Cutcha Baldy is the Executive Director of the Native Women’s Collective. She has a background in Non Profit and Tribal Consulting and has been a Grant Writer, Fundraiser, Project & Program Coordinator and Evaluator for various organizations. She is pursuing her PhD in Native American Studies at UC Davis and is an emerging author having recently finished her first novel, Just a Girl... Just a Hupa Girl.

Ms. Baldy is passionate about traditional and contemporary Native American arts and showcasing the Native American point of view and voice in all facets of the artistic community. She envisions the Native Women’s Collective as a professional space for emerging and established artists to focus on their art as a viable career. The future physical space of the collective will be an incubation center which nurtures Native Artists and helps them to plan and finish their projects.

Ms. Baldy has her Master of Fine Arts from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University. She is an enrolled member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe with ties to the Yurok and Karuk. She has written short stories and personal essays and is now looking for representation for her first novel.  She looks forward to leading fiction, non-fiction and poetry workshops as part of the Native Women’s Collective and encouraging Native people to explore their written and artistic voices.

Our art and culture directly contributed to our success. In order for our people to survive, it is important to preserve and pass on our art and culture.

Jacquelyn Dyer is the Chief Financial Officer for the Native Women’s Collective. She helps establish sound financial practices that will contribute to the success of the NWC and has experience as a nonprofit financial officer, program coordinator and board member.

Ms. Dyer has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Finance from Northern Arizona University. She is an economic development specialist and helps to move business toward a more sustainable way of operating all while encompassing traditional native values and preserving the earth for future generations. Along with her CFO duties, Ms. Dyer operates her own financial consulting and jewelry business and she is also a board member for the Bik’eh Hozho Native CDFI located in Tuba City, AZ.

She believes that the Native Women’s Collective can offer support to business that aim to provide cultural and artistic voices. She hopes that the NWC can grow to help indigenous groups all over the world because so many indigenous cultures have so much in common, in particular ties to arts and culture. In the future she would like to see the collective offer financial education and management classes, free legal counseling, tax assistance for artists, day care and avenues for artists to sell their goods.