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Oweesta's Chrystel Cornelius will discuss equitable solar access in Native communities by uniting stakeholders and leveraging Tribal CDFIs to overcome adoption barriers

LONGMONT, Colo., Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- 

WHAT 
The Native CDFI Network (NCN) will host its 5th Annual Policy & Capacity Building Summit on December 11-13, 2024, bringing together Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), tribal leaders, policymakers and industry experts to collaborate on advancing economic opportunities in Native communities. The three-day summit will focus on strengthening the capacity of Native CDFIs and advocating for policies that support economic sovereignty in Native communities. Attendees will gain insights from engaging sessions, panel discussions and networking opportunities with key stakeholders driving change in the Native financial ecosystem.

As a part of the event, Chrystel Cornelius, president and CEO of , a national Native CDFI intermediary helping to strengthen the foundation in Native communities for sustainable, equitable growth and prosperity, will participate in a panel discussion titled, "Solar for All – Connecting with NCN's 63 Community Lenders to Expand Solar Access in Native Communities."

WHO
Facilitator:
Michael Swack, Carsey Senior Fellow Research Professor, Center for Impact Finance

Panelists:
Kyle Felsman, Program Manager for WIN SFA, GRID Alternatives
Kerry O'Neil, CEO, Inclusive Prosperity Capital
Daniel Wiggins, Executive Director, MTERA

Chrystel Cornelius (Oneida, Ojibwe), President and CEO, Oweesta Corporation

Chrystel Cornelius is the president and CEO of Oweesta Corporation, a national Native CDFI intermediary predominantly serving Native communities across the United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. Cornelius has worked with Native communities for most of her professional career, with more than 26 years of experience working in the Native economic development field. She is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians located in North Dakota. She has dedicated her career to capitalizing Native communities' upholding of tribal sovereignty and self-determination measures through the issuance of capital and organizational capacity-building efforts.

Cornelius is a founding board member for the Native CDFI Network. She is also a former board member of Opportunity Finance Network, a current board member of the Community Reinvestment Fund, and holds the position of chairwoman for the Red Feather Development Group. She is a BALLE Fellow and Skoll Fellow. She was also a recipient of the 27th Heinz Awards for the Economy.

WHEN/WHERE
Date: Thursday, December 12, 2024
Time: 10:45 a.m. – 11:15 p.m. ET
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20001

For more information about the event, visit .

About Oweesta Corporation
Oweesta Corporation is the longest-standing intermediary for Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), serving as an essential bridge between traditional lenders and underserved Native areas. As the largest facilitator of capital to Indian Country, Oweesta offers financial products and services to Native CDFIs and provides expert technical assistance and training to ultimately equip Native people with the knowledge and skills that support strategic financial decision-making. Oweesta is dedicated to strengthening the foundations of Native communities by advancing sustainable, equitable growth and prosperity. Based in Longmont, Colorado, Oweesta is a majority-Native, minority- and women-led nonprofit organization. Since its inception in 1999, it has funded more than 4,350 Native businesses in 36 states, with its network of over 245 partners disbursing more than 26,000 loans totaling over $826 million. For more information, visit .

Media Contact

Michiko Morales, Gabriel Marketing Group (for Oweesta Corporation), 202-805-2345, [email protected]

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