Angelique Albert is a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and has dedicated her professional career to tribal communities. As the chief executive officer of Native Forward, she leads the nation’s largest scholarship provider to Native students. It has provided more than $350 million in scholarships to students in all 50 states.
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You were in the entertainment and casino business prior to your current position. They are distinctive silos from what you are doing now. Are they also different personal drivers?
My personal drivers are always the same, reaching across many sectors and industries. Economic development and social justice are two drivers that encompass a broad spectrum of motivations for me. My passion for bringing change, voice, representation, and healing for our people started at a young age and has not changed.
As a Native woman, I am proud to have had the honor of growing up in my Tribal community, surrounded by amazing leaders, a healthy environment, and thriving culture. I am also no stranger to overcoming challenges, reaching beyond barriers, and witnessing profound inequities.
Attending Salish Kootenai College for my undergraduate journey led to learning about my own Tribal history and the history of Native people across this country. I was particularly drawn to federal Indian law, which is clearly the source of most of these injustices. To change this, I could see we needed opportunities, representation, and a strong financial standing. I am driven to do my part and contribute to stronger Tribal economies and social justice.
I have contributed to these through philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, entrepreneurship, gaming, higher education, and more. I will continue to add my skills and voice to all industries and sectors that support the empowerment of individuals through education, building strong workforces, and ultimately strong Tribal communities.
You’re an executive and an artist. Which medium do you work in and tell everyone a little about your art.
Art is a way of life and a part of my Native culture. I think this is true for many Tribal people. It is a form of personal expression and creativity and a way to preserve our customs. I work in diversified art forms with mediums such as beadwork, stonework, hide tanning, and more.
I find myself most inspired to do beadwork and enjoy creating beaded pipes, regalia, dolls, jewelry, knives, as well as contemporary items such as clocks, purses, and shoes.
I have been juried into the SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market and have won various awards, including best of show for clothing, first place in pipes, and more. I have not participated in the market for years, as I find my executive work taking priority.
I enjoy creative weekends where I can work on commissioned pieces and my grandson’s regalia. He will be a grass dancer next summer, which makes me incredibly proud.
You were a gaming executive. Do you have a favorite game or is it like being a sober bartender?
I find this question quite hilarious. My favorite games would be Business Strategy and Tribal Economic Mobility in the gaming executive space. Producing dividends to the shareholder (Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribe) was undoubtedly the win. But to answer you more directly, I did not gamble while on the board. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act prohibits it. I did learn to play roulette in later years and would say it is my favorite.
What are you reading now?
A Promise Kept – The Muscogee (Creek)Nation and McGirt v. Oklahoma by Robert J. Miller (Native Forward Alumnus) and Robbie Ethridge.
From 1990 through 2015 you spent 10 of those years obtaining various degrees and professional development certificates. Is that a grounding for what you are doing now?
Education has transformed my life and opened doors I would not have had without it. I view myself as a lifelong learner. I continue to pursue education continually, either through reading, executive courses, or from amazing people I meet on my journey. I completed a certification in Nonprofit Leadership from Boston College in 2020 and will attend another session later this year. I am passionate about education and look forward to the many things I have left to learn.
What is the biggest challenge when approaching foundations regarding Native American support?
It would be awareness, visibility, and false narratives. It is important to understand that less than 0.4% of funding by large U.S. foundations is directed to Native communities, and 2.6% of the U.S. population are Native American. This shines a light on a disparity that can easily be overcome.
There are many Native-led nonprofits that are transformative in the work they are doing. These nonprofits are impactful and understand the needs of the communities they serve because they are from the communities themselves.
For the Native Forward Scholars Fund, we work directly with students daily and understand their needs. They tell us personally and in surveys. As we reach out to foundations, it is essential that we facilitate an understanding of our scholars’ needs and ensure we are working collectively to address these needs. We also facilitate awareness around the false narratives and perceptions many people in this country have about Native people. Providing resources that highlight our fabulous and amazing contributions to the world.
When diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is discussed, indigenous individuals often are not immediately considered in the conversation. How does that get remediated?
We are starting to see a change in this area with the recent racial awakening in this country. We are seeing allies inviting Native people to the table, ensuring we have a voice and representation. From corporate and foundation partners to media, we see more people intentionally being inclusive. We commend these role models, such as the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, Mackenzie Scott, Nike, and more.
I would also encourage foundations and corporations to look at their DEI strategies and ensure they are making a true impact in our distinct communities by not pooling all DEI initiatives into one. This is a current trend, and we see foundations and corporations combining funding for African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander into one initiative and having it managed by one non-profit.
It is unrealistic to expect one organization to be entirely culturally competent and informed on each of these communities. This would not be done as part of a marketing strategy, and I would not recommend it for philanthropic or partnership strategies either.
Native American communities have distinct needs informed by cultural values and historical context. Many nuances are often overlooked, and missteps are made by well-meaning people. I see this every week. I believe the highest impact in Tribal communities can be made by investing in Native-led organizations.
Data from the National Center for Education Statistics showed that just 36.2% of Native American students entering four-year colleges and universities were able to complete their degrees in six years, compared to 60.1% of all other students. How is your organization working to address that inequity?
We are very fortunate at Native Forward to have the support of the foundation and corporate partners who understand that addressing these inequities takes long-term investments and should be viewed through the lens of the community being served. Never about us, without us! We ensure we have culturally competent board members, leadership, and staff.
Also, our organization has been serving our tribal communities for over 53 years, and we quickly learned that providing financial support alone does not ensure improved persistence or graduation rates. We have created culturally relevant wrap-around services, supportive programming, and one-on-one support for scholars. This has resulted in a 69% graduation rate for specific undergraduate programs and a 95% graduation rate for specific graduate programs.
Your organization received $20 million from MacKenzie Scott. What’s the plan for the unrestricted infusion?
We are fortunate to have received this gift three years ago. We have put these funds to work for our organization as we do all unrestricted gifts. We put our students first and ensure we can increase their scholarship dollars. We also invested in rebranding, marketing, and a comprehensive strategic plan focusing on growth. Affordability remains the most significant barrier for Native students to access, matriculate, and graduate from college.
As the largest provider of direct scholarships to Native students in this country, we can still only fund 18% of the students who apply. We have much work to do, and this gift provides us the flexibility to make the most appropriate and sound decision for our scholars and the organization.
You look at your day planner and on Saturday you have three unscheduled hours. What do you do next?
Family time, artwork, or being in nature. I see all these as self-care and help balance a busy work schedule.
