Wahleah Johns is the Director of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs. She is responsible for upholding and advancing the Office of Indian Energy’s mission to maximize the development and deployment of energy solutions for the benefit of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Johns is a member of the Navajo (Diné) tribe and comes from northeastern Arizona. Her background is in renewable energy and community organizing, having co-founded Native Renewables, a nonprofit that builds renewable energy tribal capacity while addressing energy access. Her work with the Black Mesa Water Coalition and Navajo Green Economy Coalition has led to groundbreaking legislative victories for groundwater protection, green jobs, and environmental justice. In 2019, she was awarded the Nathan Cummings Foundation Fellowship.
Under her tenure, the Office of Indian Energy’s budget has more than tripled, from $22 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 to $75 million in FY 2023. This growth provides additional funding to support tribal communities in pursuing their energy sovereignty and energy goals and includes an additional 30 positions for the Office.
Johns is deeply honored to work with the Office of Indian Energy to help native communities lead the way in the transition to clean energy.
"There is so much potential and opportunity in clean energy on tribal lands, the benefits are undeniable—for our planet, for individual cost savings through efficiency, and for tribal energy sovereignty and resiliency."