Waséyabek is the 100% Tribally-owned holding company that manages the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi’s (NHBP) non-gaming economic development activities. It was established in 2011 and began full administrative operations in 2016.
Mitchell was the first full-time CEO at the firm when she was hired in 2016. Since then, she has guided the Waséyabek staff to great accomplishments. The organization now has full or majority ownership of more than 30 legal entities, employing over 900 people across the country. The acquisitions include the joint purchase with Tribal entity Gun Lake Investments of the iconic McKay Tower in downtown Grand Rapids in 2020, and the purchase of the former Lacroix manufacturing plant in Grand Rapids in 2025. That transaction spared the plant from a planned closure and saved the jobs of more than 100 workers.
Waséyabek’s diversified portfolio serves multiple industries spanning the nation including software solutions for the defense sector, propulsion design and engineering, commercial real estate, circuit board manufacturing, transportation, environmental solutions, information technology, business advisory services, and facilities support services on federal facilities. Waséyabek also has financial investments in healthcare innovator, BAMF Health, and Michigan Capital Network, a venture capital organization based in Grand Rapids.
“Deidra has been Waséyabek’s North Star these past ten years as she has fulfilled the vision established in 2011 by the NHBP Tribal Council and the Waséyabek Board of Directors. She has worked diligently to devise an economic development strategy that will approach $250MM in revenue by year-end. The foundational business systems, team and culture Deidra has built, has positioned Waséyabek for continued success, helped our Tribe secure new economic opportunities and revenue sources, and along with FireKeepers Casino Hotel and NHBP’s long-term investment fund, secured NHBP’s future sovereignty and long-term economic sustainability. I can think of no other economic development leader in Michigan’s Indian Country who has delivered more value than Deidra has for the NHBP Tribe. We’re grateful for her years of service.”
In addition to building a diverse business portfolio at an unprecedented pace, Mitchell’s groundbreaking achievements also include development of the Michigan Non-Gaming Tribal Economic Impact Study which highlighted Michigan Indian Country’s contributions to the state economy beyond gaming. The first-ever edition was published in 2020; a second edition that included the economic development efforts of all 12 federally recognized Tribes in Michigan was published in 2025.
Among Mitchell’s other noteworthy achievements is her recurring role as a guest speaker at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Business, as part of its Project on Indigenous Governance and Development.
She also has been honored by Crain’s Grand Rapids Business multiple times, including her recent selection as a member of the 2026 class of Women of Influence. She was also previously recognized as a member of the 200 Most Influential Business Leaders in West Michigan, and as one of the 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan in 2024.
“As I prepare to close the book on my time with Waséyabek, I wish to express what a great honor and privilege it has been to work with the NHBP Tribe as well as the people within our parent organization and our subsidiaries. The sense of belonging, skill, dedication, and mutual support that exists within this organization is rare. Through each challenge, we never failed to find ways to grow, succeed, and bring joy and laughter to the occasion; and that consistently inspired me to be the best leader I was capable of being. I am so proud of the resilience and achievements of the team and I will always look back on this time with an enormous sense of appreciation. I can also move on knowing that I am leaving the organization in good hands, led by a skilled and dedicated group of people who will build on our past successes and achieve more great things in future.”
Mitchell will remain in the CEO role with Waséyabek until the end of the year, and will assist the Board of Directors in its search for a successor. “I am committed to facilitating a transition that ensures that the next CEO at Waséyabek is positioned to achieve great things for the NHBP,” said Mitchell. Chief Legal Officer, William Brooks, will serve as interim CEO upon Mitchell’s departure until such time as a successor CEO is identified and onboarded.