James Trumbly, PhD | Osage Nation
Vice President - Project Delivery
Project Delivery Team

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James Trumbly, PhD is a member of the Osage Nation (Eagle Clan, Pawhuska District) and serves as Vice President - Project Delivery at Tribal Ready, PBC, where he is responsible for ensuring large-scale infrastructure investments are executed correctly, on time, and with lasting impact. He also serves as a member of our Board of Directors.

With more than 40 years of experience in information technology, project management, and systems design, Dr. Trumbly has led complex, mission-critical initiatives across enterprise, government, and Tribal environments. His career includes leadership roles in large-scale network infrastructure programs, including serving as Senior Project Manager within the Program Management Office at Electronic Data Systems, now part of Hewlett Packard, where he oversaw network infrastructure delivery for major telecommunications operations.

Dr. Trumbly was called out of retirement by Osage Nation leadership to lead the development of a nearly $60 million fiber optic backbone, a project designed not only to deliver connectivity, but to strengthen education, healthcare, cultural preservation, and long-term economic opportunity for the Osage people. Under his leadership, the network became a foundational asset for the Nation’s future.

That experience shaped his broader mission. After establishing a sustainable path forward for the Osage Nation, Dr. Trumbly joined Tribal Ready, PBC to help other Tribal Nations execute similar initiatives with confidence, discipline, and the benefit of proven experience.

He has served on the faculty at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas at El Paso, worked as a defense contractor supporting the Air Force Research Laboratory, and deployed internationally as a system designer and trainer.

Dr. Trumbly holds a BBA in Management from the University of Oklahoma, a Master’s in Business Computing Sciences from Texas A&M University, and a Doctorate in Business Administration from Mississippi State University. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) through the Project Management Institute.

At Tribal Ready, PBC, Dr. Trumbly ensures that projects move from concept to completion without breakdown, bringing structure, accountability, and experienced oversight to every phase of delivery.

Bottom Line: Dr. Trumbly ensures capital is converted into infrastructure that performs, endures, and delivers value for generations.