GENERAL NEWS
ALARM
AMERIND Risk announces Geoffrey C. Blackwell as New Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel
Business Development at Chickasaw Nation Industries (CNI),
Inc., where he oversaw diversification among many companies
owned by the Chickasaw Nation. While with CNI, Mr.
Blackwell served on the boards of directors of Native Public
Media, the National Small Business Association, the National
Federation of Community Broadcasters, and the Acoma
Business Enterprises Board of the Pueblo of Acoma. Mr.
Blackwell also chaired the Telecommunications Subcommittee
of the National Congress of American Indians, and served as
the indigenous representative from the United States on the
international Indigenous Commission for Communications
Technologies in the Americas.
“We are very pleased to announce Geoffrey C. Blackwell,
of Washington, DC, as its new Chief Strategy Officer and
General Counsel. Mr. Blackwell will oversee AMERIND’s
Finance, Information Technology, and Human Resources
departments, as well as direct AMERIND’s legal efforts and
strategic development and diversification endeavors.” - Derek
Valdo.
Previously, Mr. Blackwell was a senior policy maker and Office
Chief at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
He established the FCC’s Office of Native Affairs and Policy
and, for over five years, directed FCC activities to incentivize
the deployment of broadband and communications
technologies across Indian Country. Mr. Blackwell also led
the FCC’s efforts to protect Tribal sacred sites and cultural
resources, ensure low income families on Tribal lands have
telephone and broadband services, and prioritize radio and
television broadcasting media ownership opportunities for
Tribal Nations. Regarding these efforts, Mr. Blackwell has
testified before Congress on five occasions, and before dozens
of Tribal Councils.
Prior to his work with CNI, Mr. Blackwell worked his first
tour of duty with the FCC, where, as a Senior Attorney and
Liaison to Tribal Governments, he helped write the FCC’s
foundational policies with respect to Tribal Nations, including
the FCC’s seminal 2000 Tribal Policy Statement. He was the
first enrolled Tribal member to ever work at the FCC. Prior
to his first period of service with the FCC, he worked in the
Litigation Department of Hale and Dorr, LLP, (now Wilmer
Hale) in Boston, Massachusetts.
Mr. Blackwell, an enrolled member of the Muscogee (Creek)
Nation, is also descended from the Chickasaw Nation,
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and Omaha Tribe of Nebraska.
Mr. Blackwell is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the
University of Virginia School of Law.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Geoff to AMERIND,”
said Derek Valdo, CEO of AMERIND, “as his voice is
recognized and trusted throughout Indian Country.” Mr.
Valdo added, “AMERIND is upping its game, and Geoff
carries knowledge and experience important to Tribes when
it comes to the building and diversifying of Tribal businesses,
the impacts of federal policies on our communities, and the
economic opportunities carried by new technologies.”
Prior to his most recent federal service, Mr. Blackwell worked
for five years as the Director of Strategic Relations and Minority
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