Hayden Koch

Hayden Koch serves as Tek-Tech with the Indigenous Futures Society, supporting Tribal partners in building resilient, culturally grounded technology and mapping systems. A descendant of the California Yaqui people, Hayden grew up in the foothills of Northern California surrounded by rivers, oak woodlands, and the cultural teachings of his family. His connection to land stewardship began in 2010 when he joined a Native land restoration project with the Sierra Native Alliance—a formative experience that set the course for his career merging technology with Indigenous ecological knowledge.

Hayden’s work is shaped by the guidance of Nisenan language mentor Alan Wallace and his grandfather, Stan Padilla, an Indigenous artist and educator. These influences instilled in him the importance of cultural preservation, community self-determination, and protecting both knowledge and landscapes for future generations.

Primarily self-taught, Hayden brings over a decade of experience in marketing, IT infrastructure management, and full-stack development. He has built internal tools for large businesses and now applies those skills to projects that strengthen Tribal sovereignty, including GIS integration, self-hosted data platforms, and environmental monitoring systems. His work bridges traditional stewardship practices with modern mapping and digital tools, ensuring communities remain in control of their own data and narratives. Before coming on staff, he played a major role in our rebranding as Indigenous Futures Society by developing the new website.

Beyond his technical role, Hayden is actively involved in Nisenan language preservation and enjoys hands-on hardware and software projects. He experiments with self-hosted infrastructure, environmental sensors, and other tools that support community-led mapping and data collection. He also enjoys fishing and spending time in the rivers and foothills that shaped his childhood. Across all areas of his work, Hayden maintains a focus on supporting Tribal sovereignty, cultural preservation, and building tools that serve community needs.

In his spare time he is an avid backpacker and fisher.