About me
David has more than 30 years of experience in Indigenous governance, cultural preservation, and policy development. As an executive officer and Tribal liaison for 7Skyline, he has led Tribal outreach efforts for utility-scale solar and energy storage projects with more than 50 Tribes throughout the Western United States, always with the same purpose: to ensure decision-making remains rooted in Tribal sovereignty, traditions, and collective strength with a focus on serving the people today and in future generations. David also directed Tribal engagement efforts for the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and served as the development Tribal liaison for Navajo Power, PBC. A member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, David was the first director of their Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO), establishing the office, developing its codes and ordinances, and securing $9 million in funding in its first year and $6 million in its second, ensuring long-term cultural preservation and governance autonomy. As both a consultant and THPO director, David has worked on many Western energy projects, including the Genesis Solar Energy Project with NextEra Energy, the Blythe Solar I and II Projects with First Solar, the Desert Quartzite Solar Project with Renewable Energy, the Palen Solar Project with EDF Renewable Energy, and Swan Lake North Pumped Storage. He has established cultural monitoring program budgets, scopes of work, and schedules and handled contracting arrangements for extensive Tribal cultural monitoring programs. He co-authored Voices From the West: Findings from Interviews Regarding Energy on Tribal Lands with The Nature Conservancy, focusing on Indigenous stewardship and conservation efforts.
