Angelique Albert is CEO of Native Forward Scholars Fund .

By Angelique Albert

It has never been a straight path, but every step of my journey has led me to this moment. I’ve worked in criminal justice, the gaming industry, served in philanthropy, and built a career as an award-winning artist. Each experience taught me something about leadership, resilience, and systems change.

When I became CEO of Native Forward Scholars Fund, I saw an opportunity to bring it all together. I led a strategic transformation for our organization - rebranding, refining our mission, and bringing in new partnerships with leading philanthropists and brands.

In 1969, there were only 38 Native lawyers, 15 Native doctoral students, and 30 Native medical doctors. Today, Native Forward is the largest direct provider of scholarships to Native students, awarding millions to more than 22,000 students representing over 500 Tribes. Our scholars graduate at rates far above the national average and lead in every sector.

This work is deeply personal. I’m a proud citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, a descendant of Federal Indian Boarding School survivors, and the first in my family to graduate college, earning three degrees from Salish Kootenai College, an MBA, and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Gonzaga University. I was raised with cultural values emphasizing community and that connection, which has shaped the foundation of how I lead.

Access to higher education by investing in student scholarships contributes to greater economic mobility, self-determination, and Tribal sovereignty for scholars and Tribal communities. My focus is on ensuring that Native students have the resources, visibility, and support to fulfill their academic and professional aspirations, while building long-term impact for Native communities.

Angelique Albert is CEO of Native Forward Scholars Fund. Albert won the 2024 SXSW Community Service Award, 2024 Real Leaders Impact Award, 2023 NonProfit Times' Power & Influence Top 50, and a Woman Worth Watching in Leadership by Profiles in Diversity Journal 2023. Raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation, she is a proud member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
Since assuming leadership in 2017, Angelique has transformed Native Forward into a national force, surpassing $350 million in total scholarships to over 22,000 students from 500 Tribes in all 50 states.
She serves on the Obama Foundation’s MBK Alliance Advisory Council and on the board of directors for the Johnson Scholarship Foundation and is a Regent on the Gonzaga University’s Board of Regents. She has forged enduring work in the philanthropic realm, including with the Case Foundation and the Beaumont Foundation of America.

https://www.facebook.com/NativeForwardScholarsFund ; https://www.instagram.com/nativeforward/ ; https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelique-albert-a849a741/ ; https://www.nativeforward.org/chief-executive-officer-message/