The Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) announced today that Heidi Cuny has joined the organization as its new Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications. This newly created position reflects WRDF’s continued growth and expanding national profile.

Cuny will lead WRDF’s brand strategy, marketing and communications, graphic design, digital marketing, and web development. She brings more than 20 years of experience in marketing and communications, including 15 years leading her own firm.

“We are thrilled that Heidi has officially joined our team after serving as a consultant to WRDF for the past two years,” said Paul F. Huberty, Executive Director of WRDF. “Heidi played a critical role in our successful Recompete application, which brought a $36 million investment to Wind River. She has led the development of multiple websites for our organization, is an exceptional graphic designer, and brings deep experience working with Native communities and Native-led organizations. She is truly a marketing and communications expert in Indian Country.”

Cuny is the owner and principal of Cuny Communications, based on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. For more than 15 years, she has partnered closely with Tribal communities and organizations and brings extensive knowledge of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) and mission-driven economic development.

In speaking about the opportunity, Cuny said, “It is an honor to be tapped for this position, and I am excited to be joining a team of such high caliber. I look forward to being a part of the amazing things WRDF is doing.”

Cuny joins WRDF at a pivotal moment in the organization’s history. In 2024 alone, WRDF secured more than $45 million to support economic development projects on the Wind River Reservation. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, Cuny will serve as a strategic thought partner to WRDF’s leadership team, helping shape organizational storytelling, narrative positioning, and reputation management as the organization continues to scale its impact.

Erika Warren-Yarber is the Chief Operating Officer at WRDF, and she will be working closely with Cuny to ensure effective communication with key partners. “Heidi is truly one of the best in the business. Having worked alongside other Native CDFIs that have served as change agents in our industry, she understands the vital role that accurate information and storytelling play in advancing the mission of WRDF and our Wind River Sage Fund while maintaining transparency with our community.”

Cuny, who has a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from California State University Chico, has been recognized nationally for her expertise in graphic design, including a silver ADDY® award. In addition to her marketing responsibilities at WRDF, Cuny will continue to serve as an independent marketing consultant for the CDFI industry.

The Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) announced today that Emily Norum has been selected into the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) Fellowship Program and she will be working with WRDF to implement its outdoor recreation projects. The ERC program is a $30 million cooperative agreement between the Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The program places an economic development professional at WRDF as one of 65 fully-paid fellowship positions nationally.

“We are excited to welcome Emily into the fellowship program and join our team as we implement more than $4 million in outdoor recreation projects on the Wind River Reservation,” stated Paul F. Huberty, Executive Director at the Wind River Development Fund. “Already, our team has invested more than $700,000 across three projects, including the Lakes Projects, the Playground Project at Eastern Shoshone Tribal Health, and the Fort Washakie baseball fields. We have significantly more work to accomplish in 2026 and we look forward to having Emily join an already fantastic team.”

Speaking about the opportunity to work in Wind River, Norum commented, “I am thrilled to be joining WRDF as the new Economic Recovery Corps Fellow. WRDF has already accomplished so much with their outdoor recreation projects and I am eager to join the team as we move towards successfully completing this work. I look forward to connecting with the community on the Wind River Reservation and to help further economic development in the region.”

Norum received her bachelor of arts degree from Hamilton College in New York. Previously, she worked for NACDC Financial Services as a Workforce Project Assistant supporting the $45 million Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant project for workforce and professional development. She also worked as a Project Manager for Indigenous Impact Co., a consulting and management company driving systems change through values-based strategic planning.

Erika Warren-Yarber, WRDF’s Chief Operating Officer, said, “We are happy to welcome Emily as our new Economic Recovery Corps Fellow. She joins us at a critical time to help implement our outdoor recreation strategy. Emily will be instrumental in creating outdoor recreation opportunities for our community members and visitors on the Wind River Reservation.”

The Economic Recovery Corps Program is a multi-year, collaborative initiative designed to accelerate economic development in distressed communities and regions throughout the U.S. The program connects organizations with the talent and capacity needed to advance new ways of economic development that promotes economic resilience and transformative change.