Elsie M. Meeks served as state director of the United States Department of Agriculture in South Dakota from July of 2009 to 2015. Prior to joining the United States Department of Agriculture, Ms. Meeks was the president and CEO of First Nations Oweesta Corporation. She was active in the development and management of Lakota Funds, a small business and micro-enterprise development financial institution on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota and has served as its board chair since 2015.
Ms. Meeks served on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, completing a six-year term. She currently serves on the board of the Native American Agricultural Fund, a national trust established through the federal court as a result of proven discrimination by the United States Department of Agriculture against Native American ranchers and farmers. She is a past director of the Northwest Area Foundation based in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has served as a director or council member of several national Native American organizations. Ms. Meeks’ experience, as indicated by her background, support her qualifications to serve as a Public Interest Independent Director on our Board of Directors. She currently serves as chair of the Housing and Community Investment Committee.