Ellen White Thunder (Oglala Sioux) has been named as the Deputy Director of Lakota Funds. White Thunder joined the Lakota Funds team eight months ago and was instrumental in the success of the organization’s construction internship program last summer.
In her new position, White Thunder will assist Executive Director, Tawney Brunsch, in coordinating and supervising the organization’s daily activities. She will also play a key role in launching and implementing a statewide workforce development program, focusing on the construction trades.
“We’re very pleased to have Ellen on board, and I look forward to working with her as a partner in bringing Lakota Funds through our next phases of development and growth,” says Brunsch.
Prior to her employment with Lakota Funds, White Thunder served as the Vocational Education Director for Oglala Lakota College. She has also worked as a roofer, construction monitor, project estimator, and construction control inspector. Because of this multitude of varying work experiences, White Thunder brings a unique perspective to Lakota Funds. She has a B.S. in Construction Engineering Technology from the University of Southern Mississippi and an M.S. in Construction Engineering and Management from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
