New executive director and new chief of operations named at Tanka Fund
Tanka Fund Names Dawn Sherman as Executive Director
Dawn Sherman has been named the new executive director at Tanka Fund. A founding board member, she previously served as CEO of Native American Natural Foods, maker of the Tanka Bar, a buffalo snack bar from Pine Ridge Reservation, SD.
“We have big goals at Tanka Fund that I intend to expand in my role as executive director,” Dawn said. “In addition to adding more buffalo, new ranchers, and providing grants and technical services, we are focused on the health of the animals and their impact on the land. We are helping drive research on what buffalo’s impact on the land really looks like and bringing that knowledge back to our rancher partners.”
For more about Dawn’s vision for Tanka Fund’s future: STORY AND VIDEO HERE
Tanka Fund Names Arnell D. Abold as Chief of Operations
Arnell D. Abold has been named chief of operations at Tanka Fund. She previously served as business director since 2021.
Arnell has worked in buffalo restoration for more than 20 years. Prior to joining Tanka Fund, she served four years as executive director and 16 years as fiscal director at the InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC).
“We are thrilled that Arnell has agreed to serve as Tanka Fund’s chief of operations,” said Dawn Sherman, executive director at Tanka Fund. “Her experience and heart for the work we do made her an easy choice for this important leadership position.”
To learn more about Arnell and her deep commitment to the work we do: STORY AND VIDEO HERE
Sacred Storm Grand Opening a Huge Success
Thank you to everyone who showed up to help us celebrate the GRAND OPENING of Sacred Storm Buffalo on July 27 in Rapid City, SD. We’d also like to thank all of you who couldn’t join but reached out with congratulations and kind words.
Nearly 400 people came out to meet the Sacred Storm team and tour the new processing facility, field harvesting trailer, and Warrior Lodge employee housing.
Tanka Fund partnered with two other Native nonprofits, Wambli Ska Okolakiciye and Makoce Agriculture Development, to make the purchase of Sacred Storm Buffalo with support from NDN Collective.
It is designed as a workforce development enterprise whose mission is to create sustainable futures through food sovereignty and cultural preservation.
SEE MORE PHOTOS & VIDEOS
Tanka Fund’s 10th Anniversary Video is LIVE
It’s FINALLY HERE! We are celebrating the 10th anniversary of our launch in 2014 the best way we know how, with our new video, “THE BUFFALO RETURN: A Decade of Healing and Renewal.” Who better to tell our story than the buffalo and their caretakers? The video outlines where we’ve been and where we’re going as we work to bring more animals home and empower our Native rancher partners.
WATCH VIDEO NOW
Tanka Fund Welcomes Interns
This summer, Tanka Fund hired Range Technician interns who have been working closely with our range ecologists in the Climate Smart program. They are researching rangeland ecology management of buffalo, differences between buffalo and cattle, land stewardship, and traditional ecological knowledge. The interns enhance the Climate Smart program by assisting the Range Ecologist and Technical Assistant, Janet Moore. They research state-by-state NRCS Conservation Practice Standards (CPS), helping to determine program eligibility and verify compliance.
MEET OUR INTERNS
COO Arnell D. Abold Named to North Discovery Buffalo Center Board
Our Chief of Operations, Arnell D. Abold, has been named to the board of directors of the North Discovery Buffalo Center located in Jamestown, ND. This is Arnell’s first board appointment, and she is also the first Native American to serve on the Center’s board.
“I am excited and honored to be a part of the Board for the NABDC! I look forward to working with the Board and the staff to share not only perspective but also my experience in bison restoration, conservation, and the importance of the bison’s story,” Arnell said. “I look forward to conveying the spiritual and cultural Indigenous connection to buffalo, and sharing why Native producer perspectives are key to telling the whole story.”
Rancher Focus: Bamm Brewer
Charles "Bamm" Brewer of Charging Buffalo Ranch on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota is one of our rancher partners.
Bamm also runs Charging Buffalo Meat Processing Facility where he processes buffalo and other local meats, which helps feed and improve the economy of the Lakota community where he lives. Culturally and spiritually, Bamm said having the facility honors his ancestors' "Buffalo way of life," which is "healthier."
Funder Spotlight: National Philanthropic Trust
Tanka Fund funding partner National Philanthropic Trust works with philanthropists and donor-advised funds to guide tens of thousands of grants every year. They steer grants to many categories important to Tanka Fund, such as animals, the environment, and public societal benefits.
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