Emerging Leaders Seminar

Emerging Leaders Seminar 2025: 

A 2-day training for newly-elected leaders of Native nations

JULY 16-17, 2025 | TUCSON, AZ


Registration for 2025 coming soon! Stay updated with NNI News.

Understanding the realities of tribal governance and the critical roles that leaders play in ensuring that their nations govern effectively are critical to Native nation (re)building and “strengthening Indigenous governance,” the mission of the Native Nation Institute (NNI) at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy at the University of Arizona.

New, prospective, and veteran leaders will receive practical knowledge and tools to help them meet the fundamental challenges of leadership, from developing the nation's political and legal infrastructures to mobilizing their constituents to play an active role in building a strong, sustainable nation. Specialized, intensive sessions on key governance topics will prepare seminar participants to begin the process of building their personal blueprints for leadership success.

Recognizing that there’s no formal training program for Indigenous leaders, the NNI is once again hosting an open executive education seminar featuring short lectures, case studies, and guest speakers providing practical advice/information to help prepare tribal leaders – and those who aspire to senior governmental positions – to assume the responsibilities of leadership to strengthen Indigenous governance.

–Featuring–
TRIBAL LEADERS, SCHOLARS & GOVERNANCE EXPERTS

 

Keith RIchotte, Jr

KEITH RICHOTTE, JR., LLM, PhD (Turtle Mountain Chippewa)

Director, Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Program, Professor of Law, James E. Roger College of Law, University of Arizona 

Del Laverdure

DONALD "DEL" LAVERDURE, JD (Crow Nation)

Attorney. Former Acting Assistant Secretary, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior

Corrine Wilson

CORRINE G. WILSON (Ft. McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe)

CPA, Tribal Finance Consultant

Janet Alkire Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

JANET ALKIRE (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe)

Chairwoman, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe 

Wavalene-Saunders-Legislative-Chairwoman-Tohono-O-odham-Nation

WAVALENE SAUNDERS (Tohono O’odham Nation) 

Legislative Chairwoman, Tohono O’odham Nation 

    Jamie Azure, Chairman, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians

JAMIE AZURE (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians)  

Chairman, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians  

SEMINAR TOPICS:

• The Research Findings: Why Are Some Native Nations More Successful Than Others?
• Strategic Direction: Where Are You Going?
• Strengthening Indigenous Governance: Assessment, Solutions, Implementation and Sustainability
• What I Wish I Knew Before I Took Office: Perspectives from Tribal Leaders
• Rebuilding Native Nations: What Leaders Do
• Being an Effective Council Member and Building an Effective Governing Body
• Federal Indian Law 101: Understanding How the Law has Shaped Tribal Relationships
• Understanding Your Fiduciary Responsibilities
• Engaging the Nation’s Citizens and Effecting Change: Stories from Indian Country

 

Core Staff

 

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The Emerging Leaders Seminar is made possible in part by generous support from the Udall Foundation and the Bush Foundation.

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