Tiwahe Foundation Announces New Board Members

Source: Tiwahe Foundation 02/25/2013

(Feb. 25, 2013) — Tiwahe Foundation announces the election of two new members to its Board of Directors: Andrew Adams III, Associate at Jacobson, Buffalo, Magnuson, Anderson & Hogen, P.C and Anna Ross, Executive Director at Bii Gii Wiin Community Development Loan Fund.

Andrew Adams III, Associate at Jacobson, Buffalo, Magnuson, Anderson & Hogen, P.C.
 
"I'm very excited to join the Tiwahe Foundation and look forward to assisting in furthering its goals of philanthropy and strengthening American Indian communities through leadership, culture, values, and vision."
 
Andrew Adams III is an associate at Jacobson, Buffalo, Magnuson, Anderson & Hogen, P.C., in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Andrew joined Jacobson Buffalo in 2010 after working in-house for a northern Wisconsin tribe for four years. Andrew regularly advises clients on a wide range of legal matters involving federal Indian law, gaming law, litigation, internet gaming law, contracts, business development, and transactions. Andrew graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2006 and the University of Michigan in 1996 (BA) and 1999 (MA). Andrew currently serves as Vice-Chief Justice of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Supreme Court. He is the Deputy Chair of the Federal Bar Association Indian Law Section, Board Member of the Minnesota American Indian Bar Association, Board Member of the State Bar of Wisconsin Indian Law Section, and Board Member of the Native American Community Development Institute.


Anna Ross, Executive Director, Bii Gii Wiin Community Development Loan Fund
 
"I am so excited to be a part of such an innovative organization that is doing amazing things, changing lives and making an impact on Indian Country."

Anna Ross is a proud member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, born in Everett, WA and grew up on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in Belcourt, ND. She serves as the Executive Director of the Bii Gii Wiin Community Development Loan Fund. Anna received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Haskell Indian Nations University and her Master's Degree from the University of Kansas. Prior to joining Bii Gii Wiin CDLF, she served as the Executive Director of a Poverty Reduction program for her tribe for four years and went on to work at Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC) as the Internal Operations Director assisting in the development of a Foundation for TMCC. She has served as a leader in her community on her local school board as well as chairman of the Tribal Scholarship board.

Anna moved to the Twin Cities area in 2011 to work with American Indian Community Development Corporation (AICDC) in their development of a Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Since she has been in the Twin Cities, she has wrote many successful grants for the CDFI as well as successfully acquired 501c3 non-profit status for the CDFI known as Bii Gii Wiin. Bii Gii Wiin means coming home, in Ojibwe, and its mission is to promote homeownership among Native American households throughout the State of Minnesota through the provision of development services and financial products and services. Currently Bii Gii Wiin provides homebuyer education, entrepreneurship, and financial education classes as well as one on one coaching and counseling.She says that being raised by her grandparents has given her a respect for the history of the Native community and being a mother has given her a vision for the possibilities of the future.

About Tiwahe Foundation
The Tiwahe Foundation was created to help renew the American Indian community through the Circle of Giving. This philosophy is grounded in American Indian tradition and the value of reciprocity, recognizing that all life is inter-related and giving benefits the giver as well as the receiver. The Tiwahe Foundation is a trusted community partner with an intimate understanding of issues that affect Native American people, as well as the role American Indian values, such as generosity, compassion, courage and resilience, play in building a self-sustaining community.