Mahrinah Shije is an entrepreneur and global development professional. During her exchange programs she explored peacebuilding and diplomacy through high tech entrepreneurship.

In her career, she has developed nearly $1B in sustainable real estate as a LEED-certified former U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) member and ethanol biofuels (two corn-based plants with planned transitions to cellulosic). Moreover, she has two decades of experience in the global ICT sector having built, mentored, and advised hundreds of startups ranging from hospital-based bioprinting labs to ecommerce for experiences to tokenized code on blockchain.

As a Partner with Zia Impact, Mahrinah provides consulting and strategic planning services with a focus on Tribal Infrastructure, Innovation, and Economic Development. She also serves as the CEO and Board Chair of the NGO Pueblo Development Commission, a member of the United Nations Indigenous Peoples Major Working Group. Mahrinah is a prior COP Delegate, virtual UNFCCC speaker during the COVID-19 pandemic and participated in the United Nations Blockchain for Climate Change program as a climate technologist. She seeks to continue to explore technology-enabled ecological stewardship and environmental justice from Indigenous perspectives, centering Indigenous climate leadership grounded in traditional ecological knowledge.

Mahrinah is an appointed member of the Legislative Committee for the 20 Pueblo Indian Nations of New Mexico and Texas. Additionally, Mahrinah is an Associate Fellow at the Tel Aviv Institute and an Israel Policy Forum, 2021 Charles Bronfman Convener. She received her education from the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton School of Business. She is Tewa and Sephardic and an impassioned advocate for Indigenous rights, leadership, and visibility.