ABOUT TAHOMA PEAK
Native Woman Owned
Tahoma Peak Solutions is a Native Woman Owned firm that tells stories and solves problems.
We bring over 60 years of combined experience in Indigenous problem-solving and storytelling. Our all Native staff have worked in the US Senate and House of Representatives, built food sovereignty projects for our Tribes and our regions.
Our Team
Valerie Segrest
MUCKLESHOOT
COFOUNDER
Maria Givens
COEUR D’ALENE
COFOUNDER
Nora Frank-Buckner
NEZ PERCE/KLAMATH
DIRECTOR OF FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
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Co-Founder
Valerie Segrest works on culturally appropriate storytelling, food sovereignty and cultural educational resources, training and community classes.
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Co-Founder
Maria works on culturally appropriate storytelling, video production, facilitation and food sovereignty. She also acts as Tahoma Peak’s Operations and Financial Director.
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Director of Food Sovereignty and Facilitation
As director of Food Sovereignty, Nora leads Tahoma Peak’s food sovereignty work as well as capacity building for tribal organizations and is our lead facilitator.
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Director of Communications
As Director of Communications, Savannah leads our culturally appropriate storytelling work.
Savannah Romero
EASTERN SHOSHONE
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Tahoma Peak’s Roots
Tahoma Peak founders Valerie Segrest and Maria Givens realized something was wrong.
They worked at a large foundation, supporting Native organizations to grow their food sovereignty movements, but the financial support could only go so far. The problem was capacity and expertise. Organizations, businesses, leaders, and others were asking for Maria and Valerie’s help, but their hands were tied. Maria and Val quit their jobs and started Tahoma Peak Solutions to fix that problem and provide high-quality expertise to uplift Indian Country.
Our clients kept returning with more projects, word got out about our services.
We focused our work on telling stories and solving problems.
Maria Givens in the early days of Tahoma Peak working on her photography skills.
In the fall of 2021, Tahoma Peak was born at our kitchen tables with two laptops and two Native women.
Tahoma Peak began working with some of our first clients, who we continue to work with to this day- The Muckleshoot Tribe, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, the Wilderness Society, The Newman’s Own Foundation and the First Nations Development Insitute. We wrote reports, built programs, figured out our niche, and grew as a business.
In early 2022, TPS hired Nora Frank-Buckner. Nora brought with her over a decade of experience in Northwest Native food sovereignty. Shortly after, TPS hired Savannah Romeo to round out our communications portfolio.
With the core four of Valerie, Maria, Nora, and Savannah, Tahoma Peak began to flourish.
Valerie Segrest, Gea Ungaro (Valerie’s daughter), Maria Givens, Savannah Romero at the opening of the Salmon People installation at Climate Pledge Arena.
Nora Frank-Buckner, Valerie Segrest, Mazzy Ungaro (Valerie’s daughter), Maria Givens, Savannah Romero at the University of Washington Alumni Panel in January 2022.
As we look forward to the future of Tahoma Peak, we hope to continue to uplift Indian Country.
Lim.Lemtsh!
t́igʷitubuɫəd
Huuweehu!
Qe’ci’yew’yew!
Thank you!