Joseph Valandra, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, is president and CEO of Tribal Ready, Inc., a Native-owned, controlled and governed company. Tribal Ready is focused on supporting Native communities by providing resources and expertise and believes in the history, character, strength, and values inherent in Native Nations. Tribal Ready also strongly believes in Natives controlling their own destiny and is deeply committed to expanding opportunities for all Natives.
Valandra has 25+ years of professional experience in executive-level leadership roles in the public, private, government and nonprofit sectors including wide-ranging experience in Tribal economic development. He has served as the executive director of the Native American Contractors Association, the managing director of VAdvisors, LLC, and the chief of staff of the National Indian Gaming Commission, the federal regulatory agency with Indian gaming oversight responsibilities. Using his collective experiences in government, business and gaming, and his strong entrepreneurial spirit, he has launched various ventures uniquely focused on the technological development, marketing and deployment of products and services designed to benefit Native Nations.
He holds a B.S. in business from the University of South Dakota and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School. The father of three adult children and grandfather of two lives in the Washington, D.C., area with his wife.