Cohort Participants

Zac Birdinground is a Project Manager for ASI-industrial with 5 years of experience estimating and managing construction projects. He is a dedicated worker, whose goals are to ensure that a project finishes on time, finishes on budget, has great quality, and is run safely.

Zac has a B.S. in Construction Engineering Technology and a minor in Business Administration from Montana State University, which has helped Zac estimate and manage over $30 million in contracts.

When not at work Zac is spending time with his wife and four children.

Known as Iichiinmáatchileesh/Fortunate with Horses – comes from the Apsáalooke/Crow Nation located in southeastern Montana. She holds a B.A. in Earth Sciences and Native American Studies from Dartmouth College and is now a doctoral student in the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Arizona. She is an Agents of Change in Environmental Justice Fellow, founder of the Ilíiaitchik: Indigenous Correspondents Program, Aspen Institute Forum on Women and girls SOAR Fellow, University of Arizona CALS Impact Leader Fellow, CLIMAS Environment and Society Fellow, Carson Scholar, National GEM Fellow, Sloan Scholar, as well as an NSF NRT Indigenous Food, Energy, Water Security, and Sovereignty (Indige-FEWSS) Fellow. In her free time, JoRee enjoys serving as a community organizer/advocate, hanging out with the elders and youth in her family, riding horses, playing with her two dogs, beading, and running a few games of basketball.

Jordynn Paz is a member of the Apsaalooké (Crow) Nation of Montana, and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and Native American studies from the University of Montana. As an analyst at the financial data services firm, Kestrel, Ms. Paz contributes to our understanding of the complicated intersection of municipal finance and issues impacting American Indians.