The Gila River Indian Community is a member community in the Sustainable Cities Network, a Global Institute of Sustainability project to help local governments tap into ASU research and expertise while sharing sustainability knowledge and best practices among peers. Speaking on behalf of the Gila River Indian Community are Joseph Manuel and Casey Turgeon.
Joseph Manuel is lieutenant governor of the Gila River Indian Community and chairman of the Arizona Indian Gaming Association. He holds an MBA and has previously served as a tribal council member, chairman of the national Tribal Employment Rights Organization, and director on the board for Wild Horse Pass Development Authority.
Casey Turgeon is project manager for the Tribal Projects Development office of the Gila River Indian Community. He is a LEED Accredited Professional with 15 years of construction experience and four years of project management experience supervising several million dollars of new public works construction.
In the video above, Manuel and Turgeon discuss why their community has embraced sustainable design practices and how a new fire station and a neighborhood solar lighting project embody those practices. Turgeon also explains how participation in ASU’s Sustainable Cities Network benefits him and the community.