Kim Peone

Kim Peone is the Executive Director of Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA), the nonprofit organization that sponsors Santa Fe’s celebrated Indian Market. The event is estimated to bring more than 115,000 people (2020 brought the organization’s first virtual market due to COVID-19) and over $160 million in revenues to the region. In SWAIA’s 100-year history, Kim is the first Native woman to serve as executive director. Most recently, she was the Chief Corporate Financial Officer (CCFO) for the Colville Tribal Federal Corporation in Washington, running 12 enterprises. Prior to becoming the CCFO, Kim served on the corporation’s board for three years. Previously, she was the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ deputy financial officer. She was responsible for the Tribal government’s overall financial affairs, including an annual operating and capital budget in excess of $375 million.

She has held a wide variety of financial positions during her career in Tribal government service. She has served the Spokane of Indians, Kalispel Tribe of Indians, Colville Confederated Tribes, and the Yakima Nation among others. Her extensive Tribal government experience has helped her to understand Tribal organizations’ complexity. She thinks strategically and communicates complex issues in a simple and straightforward manner to help Tribes progress and change. Kim has served on the board of Rural Community Assistance Corporation, a nonprofit organization that provides training, advocacy, and technical and financial resources so rural communities can achieve their goals and visions. Her expertise is building accountable, sustainable, and disciplined Native organizations that exceed expectations of key stakeholders. DreamSpring provided two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to SWAIA. Kim holds two bachelor’s degrees in marketing and in business administration for professional accounting. She is an enrolled member of the Colville Confederated Tribes of Washington and resides in Santa Fe, NM.