Empowering Leaders
Tribal Leaders Program, Harvard Business School, June 2024
Empowering Leaders Initiative
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is committed to building and protecting Tribal sovereignty, supporting healthy Tribal governments, and fostering vibrant Tribal communities. Central to that task is equipping Tribal leaders with the knowledge, skills, tools, and strategies they need to advance those fundamental priorities on behalf of their Tribal Nations.
In 2023, NCAI established two interconnected initiatives to provide intensive professional development and leadership training to Indian Country. Learn more about these two programs below.
Media Training and Communications Fellowship
The 2026 Media Training and Communications Fellowship has concluded. Information about the 2027 session will be available soon.
Hosted at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at ASU, this fellowship provides targeted learning and hands-on practice for Tribal leaders and Tribal communications professionals who wish to increase their communication skills and expand their media presence to meet their community needs. The curriculum will be tailored to and facilitated by Native voices with knowledge of the unique media landscape of Indian Country.
Elected Tribal leaders will be granted priority.
Fellows will learn:
Building public speaking strategies and confidence
Effective storytelling to advance policy and community initiatives
Navigating diverse interview environments
Identifying how to address challenges facing communities
Developing and delivering effective messages across multiple platforms
Creating and maintaining relationships with news media
Understanding how to tailor messages to particular audiences
Details:
When: May 27–29, 2026
Where: Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Leading Tribal Nations Executive
Education Program at Harvard Business School
In collaboration with Harvard Business School, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) offers the Leading Tribal Nations Program, designed to equip Tribal leaders with the knowledge and skills to advance their strategic governance capacity. During the five-day program, Tribal leaders will engage in collaborative learning and problem-solving through the case-study model facilitated on the Harvard Business School campus.
Details:
When: December 6–11, 2026
Where: Harvard Business School
Cost: $3,500 per participant — Cost includes lodging at Harvard Business School, meals, and amenities on all participant days. It does not include airfare or lodging before or after the program ends.
The program is designed for elected Tribal leaders. Non-elected leaders and Tribal professionals may apply, but elected Tribal leaders in good standing will receive preference.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. The priority application deadline is Thursday, October 1, 2026.
The Empowering Leaders Series is made possible through the generous support of the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. NCAI deeply appreciates their essential role in establishing and sustaining the endowment that supports the growth and empowerment of Tribal leaders across Indian Country.
For questions, please contact: empoweringleaders@ncai.org.
