Bob Crothers
CCDFI Native American Advisory Board Member Since 2016
Citizen Potawatomi CDC – Senior Commercial Lender
Mr. Crothers oversees commercial lending for Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation (CPCDC). He helps coordinate the organization’s outreach and marketing functions. He joined CPCDC after retiring from the banking industry in 2008. During his association with CPCDC, he has helped the organization grow – from $12 million in ’08, to more than $37 million today.
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Karlene Hunter
CCDFI Native American Advisory Board Member Since 2016
Native American Natural Foods – CEO & Co-Founder
Ms. Hunter is CEO and co-founder of Native American Natural Foods (NANF). A member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Ms. Hunter has more than 25 years of experience working on educational and economic development on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, where NANF is based. Ms. Hunter holds an MBA from Oglala Lakota College, and is well known throughout the Native American community for her local and national service.
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Shawn Nelson
CCDFI Native American Advisory Board Member Since 2016
Father Sky Mother Earth ART
Mr. Nelson, Turquoise Man, is (Dibe’ lizhini) (Black Sheep) and (Kinya’a a’anii) (High Tower People) Clan of the Dine h Tribe (Navajo). A lifelong artist, Mr. Nelson specializes in working with natural Earth pigments to create fine art sand paintings that honor family and Navajo tradition.
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Pete Upton
CCDFI Native American Advisory Board Member Since 2022
Native360 Loan Fund
Mr. Upton (Ponca) is the Executive Director of Native360 Loan Fund, a certified Native CDFI that focuses on entrepreneurship and financial literacy development for Native Americans. Mr. Upton has served as Executive Director since 2011 and built the organization from its start-up phase into a successful lending organization that continues to experience growth while ever increasing its community impact.