.png)
Sky Waters is the Community Development Director at the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), where he leads a department of over 20 staff to advance affordable housing, community wealth building, and economic development for Portland’s Native community. His leadership has driven the development of NAYA’s Native Arts Incubator, the launch of a cohort-based Native Business Accelerator, and the distribution of more than $1.6M in COVID-19 relief grants to Native entrepreneurs.
Sky holds a degree in economics from the University of Minnesota and previously worked in investment research, bringing a strategic and data-informed lens to community development. He serves on the Cully Tax Increment Financing Community Leadership Council and is a strong advocate for culturally specific economic services. A citizen of the Osage Nation, Sky is dedicated to building opportunities for Native entrepreneurs and families to thrive.