Osage Nation Community Development Financial Institution Announces Christopher Coburn as 𐓀𐒰𐓒𐒷𐓆𐒼𐒰 𐓂𐓈𐒰 𐓊𐒻 Chief Executive Officer

Coburn brings decades of finance and nonprofit leadership to steer lending institution 

OSAGE NATION SERVICE AREA, OKLA. (March 27, 2023) – The Osage Nation proudly announces that Christopher Coburn, MBA, has been hired as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Osage Nation Community Development Institution’s (ONCDFI) 𐓀𐒰𐓒𐒷𐓆𐒼𐒰 𐓂𐓈𐒰 𐓊𐒻 (“A Place to Borrow Money”). Coburn brings decades of experience in finance and nonprofit leadership to this key position at the Osage Nation’s first-ever lending institution. Before taking on the role of ONCDFI CEO, Coburn spent over five years as CEO at the Mvskoke Fund, which is the Muscogee Nation’s Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). According to Coburn, the work is so much more than lending money, it’s about the people. 

“It’s critical to keep people away from predatory lending,” said Coburn. “To do that, you’ve got to have cultural sensitivities that support Native values. You also have to know how to connect with funders that are interested in funding the work that we do. Building a strong working relationship with tribal leaders and having an involved board are key partnerships to growing the financial institution. I am excited to bring the knowledge I’ve acquired in the CDFI space to serve Osage tribal members and meet their financial goals in a responsible and fair way.”  

Coburn will be joining ONCDFI Board Members Steve Blue, Micah Boulanger, and former Assistant Chief Raymond Redcorn (Board Chair). Since September 2022, the board has attended training classes, approved ONCDFI bylaws, applied for 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and consulted with established CDFIs for technical support and advice. The ONCDFI Board has also secured and established an actual business location at the former First National Bank in Pawhuska, OK. 

“Christopher Coburn brings an incredible amount of CDFI development experience and we are very fortunate that he’s taken this position,” said ONCDFI Board Members Steve Blue. “More than that, he has a passion for educating and helping people which is perfectly in line with our mission to develop this lending institution for Osage Nation.”

In addition to his work at the Mvskoke Fund, Coburn served as a board member on the Muscogee Nation CESO Board, which approved business seeking preference under TERO laws, and served on the Board of Directors for the Native CDFI Network. He holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and a Nonprofit Leadership Certificate from the Harvard Kennedy School. As an entrepreneur, Coburn has worked as a consultant to help clients find creative solutions to grow and overcome obstacles.

Coburn’s official start date is Monday, March 27, 2023. ONCDFI’s primary purpose is to provide financial education and responsibly loan money to Osage tribal members. 

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