
Our Board
Dedicated. Experienced. Passionate.
Chairman and CEO
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Dylan Baca was born and raised in Arizona, where he is a citizen of the White Mountain Apache Tribe and Navajo Nation. Dylan currently resides in New York City where he attends Columbia University studying Political Science and History. Dylan is a recipient of the Arizona 18 under 18 award as well as the UNITY 25 under 25 award.
At an early age, Dylan knew he always wanted to help people. With the influence of his mother, Dylan saw how policy could help improve people's lives and build towards a better future. In the spring of 2018, Dylan was appointed to the Arizona Governor’s Youth Commission. Not long afterward, he was appointed the chairman of the Arizona Human Trafficking Prevention committee. Dylan and his team worked to expand social media outreach for the Governor’s office on human trafficking issues. They also promoted Project STARFISH to make sure students and educators were more knowledgeable about the warning signs, prevention, and affects of human trafficking. In the spring of 2019, Dylan started the Indigenous Peoples’ Initiative to create pathways forward for future generations of Indigenous people. Since the organization's founding in 2019, Dylan has worked to create policy and advise everyone from tribal leaders to lawmakers on Indigenous rights within the state of Arizona and across our nation. The Indigneous Peoples’ Initiative was able to establish Indigenous Peoples’ Day for the first time in history and Dylan believes that his organization could provide a platform for powerful, accurate representation of Indigenous Peoples’.
In addition to serving as chief executive for the Indigneous Peoples’ Initiative, Dylan currently sits on the board for the White Mountain Democrats, Camp Grace, and is a youth advisor to the Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction.
In his spare time, Dylan enjoys playing golf and spending time with his dog Sunny.
Vice Chairwoman

Principal and Founder of Strongbow Strategies, LLC
Partner, Founder and Board President at Navajo Power, PBC
Ms. Pratte has advocated for tribal communities nationwide on economic development and sustainable growth. She grew up on the Navajo reservation and has committed her work to poverty alleviation, economic empowerment, and advancing tribal sovereignty. Today she assists and advises tribes nationwide on economic development matters. She founded Strongbow Strategies, a government services firm, in 2013 and joined the Navajo Power
leadership team in 2018 to implement new energy development models on the Navajo Nation. Her past experience includes serving as the Tribal Engagements Director for the Biden / Harris Campaign and transition, Navajo Nation Chief of Staff, the Navajo Nation Executive Director of the Washington DC office, the National Director of the Office of Native American Affairs of the
U.S. Small Business Administration and as a trade specialist/business analyst with the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration Foreign and Commercial Service. She has had the privilege of working for 2 U.S. Presidential Administrations, 4 Navajo Presidential Administrations, and for a member of the United States Congress. She was named the Tim Wapato Public Advocate of the Year in 2009 (NCAIED), a 40 under 40 in Indian Country
In 2010 (NCAIED), a top 50 business leader in Indian Country in 2019 (Native Business Magazine), 2020 Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award (UCLA) and 2020 Native Disruptor Award (Native Business Magazine).
Board Member

Felecia Rotellini is a veteran prosecutor and trial attorney who served in Governor Janet Napolitano’s cabinet as Superintendent of Banks. She is known for her balanced approach to regulating companies and protecting consumers. She was the 2010 and 2014 Democratic nominee for Arizona Attorney General. Today, she is the Director of Compliance for a multi-state financial services company. Her other day job is Chairwoman of the Arizona Democratic Party. Felecia took the party to new levels of civic engagement through historic wins in 2018 and now she is leading the party to victory in 2020.
Board Member

