Indigenous Governance Database
leadership
Governor Stephen Roe Lewis Distinguished Tribal Leader Lecture
Governor Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community visited the University of Arizona to speak at January in Tucson: Distinguished Tribal Leader Lecture sponsored by the Native Nations Institute and held at the Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy program at James E. Rogers College of Law…
Herminia Frias: Working Toward Effective Native Leadership
For years at Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Herminia Frias has remained a consistent leader in tribal government. She became the first woman elected Chairwoman and youngest to serve the position. After a contentious term with the tribal council, she was removed from office but then immediately returned to…
Shannon Keller O'Loughlin: Native Leadership and Lasting Commitment
Shannon Keller O'Loughlin, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is an attorney and the Executive Director of the Association on American Indian Affairs. Shannon was also the former Chief of Staff, National Indian Gaming Commission, a member of President Obama’s NAGPRA Review Committee, and a Cultural…
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez: Native Nation Building for the Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez visited the University of Arizona and gave his views on making governance work for people in he Navajo Nation. In this brief interview with NNI the President offered his thoughts on Native Nation Building and the way it is utilized for the Navajo nation as well…
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez Distinguished Tribal Leaders Lecture
The Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Program hosted the Distinguished Tribal Leaders Lecture at the University of Arizona James E Rogers College of Law featuring the recently elected Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez. The president gave his views on working for a Native Nation and making…
Herminia Frias: Native Women in Governance
Herminia “Minnie” Frias, Councilwoman, Pascua Yaqui Tribal Council. Councilwoman Frias shares her journey of being a Native woman leader, drawing from her experience in serving on her Nation’s Tribal Council both as a Chairwoman, and as a Council Member. Frias was the youngest person and first…
Shannon Keller O'Loughlin: Native Women in Governance
Shannon Keller O'Loughlin, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is an attorney and the Executive Director of the Association on American Indian Affairs. Shannon was also the former Chief of Staff, National Indian Gaming Commission, a member of President Obama’s NAGPRA Review Committee, and a Cultural…
Mike Williams: Alaska Native governance and a healthy culture
Mike Williams is a well known indigenous leaders from being a Chairman and Vice-Chair of the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council as well as Chief of the Yupiit Nation. Mike offers his impressions about a variety of topics related indigenous governance including leadership, traditional governance,…
Wilson Justin: Leadership with Cultural Knowledge and Perseverance
Wilson Justin is a cultural ambassador for Cheesh’na Tribal council and serves as a Vice Chair Board of Directors for Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium. He relays his expertise and perspective on the intricacies of Indigenous governance in Alaska through adapting cultural traditions, creating a…
Michael Kanentakeron Mitchell: Stories and Reflections on Indigenous Governance
Former Grand Chief Michael Kanentakeron Mitchell of the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne recently stepped down from his role as Grand Chief after decades of building a strong independent jurisdiction. Chief Mitchell offers some of his stories and reflections in indigenous governance that pertains to…
Indigenous Leadership Panel
What is going on in Alaska that exemplifies the success of Indigenous leaders? What are some Alaska tribes’ successful efforts to strengthen their governments and governance? Panelists share stories of success at asserting self-determination, building native governing institutions, reflecting…
Chairman Dave Archambault II: Laying the Foundation for Tribal Leadership and Self-governance
Chairman Archambault’s wealth and breadth of knowledge and experience in the tribal labor and workforce development arena is unparalleled. He currently serves as the chief executive officer of one of the largest tribes in the Dakotas, leading 500 tribal government employees and overseeing an array…
Yavapai-Apache Nation: Executive Functions Excerpt
ARTICLE VII - THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTSection 1. Executives. The Executive Department shall consist of the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer of the Tribal Council and such other persons as the Tribal Council or their designee may find necessary for the administration of tribal…
Reloading the Dice: Improving the Chances for Economic Development on American Indian Reservations
The experiences of a wide array of societies around the world amply demonstrate that achieving sustained, self-determined economic development is a complex and difficult task. Certainly this is the case on the Indian reservations of the United States, where numerous obstacles face tribal leaders,…
Sovereignty and Nation-Building: The Development Challenge in Indian Country Today
The Indian nations of the United States face a rare opportunity. This is not the occasional business opportunity of reservation legend, when some eager investor would arrive at tribal offices with a proposal guaranteed to produce millions of dollars for the tribe--although such investors still…
Kristopher Hohag: The Challenge of Governance
Kristopher Hohag, former Vice Chairman of the Bishop Paiute Tribe, recalls his experiences as a young leader participating within tribal government. He provides a brief history of the Bishop Paiute Tribe and recounts the tribe's endeavors to provide a better way of life for the people. Hohag offers…
Rudy Ortega, Jr.: Asserting Sovereignty and Self-Governance
Rudy Ortega, Jr., then Vice President and citizen of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, shares his experiences leading his community and engaging in Fernandeño Tataviam self-governance in spite of his nation not yet being a state or federally recognized tribal government. Vice…
From the Rebuilding Native Nations Course Series: "Leaders Are Educators"
Native leaders and scholars stress that for Native nation leaders to be effective at advancing their nation's priorities, they need to do more than just make decisions -- they need to educate and consult the citizens they serve.
From the Rebuilding Native Nations Course Series: "Learning to Make Informed Decisions"
Native leaders share what the role of a leader entails from studying the history of the tribe to listening to and learning from elders of the community; all the tools necessary to making informed decisions.
From the Rebuilding Native Nations Course Series: "The Importance of Strategic Planning"
Native leaders explain the importance of strategic thinking and planning to effective Native nation governance and emphasize the consideration of future generations in Native nations' decision-making processes.