Bryan Van Stippen – Program Director

Bryan Van Stippen is Program Director for National Indian Carbon Coalition (NICC), an initiative of the Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) that provides education, training, and technical assistance to American Indian tribes, Alaska Native Villages & Corporations, Native Hawaiian organizations and First Nations in Canada on the development of carbon credit projects on tribal land. A member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, Van Stippen previously served for seven years as Tribal Attorney for the Ho-Chunk Nation Department of Justice in Wisconsin where he was responsible for land acquisition and other land-related issues. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a Masters in Computer Information Systems from Tarleton State University in Texas. Van Stippen is a graduate of the University of North Dakota School of Law (J.D.); the University of Tulsa College of Law (LL.M. in American Indian and Indigenous Law); and the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law (S.J.D in Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy). He lives with his wife and two children in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Bryan is a representative on the 1t.org US Stakeholder Council, a representative on the Voluntary Carbon Market Initiative Expert Advisory Group, a Legacy Member of the  Ecosystem Service Marketplace Consortium, and a representative on the Bipartisan Policy Center Farm and Forest Carbon Solutions Task Force.

Chase Christopherson - Carbon Co-Benefits Director

Chase Christopherson is the Carbon Co-Benefits Director for National Indian Carbon Coalition, an initiative of the Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) that provides education, training and technical assistance to American Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages on the development of carbon credit projects on tribal land. A member of the Mandan tribe of the Three Affiliated Tribes and of Hunkpapa lineage, Chase has a background in Tribal land management planning, land assessment and initiatives as well as ecological restoration on degraded lands. Prior to joining NICC, he was the Natural Resource and Agriculture Specialist for another Tribally focused non-profit and served on the Fourth Intertribal Forest Management Assessment Team. He earned a bachelor’s degree in in Biology, Society, & Environment and American Indian Studies from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities and a master’s degree in Natural Resource Management from North Dakota State University. Chase lives with his wife and dog in Minneapolis, MN.

Jake Stanton - Reforestation Project Manager

Jake Stanton is the Reforestation Project Manager for the National Indian Carbon Coalition (NICC), an initiative of the Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) that works with Tribal Nations to create nature-based climate solution projects. In his role with NICC, Jake supports tribes to develop reforestation projects on their land that support tribal sovereignty, sequester carbon, and create meaningful community benefits. Prior to joining NICC, Jake was working as a consultant on a carbon project in Ghana where he was responsible for Monitoring & Evaluation of the project’s stakeholder engagement with local indigenous communities. Throughout his work, Jake is motivated by his conviction that indigenous land stewardship offers a way forward in light of the climate crisis. In 2020, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Brown University where he double majored in Mathematical Physics and Africana Studies. Jake has stayed in Providence, Rhode Island since graduation and lives with his fiancé and his bichon-poodle, Teddy. In his free time, Jake loves to spend time outdoors in nature camping, biking, and running.