Tristan Espinoza is from outside Dallas, Texas and is a citizen of the Osage Nation. Tristan currently attends Columbia University with a major in Political Science. In 2017, Tristan began his political work by joining Princeton’s Mayor’s Youth Council to help represent his Hispanic and Native communities in urban city planning. In 2019, Tristan was elected to serve on the Congressional Youth Advisory Council for Congressman Van Taylor to help bring his perspective on a state-wide scale. At the age of 16, Tristan then organized a peaceful unification for Black Lives Matter in his small, rural town. The first of its kind in Princeton’s history, Tristan was then able to change his local government by helping get new city officials elected that better represented the community. During his first year at Columbia, Tristan was appointed Marketing Deputy and Social Media Manager for ColumbiaVotes where he helped bring more civil engagement to the Morningside Heights community. Tristan currently resides in Indigehouse – the first Columbia residential building for Indigenous students and the largest space in all of Manhattan for the Indigenous community. In his spare time, Tristan plays for the Columbia University Rugby Football Club, writes a column for the Columbia Daily Spectator, and likes to watch Survivor.
Board Member

Ginger Sykes Torres is Diné (Navajo), Tódich’ii’nii (Bitter Water Clan) born for Bilagáana. She
was born on the Navajo Nation in Tuba City, raised in Mesa, and now lives in central Phoenix.
As a high school student, Ginger was the first female to win a world title at the Heard Museum’s
World Championship Hoop Dance Contest in 1997. Ginger’s groundbreaking hoop dance style
was the first to incorporate modern dance and gymnastics elements into the hoop dance, and her victory paved the way for female hoop dancers of all ages.
Ginger went on to graduate from Stanford University with a degree in the Earth Systems Science Program. She is now a certified environmental consultant for tribal and environmental issues, such as renewable energy and climate change. She helps government agencies and utilities develop strategic, efficient, and common-sense solutions to environmental issues and implement sound environmental policies, with a focus on land use, renewable energy, sustainability, and climate resilience. Ginger has recently started her own small business, Shikeyah LLC, for her environmental consulting work. Ginger plays an important role in developing innovative community-driven strategies to prepare Phoenix neighborhoods for the impacts of a changing climate. As Vice-Chair of the City of Phoenix Environmental Quality and Sustainability Commission and a member of the Mayor’s Rio Salado Advisory Committee
Ginger advocates for policies that aim to make the city an epicenter of sustainable development. As Chair of the Commission’s Urban Heat Island and Trees & Shade Subcommittee, and Leader of Valley Leadership’s Tree and Shade Impact Team, she spearheads initiatives to expand the city’s shade capacity, reduce the urban heat island phenomenon, and advocates for heat relief projects to be implemented in an equitable manner. Ginger is also a leader in Arizona’s prominent non-profit community and arts organizations and is a passionate advocate for issues affecting Native Americans in Arizona. Ginger is a trustee at the Heard Museum, where she serves as the Board Secretary and on the American Indian Advisory Committee. She was instrumental in the creation of Ballet Arizona’s Tribal Nations Advisory Council--which aims to explore ways to engage local Native American communities in Native dance and ballet. In a unique partnership with Ballet Arizona, she founded and teaches the hoop dance to Native students via Zoom classes. As a member of the Board of Directors of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona (RMHC) Ginger serves as an advocate for Native American families needing a “home-
away-from-home” while their children receive treatment at pediatric centers in metropolitan
Phoenix. Ginger also serves on the Advisory Board for the Southwest Shakespeare Company and she is a Girl Scout Troop Leader.
Ginger is a passionate advocate for issues affecting Native American communities throughout
Arizona. In March of 2020, Ginger co-founded the COVID relief group PPE for Navajo First
Responders to deliver critical PPE and sanitization supplies directly to frontline workers on the
Navajo Nation. Recently, Ginger has partnered with the Navajo Hopi Covid -19 Relief group to
develop a campaign to encourage Navajo and Hopi community members to get COVID-19
vaccinations. Because of this work, Ginger was named to Valley Leadership’s Ready Together
Program to help find innovative ways to make an impact in Arizonas response to COVID-19.
In the 2020 election, Ginger formed a grassroots initiative called Diné4Biden (Diné is the Navajo
word for Navajo people) to help boost Native American enthusiasm for the Biden/Harris and
Mark Kelly coordinated campaign in Arizona. The goal was to get Natives, both on reservations
and in urban areas, excited about the election and their power to make change. Ginger worked
closely with the Biden/Harris campaign, local government officials, and Navajo politicians and
community leaders on social media outreach and to organize a series of car parades to the polls
in Phoenix and throughout the Navajo Nation. Ginger continues to engage with state and national Political organizations to find ways to keep Native voters engaged all the time and to make sure that there are resources at the local level to make sure that happens. She also served on the Maricopa County Democratic Party’s Education Committee.
This year (in January 2022), Ginger was named one of the 48 Most Intriguing Women of Arizona
by 48 Women and Arizona Historical Society, an honor that recognizes the state’s most
remarkable women having a remarkable impact in their communities with a mission to transform lives, build stronger communities and help positively shape Arizona and the nation.
In 2020, Ginger was selected as one of 31 honorees for “Phoenix Herstories” by the Phoenix
Arts & amp; Culture and Women’s Commissions. Phoenix Herstories is a 2020 centennial
celebration of a woman’s right to vote, and includes video installations, online photography exhibits, and curricular guides for schools.
Board Member

