Lorelei Cloud is a member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council. Lorelei’s commitment to conservation, leadership development, and Ute language, traditions, and culture is evident by the staggering number of leadership roles she holds– she is Co-Chairman of the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network, a Board Trustee for the Nature Conservancy, and serves on the Colorado River Basin’s Water & Tribes Initiative. Earlier this year, she was appointed by the Governor of Colorado to serve on the Colorado Water Conservation Board, making her the first-ever Tribal member of the board.
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Lorelei was born and raised on the Southern Ute Reservation, which is located in the far southwestern corner of Colorado. From the very beginning, water has played a central role in Lorelei’s life– much of her childhood was spent without running water and access to drinking water continues to be a challenge on the Reservation to this day. Much of Lorelei’s early career was spent working in various businesses, including banking and energy, all while being a mother and raising four children. In 2015, she was elected to the Tribal Council, which began this new phase of her life and career– a phase devoted to serving her Tribal Community, as well as the communities, landscapes, and natural resources of the American West.
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I’ve been hearing such great things about Lorelei for years, so I was honored to have the opportunity to chat with her on the podcast. We enjoyed a wide-ranging conversation about her upbringing on the Southern Ute Reservation, the history of the Southern Ute Tribe, her recent appointment to the CWCB, why she decided to devote herself to public service, the goals of the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network, her work with the Nature Conservancy, the need to elevate Tribal voices on issues of water and land conservation in the West and beyond, advice for aspiring leaders, her favorite books, ways the listeners can get involved and support the work of the Southern Ute Tribe, and much more.
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Be sure to check out the episode notes for a full list of topics discussed and links to everything. A huge thanks to Lorelei for taking the time out of her busy schedule to talk with me and for her deep commitment to doing such impactful work in Colorado and beyond. Enjoy!
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This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive.
On the fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy’s leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West.
To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado
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TOPICS DISCUSSED:
- 3:30 - Lorelei’s youth on the Southern Ute Reservation
- 6:15 - How Lorelei’s family would get water
- 8:15 - Lorelei’s childhood personality, school years, and early jobs
- 13:30 - Whether or not Lorelei wanted to stay on the reservation
- 15:30 - A brief Ute history
- 19:00 - How Lorelei’s appointment as the first Indigenous representative on the CWCB
- 22:15 - What the CWCB does
- 27:30 - How Lorelei decided to pursue public service
- 30:15 - About the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network
- 34:00 - Lorelei’s advice for aspiring leaders
- 36:15 - Lorelei’s mentors
- 40:30 - About Lorelei’s role as Vice Chairman of the Southern Ute Tribe
- 43:00 - How Lorelei became involved with TNC and how she evaluates whether or not to pursue a professional opportunity
- 48:15 - Whether or not Deb Haaland has elevated Tribal voices through her work
- 52:00 - Lorelei’s book recommendations
- 55:00 - How you can help Lorelei’s work
- 56:00 - Lorelei’s words of wisdom
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