Question 1

Meet The Facilitators

Accepted Answer

Charles Werk

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About Me: 
Charles Werk, a member of the Gros Ventre Tribe from the Fort Belknap Indian Community, founded Innonative Solutions, LLC to deliver custom websites, mobile apps, and software that combine sleek design with powerful results.
“I started Innonative Solutions to bring technology and opportunity back to my community—creating jobs, supporting Native-owned businesses, and advancing digital education,” says Werk, founder and CEO.
With a degree in Computer Science from the University of Montana and a background in software engineering and digital marketing, Charles is committed to providing culturally respectful, high-quality tech services that empower local businesses. His vision is to grow Innonative Solutions into a trusted partner for Native communities—offering mentorship, collaborative projects, and pathways for Indigenous entrepreneurs in tech.
While at UM, Charles boosted engagement by 20% as a digital marketing intern for the Montana High Tech Business Alliance and helped coordinate the first convening on technology in Indian Country. His work continues to create real impact: after redesigning Starquilts247.com, the Native-owned business saw a surge in orders and booked out months in advance. He also streamlined inventory and labeling for Caras Nursery in Missoula, improving efficiency and sales.
“Starting a business is scary but exciting,” Charles says. “I’m thankful for the support I’ve had and ready to help Montana businesses level up.”
Learn more at innonative-solutions.com.(https://innonative-solutions.com/)

Davida Delmar

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About Me: Davida’s company, AMERIND partnered with NDIA starting in Spring of 2022. She began her career in higher education with a focus on Native American education and college-going initiatives with the American Indian College Fund. In an eort to better understand policy and leadership, she most recently worked with the Native Nations Institute at the University of Arizona. With NNI, she helped to create and facilitate programming with Tribal leaders and administration. Her work uses Native nation building principles to better understand self-determined policies and culturally relevant self-government in practice. She is a citizen of the Navajo Nation and has received her masters in Public Administration from Northern Arizona University. She understands that achieving digital equity for Tribal communities is crucial to creating sustainable, thriving Native nations. She lives in Phoenix where she is surviving the heat with her cats.

Kristi Zappie-Ferradino

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About Me: A passionate, mission-driven leader, Kristi has focused her career in the nonprofit sector, building and leveraging resources to advance positive social change in the areas of literacy, youth mentoring, civic engagement, and, most recently, digital inclusion. She has extensive expertise in leading the development of programs and resources designed to improve program efficiency and strengthen local impact. Most recently, she has consulted with nonprofits around strategic planning, technology project management, and digital inclusion. She served as program director at the Urban Libraries Council and led the launch of a system to help libraries and local governments work together to achieve community goals and narrow the digital divide.

Nate Stone

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About Me: Nate joined NDIA in October 2024. He brings over 20 years of experience in the non-profit and government sectors, most recently at the Denver Public Library, where he launched and supervised the digital navigator program and coordinated technology education for the library system. He has developed and taught computer classes, built maker spaces, run after-school media creation programs, written grants, led participatory research projects, and served in the Peace Corps, where he was repeatedly chased by turkeys while learning Spanish. Running through all these experiences is a passion for finding community-led paths to social justice and equity—except for the turkey part, which was just a misunderstanding. He lives in Denver, Colorado, with his family and a menagerie of pets, where he tends to the messiest garden for miles around.

Question 2

Training Day 1

Accepted Answer

• 8:00-9:00 Breakfast Provided & Registration
 • 9:00-9:30 Introductions, Land Acknowledgement and Opening Remarks (Accelerate MT)
 • 9:30-10:00 MT Tribal Digital Equity Current State and Priorities (Donnie Wetzel - DLI)
 • 10:15-12:00 Digital Inclusion in Native Communities (NDIA)
 • 12:00-1:00 Lunch (Provided)
 • 1:00-2:30 Digital Navigator Workshop (NDIA)
 • 2:30 - 2:45 Break
 • 2:45 - 4:00 Digital Navigator Workshop Continued (NDIA)
 • 4:00-5:00 Indigenous Tech Entrepreneurs Panel (Sponsor to be confirmed)

Question 3

Training Day 2

Accepted Answer

• 8:00-9:00 Breakfast Provided & Networking
 • 9:00-10:00 Building Digital Business Skills Workshop (Native Women Launch)
 • 10:00-10:15 Break
 • 10:15-11:00 Essential AI Skills Workshop (Microsoft TechSpark)
 • 11:00-12:00 Open Discussion

Question 4

Who should take this course?

Accepted Answer

• Anyone interested in learning more about digital equity
 • Individuals working in technical assistance within tribes
 • Organizations wanting to learn more about digital equity, inclusion and literacy

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