Workforce Training Career Essentials Course Starting October 29th!
Enrollment Now Open for Workforce Essentials Course
In partnership with Central Wyoming College, we are pleased to announce that a 6-week online/hybrid course on Managing Career Development will be starting October 29th at the Frank B. Wise Building in Fort Washakie. This class will build personal, workplace, and technical skills for any career you choose and will earn you an industry-recognized “Career Essentials” credential upon successful completion.
PFDV 1500 Managing Career Development
October 29 – December 12
Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Frank B. Wise Building
3 Ethete Rd, Fort Washakie, WY 82514
Laptops will be provided.
Participants 25-54 years of age may be eligible for scholarship and financial aid.
As you begin the application process, help is available every step of the way. For more information, call Jerri Prejean, (307) 855-2346.
Wind River Food Sovereignty Project Unveils Tribal Farm
Trout Creek Farm celebrated the completion of its elder healing garden with a grand opening and community feast. The farm is planned as a learning center and food producer for Wind River Reservation communities.
Published by WyoFile
When the Wind River Food Sovereignty Project purchased this 30-acre farm near Fort Washakie, the land mainly grew hay. Machinery and tools stood in the yards. Fences were aging.
Fast forward two years, and a transformation is taking root. Old equipment has been cleared out, and a fenced vegetable garden is thick with vines of squash and melons. A large high tunnel has been erected; inside tidy rows of raised beds sit ready to receive soil and seeds. Native plants like chokecherry bushes have been transplanted near the creek, and some may even survive the deer onslaught. Near the farm entrance, circular paths wind around a garden, where benches, flowers and a shaded area have been designed to welcome tribal elders for rest and reflection.
“This garden is a sanctuary,” Wind River Food Sovereignty Project Co-director Kelly Pingree told a crowd gathered for a grand opening celebration Saturday. “A place for healing, peace and connection with nature.”
Once the ribbon was cut, tribal members and others from the community filed through an ornate gate and into the brand-new elder garden, forming a circle around drummers. After a song and a prayer, it was time to eat.
Marking the occasion with bowls of buffalo stew and fry bread dipped in chokecherry gravy felt appropriate given that the nonprofit is aimed at restoring food production and traditions in Wind River Reservation communities.
“As Native people, we always give thanks to Mother Earth for what she provides us,” Pingree told the crowd. “And when we connect with our food, it reconnects us to the land, our ancestral knowledge, our spirituality, our prayer.”
The progress at Trout Creek Farm marks the early stages of a multi-year vision to bolster local production, access to healthy foods, tribal education and more. But it also signifies the fruits of a $36 million federal redevelopment grant that several facets of the reservation stand to benefit from.
Meet Our New Chief Implementation Officer
Wind River Development Fund Welcomes Leslie Shakespeare as Chief Implementation Officer
The Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) announced today that Leslie Shakespeare has joined the organization as its new Chief Implementation Officer. In this leadership role, Shakespeare will join the WRDF executive team and be responsible for implementing the $36 million EDA Recompete grant and $4 million of outdoor recreation grants. Shakespeare previously served as the Rocky Mountain Regional Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Paul F. Huberty, Executive Director, said, “We are very pleased to have Leslie join our team as we implement over $40 million of economic development projects for the Reservation. Leslie brings significant leadership experience to our organization and he is passionate about our mission to serve the Wind River community. His executive experience working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and his service on the Eastern Shoshone Business Council will strengthen our organization at this pivotal time.”
In the newly created Chief Implementation Officer (CIO) position, Shakespeare will lead the implementation and execution of the Recompete strategic initiatives in partnership with the Executive Director, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Operating Officer. Two key projects that Shakespeare will lead include construction of the Tribal Buffalo Center at the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative and a new Ecotourism Visitors Center (Tribal Fish & Game complex) to be located in Fort Washakie.
In speaking about his new role, Shakespeare said, “I’ve always believed my environment should reflect the values I carry. Wind River is my home, and I’ve seen both the challenges and the deep resilience of our people. I’m committed to making sure our investments create lasting impact—lifting up our communities, expanding opportunity, and building a future that reflects our strength, vision, and potential. This work is personal to me, and it’s grounded in a promise to serve with purpose and heart.”
Erika Warren-Yarber is WRDF’s Chief Operating Officer and she was instrumental in securing significant funding for the Reservation’s economic development projects. In commenting about Shakespeare joining the team, she said, “I am incredibly excited to have Leslie join as our newest team member. His specialized skills in land and project management will undoubtedly strengthen our capabilities and accelerate our strategic goals.” Warren-Yarber and Shakespeare will work closely to ensure the successful completion of 14 projects over the next five years.
Shakespeare, who is an enrolled member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe, recently served as the Rocky Mountain Regional Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in Billings, MT. Previously, he served for six years as Superintendent of BIA for the Wind River Agency. Shakespeare was elected to the Eastern Shoshone Business Council in 2016 and served as Vice Chairman until 2019. Prior to serving on the Business Council, he was Tribal Liaison to the Wyoming Governor’s Office. Shakespeare has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wyoming, a master’s degree from Norwich University, and he completed the Leadership Wyoming program in 2017.
Rockefeller Foundation Names 2025 Big Bets Fellows
Paul Huberty Selected as Big Bets Fellow!
The Rockefeller Foundation has launched its inaugural cohort of U.S. Big Bets Fellows — 12 changemakers advancing bold solutions to strengthen communities from coast to coast, including in Alaska, California, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wyoming. We are pleased to announce that our very own Paul Huberty has been selected as a Big Bets Fellow! Paul proudly submitted Wind River’s vision and economic strategy, which is to create a new path for Indigenous people to reclaim their sovereignty while rebuilding equitable economies based on cultural values.
The 2025 U.S. Big Bets Fellows are confronting issues head-on, channeling American ingenuity into bold, locally driven solutions tailored to their communities’ needs. Over a four-month fellowship, this group of leaders will engage in curated programming, peer networking, and professional development designed to help them scale their efforts in driving inclusive economic growth and building healthier, more resilient systems across the country.