The Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC) is excited to announce it is hosting Coastal and Climate Resilience Fellow Ann Seigfreid through May 2027 in its efforts with Saint Louis County on a $1.85 million, four-year National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Resiliency grant that extends through September 2028. The project fosters collaboration among Saint Louis, Carlton, Cook, and Lake counties, as well as the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, both sovereign Ojibwe nations, to strengthen resilience against climate change and coastal hazards in Minnesota’s Arrowhead Region.

Seigfreid is dividing her time between ARDC, the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The priority emerging through her work is energy sovereignty. She is partnering with her mentors in Tribal energy departments to update and create strategic energy plans.

Her efforts include community education and engagement around air quality, residential energy efficiency maintenance, and other topics. At Bois Forte, she is highlighting successes in the Nett Lake and Vermilion sectors of the Reservation through the State of Minnesota Green Steps Program. At Fond du Lac, she is collaborating with the Fond du Lac Resource Management Division, an entity of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, to advance energy sovereignty initiatives, enhance the energy efficiency of Tribal buildings, and support local climate resilience planning.

Like many rural and remote areas. Tribal Nations in the region have faced challenges in securing reliable energy supplies. Seigfreid’s work is adding vital capacity to these Tribal Nations as they work toward energy independence and climate resilience.

Seigfreid earned her Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Minnesota.

For more information, visit Northland Climate Resilience or follow ARDC on Facebook at facebook.com/ardcplanning.