Jennifer Valdez is an energy strategist and business development professional with over a decade of experience advancing projects that bridge technology, policy, and community development. At Sandia National Laboratories, she leads strategic partnerships and project development across the Department of Energy’s energy programs—guiding initiatives such as the DOE’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Navajo Nation and proposal development for the Grid Deployment Office, Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, and Office of Indian Energy.
An enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, Jennifer’s career reflects a deep commitment to advancing Tribal energy sovereignty and economic opportunity. Before joining Sandia, she served as Program Director at the Institute of American Indian Arts, where she built the Tribal College’s first accredited business and entrepreneurship program—quickly growing it into one of its most successful departments. Through L’nu Renewables, she continues to help small businesses and Native entrepreneurs expand their markets, clarify their message, and manage sustainable growth.
Jennifer earned her MBA in Finance from the University of New Mexico, where she graduated as valedictorian, and a BA in Film and Anthropology from Syracuse University. Her work has been recognized with numerous honors, including Best in Class – Entrepreneurship from the DOE Tech Transfer Working Group (2024), Teacher of the Year at IAIA (2010), and Native Entrepreneur in Residence with New Mexico Community Capital (2018).
Rooted in both technical expertise and cultural understanding, Jennifer brings a thoughtful, mission-driven approach to her work—helping Tribal nations and partners build resilient, community-centered energy futures.