Ethan Cuny, Principal
Ethan Cuny (Oglala Sioux) is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Cuny Communications and handles the company’s accounts receivable and accounts payable functions. His deep understanding of the Native culture and first-hand experience with issues that Native people face living and functioning in reservation communities serves Cuny Communications’ clients well.
Ethan was born and raised near Kyle, South Dakota, on the Pine Ridge Reservation. He spent his later childhood years in northern Minnesota where he graduated from Princeton High School. As an adult, he moved back to his homeland and entered into the cattle ranching industry as a ranch hand for various operations on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He is an active father of his two young children, and he enjoys training horses in his free time. Ethan currently resides in Northern California where he enjoys and active outdoor lifestyle.
Heidi Cuny, Principal
Heidi Cuny is responsible for interfacing with clients and managing projects within Cuny Communications. With over a decade of experience in the marketing and communications field, Heidi Cuny has a successful track record of inspiring success in a range of organizations, from small businesses and nonprofits to large corporations. She specializes in developing and implementing customized marketing and communications tools in order for her clients to reach their desired business objectives.
Heidi specializes in the Native community and economic development field, and has provided customized services to several Native community development financial institutions (CDFIs), tribes, and other nonprofit organizations to help them build their internal marketing capacity. She has also presented at various national trainings on the topics of marketing and communications.
Heidi grew up in a small coastal farming and fishing community 20 miles south of San Francisco, California. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from California State University, Chico and spent most of her career working in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley. In 2009, she moved to South Dakota to pursue a slower pace of life and became involved with the Native community development movement. She now resides in Northern California with her husband and two young children and enjoys gardening in her spare time.
