Chrystel Cornelius is the President & CEO of the Oweesta Corporation, a national Native CDFI intermediary predominantly serving Native communities across the United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. Over the past 20 years, Oweesta’s efforts have provided more than $60 million in loans and other investments to more than 8,500 Native individuals. She is of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and the Chippewa Indians located in North Dakota.
More recently, in 2021, Oweesta was designated a housing counseling intermediary by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to further increase homeownership on tribal lands.Ms. Cornelius has worked with Native communities for most of her professional career, with more than 23 years of experience working in the Native economic development field. She attained attained a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.