As the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, Rania has blazed a life path as a voice for the silenced. Whether it’s raising up the issues of gun violence, climate change, immigration, women’s issues, a just economy, or foreign policy, she fully invests her heart in every endeavor.
Like so many strong leaders, Rania knows all too well the subtle barriers for women who push hard for change and reform. She first became politically active at Austin College. As an activist and athlete, she quickly saw the need to bring people together in uniquely collaborative ways. Over time, she honed this leadership style of intersectional collaboration, recognizing that silo’d efforts never reach full fruition, while intercommunication can blossom into revolutionary results.
A true advocate for progressive change, Rania has cultivated her own unique role as an advocate, public relations specialist, consultant and leader. Rania has worked as a Democratic operative for over twenty years, lending her expertise across political, non-profit, legislative strategy and crisis management. For Bernie Sanders’ 2016 run for president, she served as Iowa Communications Director, the National Director of Surrogates and then as Deputy Campaign Manager.
In addition to Rania’s expertise in strategy and communications, her portfolio includes over fifteen years of experience in conflict resolution, mediation, and organizational development. Her firm, Batrice and Associates, has worked for social justice through a variety of avenues, collaborating with organizations including Our Revolution, the Arab American Institute, March for Our Lives, StudentsMarch.org, March For Science, Sunrise Movement, and the Freedom Project.
Rania has been a featured speaker for a wide range of events, including addressing climate change at the Social Good Summit, the UN Youth Climate Summit and the UN General Assembly. She also spoke on the insidious nature of domestic violence in her appearance on CBS This Morning. Rania has helped inspire young people from all walks of life to harness the power of movement building in her appearances at colleges and universities across the United States.
She’s lent her expertise to many visionary organizations and projects, including the Freedom Project, March for Our Lives, Change the Ref, New American Leaders, the Arab American Institute, StudentsMarch.org, Zero Hour, American Hemp Campaign, March for Science, the Innocence Project and Planned Parenthood.
Rania has received numerous accolades and awards for her work in the progressive movement, including the “Exceptional Women of Excellence” award presented by the World Economic Forum and the “Woman of Purpose” award presented by the Purpose Project.
Board Member

Sophie Schwartz, born and raised in South Dakota, is Mnicoujou Lakota and a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Sophie currently resides in Washington D.C., where she works as an Analyst for the Emerson Collective's Political and Campaigns team and is an Emerson Collective Community Solutions Scholar. A graduate from Fort Lewis College (FLC) with BAs in Philosophy and Political Science, Sophie previously worked as the Program Developer for FLC’s Engagement Collaborative where her areas of focus included building out inclusive civic engagement programming, creating student-centered infrastructure within the Collaborative, and conducting research on deliberative democracy to inform best practices. She has also worked with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, collaborating with Cultural Interpreters to lead virtual school field trips for students and curating programming that provides accurate messaging and storytelling around Indigenous history and experiences. In her spare time, Sophie enjoys playing golf and spending time at her local pool hall.