Cindi Ptak is a bilingual, published, award-winning, public policy + Government Affairs professional with deep experience in government and politics. She brings over 30 years of government experience and a proven track record of team development, strategic planning, outreach and technical assistance, federal funding strategy, proposal development and financial compliance, and capacity building. An effective coalition builder, she can advance areas of common interest in a way that is sustainable and impactful. Cindi is also hands on-- a successful project manager who brings projects in on schedule and within budget.  

Prior to starting Hummingbird Collective Consulting, LLC, Cindi built a twelve-year career at the USDOT Federal Highway Administration in Washington, DC. She ran several discretionary grant programs, including the National Scenic Byways and Public Lands Highway Discretionary Programs, and built strong relationships with Indian tribes to increase federal awards in these programs. During her tenure with the Public Lands Highway Discretionary program, awards to Indian tribes increased by 30 percent.  

Ms. Ptak also managed FHWA’s Tribal Transportation Program for seven years, traveling the country to meet with tribes, providing technical assistance and to help build financial capacity to manage federal program funds. She also conducted financial compliance reviews and provided technical assistance to help prepare for single audits and compliance with 2 CFR 200, working closely with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  

Ms. Ptak came to Arizona as the state’s Economic Development Representative for the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to aid the state’s economic recovery under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). She advised federal grantees, established planning and coordinating activities, and launched a series of tribal and state broadband workshops to better position grant applicants for EDA awards.  

She is the new Ambassador for the Rio Reimagined initiative where she will help implement strategies to revitalize the communities and amenities along Arizona’s Salt and Gila rivers. Cindi will serve as a liaison between local partners and the federal government as part of EPA’s Urban Waters Federal Partnership.
Cindi was an advisor to the Arizona Governor’s Infrastructure Task Force, where she secured a $25 million grant to cap orphaned wells – an effort directly aimed at reducing the impacts of climate change.
She also advised the Arizona Governor’s Director on Tribal Relations to create a framework that focused on securing federal funding for a Tribal Infrastructure Task Force to serve the 22 tribal nations within the boundaries of Arizona.