Victoria Sweet (Anishinaabe)
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Victoria Sweet (Anishinaabe) is the Founder and CEO of the Ishkode Fund. An immediate descendant of the White Earth Nation and granddaughter of a Native boarding school survivor, she grew up witnessing firsthand both the deep impact of cultural loss and the profound strength of community—experiences that have shaped the course of her life and work.
Victoria holds degrees in Political Economy, Education, and a Juris Doctor with a certificate in Indigenous Law and Policy. Most of her career has centered on strengthening systems to protect Indigenous peoples through justice reform, tribal court development, and community-led philanthropy. She worked at the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges providing training for state and tribal judges hearing domestic violence and human trafficking cases involving Native community members and became a recognized expert on the Indian Child Welfare Act. She also worked with the Whitener Group supporting tribal justice systems in Alaska and as the director of the Indigenous Communities portfolio of grantees during her time at the NoVo Foundation.
Through the Ishkode Fund, Victoria works to restore balance between people and the earth and provide support that will help strengthen the fire of Indigenous leadership and innovation that has long sustained Native communities.
Logan Tootle (Cherokee Nation)
Program Officer and Grantee Relations Specialist
Logan Tootle (Cherokee Nation) serves as the Program Officer and Grantee Relations Specialist at the Ishkode Fund, where she works alongside community leaders to strengthen Indigenous-led solutions and expand the impact of grassroots initiatives. She holds a BA in International Studies and Sociology from Macalester College and an MS in Social Work from Columbia University. Logan’s background includes direct service and youth advocacy through roles at Casa de Esperanza (now Esperanza United) and the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, as well as philanthropy work as a Program Associate and Senior Program Associate at the NoVo Foundation. Her work is grounded in the belief that Indigenous communities already hold the knowledge and leadership needed for transformation, and that philanthropy’s role is to listen and follow.
Taylor Murnane
Program and Grants Manager
Taylor Murnane serves as the Program & Grants Manager at the Ishkode Fund, where she supports the day-to-day work of grantmaking and helps ensure programs are carried out with care, clarity, and accountability. Her role spans grants operations, internal systems, and program support, with an emphasis on aligning philanthropic practice with community priorities.
Taylor’s career has included nonprofit operations and philanthropic work with organizations such as Jobs for the Future and The Christensen Fund. Throughout her work, she has concentrated on strengthening mission-driven organizations and, more recently, on philanthropy supporting Indigenous-led initiatives.
She approaches her role with a strong belief in Indigenous self-determination and the importance of trust-based, relationship-centered philanthropy. Taylor understands philanthropy’s role as one of support—building strong systems, listening closely, and following the leadership and knowledge already present within Indigenous communities.
Board
Ron J. Whitener (Squaxin Island)
Board Member
Ron J. Whitener (Squaxin Island) is an Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington School of Law and the retired Chief Judge of the Tulalip Tribes. A member of the Squaxin Island Tribe and a descendant of the Tsimshian people of Metlakatla, he brings deep expertise in Indian law, criminal law, Indigenous data sovereignty, and mental health law. He previously served as Chief Judge for both the Chehalis Tribe and the Tulalip Tribes and founded UW Law’s Tribal Court Public Defense Clinic. Whitener has been recognized nationally for his leadership, including honors as a White House Champion of Change and the 2025 Outstanding Service Award from the National American Indian Court Judges Association.
Peter Buffett
Board Member
Peter Buffett is a musical composer and producer and Co-President of the NoVo Foundation. His work spans film, television, and theatrical production, with notable credits including the Fire Dance scene in the Academy Award–winning Dances With Wolves and the score for the eight-hour series 500 Nations. He also created Spirit – The Seventh Fire, a large-scale theatrical production presented on the National Mall for the Smithsonian’s opening of the National Museum of the American Indian. Through both his artistic and philanthropic leadership, Buffett has contributed to advancing cultural expression and social change.