Apache Danforth is a Consultant and Project Manager for Perodigm Media, a Native American owned marketing firm. She currently manages the development of a Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Program for a multinational oil transportation company, with a focus on the growing movement of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). Through her role and responsibilities at Perodigm she has had the opportunity to raise the Indigenous woman’s voice in the energy sector.

Apache received her M.A. in Public Relations from the College of Communication and Information at Kent State University. She holds a B.A. in Organizational Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has worked in public relations for the Oneida Nation for 10 years, where she started as an intern in the Communications Department and worked her way into a full time position. She is passionate about public relations and communication, as they have given her a platform to change and improve the narrative of Native American people.

Kevin R. Frost hails from two tribal nations, the Navajo and the Southern Ute. He is an enrolled citizen of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. The Southern Ute Indian Tribe is well known for its natural resource development and is one of the energy leaders in Indian Country. He has seen, first-hand, the positive
and transformative effects energy development can bring to a community. His experiences growing up, on and off the reservation, helped shape his approach to utilizing energy development as one of the pillars to tribal sovereignty and self determination.

As a Southern Ute Councilperson, he worked tirelessly on issues confronting his tribe and Indian Country. These issues included rural infrastructure, health, finance, and energy. These are complex topics with many obstacles and solutions require cooperation from the local to national levels. He has participated in and led discussions with tribal citizens/governments, local/state stakeholders, NGOs, Congresspersons, Cabinet Secretaries, and the President of the United States. He was also an Indian Country Energy Infrastructure Working Group delegate. In that role he worked with the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to apprise them of real-time issues affecting tribal development.

Kevin joined the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs first as the deputy director, then became the director. He was the Chair of the White House Council on Native American Affairs– Energy Subgroup, Co-chair of the Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Working Group, a member of the Indian Minerals Steering Committee, and a DOE Equity in Energy Champion, ensuring diversity and access for all in energy. Working in these vital groups helped hone his vision for the office and Indian Country.

As director, he led a talented, focused, and hard-working team that was tasked to maximize the development and deployment of energy solutions for the benefit of American Indians and Alaska Natives through financial assistance, technical assistance, and education. Under his directorship, $21M of DOE funding for 23 tribal projects valued at $49M was approved. This funding resulted in 17MW of power generation and $31.5M in savings for over 1,000 tribal buildings. Equally important, he implemented the first formalized cost share reduction process in the office’s history during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping past, present, and future tribal projects reduce their financial contributions so they can repurpose those savings to positively benefit their communities.

Presently, Kevin is also a Co-founder and Principal of Right Energy Services and a Partner of Right Energy Group. He is also Vice-Chair of the Smart Cities Committee, World Green Growth Organization and he is a member of the Energy Leadership Institute Advisory Board.