About Our Team
Meet Our Founder
Onawa Haynes, Esq.
Onawa Haynes (Diné / Mescalero Apache) is a lawyer, a runner, and a devoted mother who is deeply connected to her community. She embarked on her entrepreneurial journey in 2015, driven by a commitment to the empowerment and self-determination of tribal communities. Since then, Onawa has secured over $40 million in grant funding by working with over 25 Native tribes, non-profits and small businesses.
Onawa's work is about establishing a clear path to success and fostering sustainability. She specializes in obtaining federal grants and private foundation funding, with the funds directly contributing to key programs such as tribal law enforcement, education, behavioral health, roads and transportation, tribal courts, capital projects, and victim services.
Her mission to serve her community is deeply intertwined with her connection to her culture. As a Navajo woman, she deeply understands the unique challenges and opportunities within Native communities. She uses this understanding to present her clients' needs to funders in a strategic manner that respects cultural practices and contexts, ensuring that the community’s priorities are heard, understood, and addressed.
In addition her career contract grant writer, Onawa is an accomplished member of the legal community. She holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of New Mexico and is a member of the New Mexico Bar Association. Her background in law complements her grant writing expertise, enabling her to navigate the complex landscape of economic development with success.
Meet Our Team
Zack Haynes
Implementation Project Management Division
Zack Haynes leads the Project Management & Implementation (PMI) Division at Hozhonigo Consulting, bringing over 20 years of construction industry experience, including nine years in direct, onsite project and construction management. Today, Zack works exclusively in a remote consulting capacity, supporting tribal clients with high-level project strategy, planning, and implementation oversight.
Prior to joining Hozhonigo Consulting, Zack held leadership roles in field-based construction management, including overseeing luxury home developments for a Fortune 500 homebuilding company. In that role, he was responsible for managing nearly every aspect of new construction, from start to finish, on high-volume residential projects.
Zack’s career began as a construction laborer, giving him a deep understanding of field operations, timelines, and trade coordination. Over the years, he earned multiple certifications, including OSHA safety training, project estimating, and construction scheduling, and completed a degree in drafting and design. As a drafter, he played a key role in one of the largest casino developments on the Las Vegas Strip, maintaining all construction drawings and documentation for a billion-dollar project.
Today, Zack applies this extensive field knowledge to remotely support tribal infrastructure projects through project planning, capital strategy, and implementation guidance. While he no longer works onsite or performs construction labor, his firsthand experience allows him to provide exceptional insight and oversight from a consulting-only role.
Zack is known for his professionalism, strong communication skills, and ability to navigate complex projects with diligence and discretion. He is deeply committed to helping clients meet targets and deadlines without compromising quality, culture, or compliance.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Alignment
Our work aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, SDG 4: Quality Education, through our contributions to tribal education; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, through our support of tribal economic development and small businesses; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, by promoting the empowerment and self-determination of Native tribes; and SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, through our support of tribal law enforcement and tribal courts.