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(505) 916-0556

Staff & Board of Directors

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Sheila D. Herrera

Sheila D. Herrera

Executive Director of Tiwa Lending Services

Sheila D. Herrera is the Executive Director of Tiwa Lending Services with over 25 years’ experience in the lending industry and with experience in coordinating and directing the implementation of economic/community development. As Tiwa Lending Services’ Executive Director, Ms. Herrera operates and manages Tiwa Lending Services, performing all home loan activities, including the origination and underwriting of loans, providing financial and homeownership counseling, preparing loan documents, closing loans, monitoring construction, disbursing payments and tracking the loan capital. Ms. Herrera is one of the founding members of Tiwa Lending Services. She was instrumental in developing the incorporation documents to establish Tiwa Lending Services and in developing the organizational and developmental capacity of Tiwa Lending Services. Ms. Herrera’s duties include planning, budgeting, financial reporting, bringing in private capital, as well as long-range planning to provide business lending and other financial related products and services. Prior to coming to work with Tiwa Lending Services, Ms. Herrera managed the Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority’s Home Loan Program and served as a Homeownership Counselor. Ms. Herrera owned a mortgage brokerage business for seven years and worked in the banking industry. Ms. Herrera is a certified Homeownership Counselor and provides one-on-one counseling to applicants and borrowers. She also conducts Homeownership and Financial Literacy and Education workshops for Isleta Pueblo community members.
Miranda Lente

Miranda Lente

Loan Officer/HUD Homeownership Counselor/Administrator

At 19, Miranda served as a summer intern with Tiwa Lending Services, a Native Community Financial Development Institution (CDFI) which led to a full-time position in August 2015. Miranda is a loan assistant/ homeownership counselor for Tiwa Lending Services. For four years now, she manages and services the Credit Builder Loan program and also provides credit counseling for individuals to reach their financial goals. Miranda is helping members in her community learn about finances, credit, personal loans, and home loans.

Lovella Romero

Loan Assistant /Community/Homeownership Counselor

We are proud and excited to announce that Ms. Romero has joined our Tiwa Lending Services Team! She is being introduced to the CDFI family and learning the work that CDFIs do for their communities. We cannot wait to see Ms. Romero grow in this position and help continue our mission & vision. 

Annette Baca Chavez

Annette Baca Chavez

President of Tiwa Lending

Annette Baca-Chavez, currently serves as President for TIWA Lending. Annette has over 28 years of experience in the finance industry, with 14 of those years as a Sales Area Manager with New Mexico Bank & Trust. She believes that Financial literacy is the key to success to strengthen our communities. Annette is known helping small business and communities thrive. Born and raised in the South Valley, attending locals schools, Los Padilla’s Elementary, Polk Middle School and graduated from Rio Grande High School in 1986. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business from National American University. Annette has proudly served as Secretary for the Native American Professional Parenting Resources (NAPPR), Secretary for Academy for Trades & Technology, Board Chair for Tierra Encantada Charter School, and she now also currently sits as secretary for Help NM.

Ramona E. Chewiwi

Ramona E. Chewiwi

Vice President of Tiwa Lending

Before starting my career with the County government 22 years ago, I attended college at Southeastern Indian Polytech pursing a double degree in Forestry and Clerical. My schooling led me into full-time employment in a political office.  I have always been open- minded to internal improvement throughout my life and enjoyed read self-help materials from famous writers as Dale Carnegie, and Napoleon Hill.

Education

Received Associates in Integrated Studies from CNM field of study was In Hospitality & Tourism.

Awards & achievements

Certified Treasury Official thru NM edge (NM State University)

Tiwa Lending Service Inc, Financial Peace University

Community involvement

I have taken the interest of giving back to my community by serving on two committees on the Pueblo. Peacemaker (2016-2019) and on Sponsorship Committee (2019-2020).

Charles Peone Jr.

Charles Peone Jr.

