Board of Directors Bios
Vernelle Chase, Chairwoman
Vernelle is the Director of Tribal Relations and Business Development for FlintCo. She has worked with Flintco for over 26 years where she has gained and maintained extensive knowledge in the construction industry in project management and tribal relationship building throughout Indian Country. Vernelle is the Board Chair for the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of New Mexico, Board member for the Fort Belknap Investment Board, Board member of the Laguna Development Corporation and holds a Bachelors in Building and Construction Technology from the University of New Mexico - Gallup. Vernelle is an enrolled member of the Gros-Ventre Tribe and of Assiniboine and Mandan Decent from Fort Belknap, Montana.
Phoebe Suina, Board Member
Phoebe Suina is the founder and owner of High Water Mark, LLC (HWM), which works with Tribes and Pueblos on a variety of issues and initiatives from environmental policy, land acquisition, planning, infrastructure, and how governmental (Federal, State and Local) policies, laws and priorities affect Tribal communities. Under HWM, Ms. Suina is managing multi-million-dollar emergency and disaster assistance projects under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In previous positions, she worked at the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) managing post-Cerro Grande fire erosion, sediment control, debris flow and flood hazard mitigation. For over 10 years, she also led environmental compliance and environmental remediation initiatives on DOE and LANL properties. Ms. Suina works with Native communities and local municipalities to address environmental, natural/geo-hazards,
and water resources issues by utilizing a consensus-based approach that incorporates traditional and local knowledge with science-based planning, engineering, and project management solutions. Her traditional Pueblo background is complemented by formal training in environmental engineering, project management and a Master’s degree from Dartmouth College. With this background of “tradition plus science,” for the past 19 years Ms. Suina has helped Pueblo and local communities manage projects in flood mitigation, environmental restoration, regulatory compliance, erosion control, hazard mitigation, and other environmental related projects. Ms. Suina continues to dedicate her time and energy to the State of NM by serving on the New Mexico Economic Recovery Council, which helps guide the State in navigating the economic challenges as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Suina is active in Pueblo cultural activities and is rooted in her Pueblo communities. Her consensus-based approach incorporates traditional, cultural and local knowledge and includes community education activities that empower local leadership and support resilience.
Joan Timeche, Board Member
Joan Timeche is the Executive Director of the Native Nations Institute for Leadership, Management and Policy at The University of Arizona. A citizen of the Hopi Tribe from the village of Old Oraibi, she received a B.S. in social work and a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Northern Arizona University. Prior to joining the Native Nations Institute in 2001, she served as program director of NAU’s Center for American Indian Economic Development (CAIED). Concurrently, from 1992-1995, she was co-executive director of the National Executive Education Program for Native American Leadership, a joint project of CAIED and Harvard University. Timeche also worked eight years as director of the Hopi Tribe’s Department of Education. She is a founding member, first president, and board member of the American Indian/Alaska Native Tourism Association; founding member and executive director of the Arizona Native American
Economic Coalition; and both board member and chair of the board of directors of the Hopi Tribe Economic Development Corporation. She currently sits on the board of directors for the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development and the Economic Development Authority of the Tohono O’odham Nation (board vice-chair since 2015), and UAZ Indige-FEWSS Advisory Committee. She is a regular speaker at both regional and national conferences on topics related to Indian economic development and tourism and is a recognized expert on doing business on Indian lands. Timeche has spent her career focused on strategic economic development training and outreach programs. In 1989, she was named a Petra Foundation Fellow and in 1995, Hopi of the Year by the Nava-Hopi Observer. She founded the Native American Youth Entrepreneur Camp, for which she and NNI received the 2006 Youth Entrepreneurship of the Year Award by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development. In 2009, she received the American Indian Business Leaders Advocate of the Year Award for her work in promoting and cultivating Native American entrepreneurship, and in 2010, Timeche was named “Woman of the Year” by the Phoenix Indian Center. In 2020, she was awarded the Billy Joe Varney Award for Excellence recognizing outstanding performance by dedicated and committed University of Arizona staff, classified staff, or appointed professional employees who have been employed at the University for at least 15 years.
Onawa L. Haynes, Esq, Board member
Onawa L. Haynes, Esq. (Diné/Mescalero Apache) is originally from Gamerco, NM and is the CEO/Founder of Hozhonigo Consulting providing grant writing services to Tribes and Native-led nonprofits. She is also the founder of the Hozhonigo Institute, a nonprofit that aims to close the racial wealth gap for Native communities. She is a Tory Burch Fellow, holds Bachelors Degrees in English and Native American Studies from the University of New Mexico, a Juris Doctorate from the UNM School of Law, and is currently pursuing an MBA in American Indian Entrepreneurship from Gonzaga University.
Vina Little owl, treasurer
As a citizen of the Frozen Clan of the ?ɔɔ?ɔ́ɔ́ɔ́niinéninɔh White Clay People (Gros-Ventre Nation), I proudly uphold the values of my Indigenous heritage, including I am a child of the Knife Clan, Nųmą́khų́·ki (Mandan), Hiraacá (Hidatsa), and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Sioux). Armed with an accounting degree from The University of Montana and currently progressing towards a CPA with Becker Evolution graduate material, I stand as a professional Indigenous accountant and the Managing Member of Little Owl & Associates.
My commitment lies in leveraging the resurgence in leadership reshaping the traditional colonial-dominated view of Accounting & Finance by fostering a collaborative environment for Indigenous women to actively participate and contribute value-based solutions alongside their industry peers. It is fundamental to recognize the indispensable role of Indigenous women in shaping Turtle Island, preserving its invaluable resources, and cultivating the globally respected economy it is today -- a realm where unparalleled resilience and courage know no bounds.
In shedding light on the invaluable contributions of our grandmothers, I aspire to elevate the conversation around Indigenous perspectives in business and regulatory spheres. My role as a single mother raising Bull Elk, Mouse, and Pretty One only fuels my dedication to honorable and responsible stewardship. It is through this lens that I take my serving role with heart. It is an honor to stand before you as a descendant of Rides High, No Ears, Weasel Bear, Bear Shirt, Start Robe, Heap of Bear, Eagle Tail, Running Bear, Red Whip, Brings Down the Sun, Sleeping Bear, Good Kill, Kills in the Middle, and Kills on the Water. I am honored to bring rich integrity and professional excellence to my role as Treasurer. With a focus on financial acumen, strategic decision-making, and resource management, I am dedicated to leveraging my skills for the betterment of our Native Women Lead organization. They call me Vina Little Owl, and I welcome you to walk alongside me in championing empowerment and celebrating diverse perspectives.