Presenting in the following sessions:
Oct 17, 2024
Part 1: Leveraging Federal Programs and Philanthropic Efforts to Develop Tribal Clean Energy Technologies
1:00 PM-2:00 PM
PANEL 2A
Federal and philanthropic programs offer low- to no-cost opportunities for tribes to develop clean energy projects in their communities, but they can often be difficult to access. Join Suedeen Kelly, partner at Jenner & Block LLP, and Kimberly Dutcher, government relations adviser for Native American Affairs at Direct Relief, to learn about the role of tribal counsel in supporting the development of clean energy projects and Direct Relief’s involvement in the Power for Health Initiative, a grant program that supplies tribal health centers with solar panels and backup batteries to ensure power during large-scale outages.
CLE Credits Pending
Kimberly A. Dutcher
Navajo
Government Relations Advisor, Native American Affairs
Direct Relief
Kimberly A. Dutcher is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation (Ta'neeszahnii) who grew up on the Navajo Reservation in Fort Defiance, Arizona. Since July 2023, Ms. Dutcher has been a Government Relations Advisor for Direct Relief, a non-profit humanitarian organization whose mission is to improve the lives of people in poverty.
Ms. Dutcher served as Deputy Attorney General for the Navajo Nation from 2019-2023. She is a graduate of Window Rock High School. Ms. Dutcher received her Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, Master’s degree in Education from George Washington University, and Juris Doctor from Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Ms. Dutcher has been licensed to practice law in the state and federal courts of the State of Arizona for over 20 years, and in the Navajo Nation since 2020.
Prior to joining the Navajo Nation Department of Justice, Ms. Dutcher worked for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community as Court Solicitor. Ms. Dutcher also served as Executive Director of the Association on American Indian Affairs, the nation’s oldest American Indian advocacy organization. Ms. Dutcher served the Gila River Indian Community for over ten years as Prosecutor, Senior Assistant General Counsel, and as Division Manager.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Dutcher worked as an organizational development consultant and as a program officer for U.S. aid-funded programs in Central and South America.
Ms. Dutcher is married and the mother of three daughters and a son.