Treasurer of Tiwa Lending

Mr. Peone has over 45 years of professional experience in American Indian economic, finance and business development involving both private and public sector service related to Indian Policy. He has served in the Bureau of Indian Affairs at Agency, Regional, and Washington, D.C. levels as well as serving in Congressional staff posts in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, including the American Indian Policy Review Commission (the first comprehensive review of Federal Indian Policy since the 1928 Merriam Report), and he has testified before relevant Congressional Committees regarding Indian policy, BIA reorganization, budget, and management systems.

He has also served as a faculty member at the University of Arizona College of Business and Public Administration and in the Office of Arid Lands Studies.

Mr. Peone has provided consultancy and executive advisory services to over 150 American Indian Tribes, First Nations (Canada), and Indian organizations, specializing in strategic and business planning, project development, financial analysis, and innovative approaches to financing tribal enterprises, economic diversification, and other economic development infrastructure across North America.

More recently, he has served as the CEO, Vice Chairman, and Chairman of the Board of the Isleta Business Corporation (tribally chartered); Board member for Nahatá Real Estate Leasing Corporation (NRELC) (Nahatá Dziil Commission Government, an LGA of the Navajo Nation; Board member for the Fort Apache Timber Company for over ten years, including Acting General Manager, Acting Chief Accountant, and as Project Manager – Continuous Improvement; Charter Board member for the Colville Tribal Enterprise Corporation in Washington State, serves as Chief Financial Advisor to the Ione Band of Miwoks of California, and he has served on the Sandia Development Team in developing a major destination resort and gaming center in New Mexico.

He served as a Charter Board member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) among numerous other national Boards over the years.

He has served as Senior Economic Advisor to the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin in the development of the Tribe’s innovative Economic Diversification Plan.

Education: B.S. Civil Engineering (BSCE), Major: Hydraulics; University of Idaho; Masters, Public Administration, MPA Major in Public Works Administration; supplemental graduate work at George Washington University in Public Expenditure Analysis and Construction Management, and Ph.D. Business Administration (ABD), Major: Management Information Systems; University of Arizona.

Russell Pedro

Russell Pedro

Board Member of Tiwa Lending

Russell F. Pedro, President / CEO of Data Management of New Mexico, LLC, is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna, one of the 19 Pueblo Tribes of New Mexico. Russell is passionate about creating jobs and economic opportunities, by identifying resources and applying valuable business expertise to develop business strategies, promote community & economic development, promote tourism development, and develop training programs to prepare entrepreneurs, small businesses, and Tribes for Federal, Local, and State Procurement Opportunities.

Mr. Pedro possesses over 20 years of experience in providing comprehensive business, technical and economic development services and training to entrepreneurs who are Native-, minority-, veteran-, and women-owned businesses, including Native American Tribes, Tribal Organizations and Native youth in New Mexico, the Southwest and the across the Nation. Russell developed his knowledge & expertise through his past affiliations with the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) – Native American Business Enterprise Center (NABEC), MBDA Business Center – Santa Fe, the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of New Mexico (AICCNM), and the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association
(AIANTA).

Stephine Poston

Stephine Poston

Board Member of Tiwa Lending

Stephine “Steph” Poston (MA), is the owner of Poston & Associates, LLC, (P&A) a full service, Native woman-owned communications firm. Steph is an enrolled citizen of the Pueblo of Sandia and is committed to inspiring Indigenous communities through culturally sensitive community-based approaches. She has extensive experience in tribal engagement, public and community relations, strategic planning, capacity building, and economic development. P&A’s reputation is built on its proven ability to deliver transformative results.

 

She is on the 2023 Forbes 50 over 50 Impact List, a 2019 Native Business Magazine Top 50 Entrepreneurs, a 2018 Small Business Champion (SCORE), a 2018 University of New Mexico, Anderson School of Management Hall of Fame and was a recipient of the 2017 Native Woman Business Owner of the Year (National Center American Indian Economic Development Center). She is a Co-Founder of Native Women Lead and Co-authored, Indigenous Women Entrepreneurs In New Mexico: Surpassing Barriers and Stereotypes.