Our Staff

Get to know our global team at The Christensen Fund, made up of experts in topics such as Indigenous law, human rights, environmental issues, finance, philanthropy, and social welfare. Together, we are united in supporting the global Indigenous Peoples’ Movement to advance the inherent rights, dignity, and sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples.

Get to know our global team at The Christensen Fund, made up of experts in topics such as Indigenous law, human rights, environmental issues, finance, philanthropy, and social welfare. Together, we are united in supporting the global Indigenous Peoples’ Movement to advance the inherent rights, dignity, and sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples.

Carla F. Fredericks

Chief Executive Officer

Carla F. Fredericks is a seasoned leader and innovator in the fields of sustainable economic development, human rights, business and finance, Indigenous Peoples law, and federal Indian law. She is a proud enrolled citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation of North Dakota. She has significant practice experience in litigation, and has authored and co-authored numerous studies and papers on sustainable development, entrepreneurship, and Indigenous rights for various law reviews and policy journals. Carla’s leadership and contributions have helped expand Indigenous rights across the country. Among her vast experience, Carla has provided core support to the UN Special Rapporteur on Rights of Indigenous Peoples and served as counsel to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, helping to bring international attention to their opposition of the Dakota Access Pipeline. She assisted the Maya peoples of Southern Belize in implementing the affirmation of their land rights and developing a model for Indigenous-driven consent processes and remedy. Through her long affiliation with the Investors & Indigenous Peoples Working Group, Ms. Fredericks has advocated full integration of human rights into the capital markets, and facilitated improvements to environmental and social risk management frameworks, including the Equator Principles.