Cheryl Crazy Bull

President and CEO

Headshot: Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund

Cheryl Crazy Bull

President & CEO
American Indian College Fund
303-426-8900

Board of Trustees Liaison and Senior Manager – President’s Office

Carrie Basgall cbasgall@collegefund.org

Cheryl Crazy Bull, Wacinyanpi Win (They Depend on Her), Sicangu Lakota, is President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, a role she has held since 2012. A lifelong educator and community activist, Cheryl is an advocate for self-determination focused on Native voice, philosophy, and traditions as the heart of the people’s work in building prosperity for current and future generations.

Cheryl’s experience includes serving Sinte Gleska University on her home reservation in various academic and administrative roles for 17 years, serving St. Francis Indian School as Chief Educational Officer; and serving as President of Northwest Indian College for ten years.

She is on the board of IllumiNative, an organization that focuses on a widespread accurate narrative about Indigenous people, Native Ways Federation, a national association of Native non-profits and the Brookings Institution Board of Trustees.

Cheryl is a frequent public speaker, presenter, and writer about Indigenous education and issues with a focus on indigenous higher education equity and place-based education. She has an honorary cultural degree from Sinte Gleska University, an honorary doctorate from Seattle University, and other awards for her leadership as a Native educator and Native woman.

In 2015 she was named by Indian Country Today magazine as one of the 50 most influential people in Indian Country. In 2017 she was one of two American Indian women leaders honored by National Indian Women’s “Supporting Each Other” group. The Native American Finance Officers Association honored her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in October 2019. In March of 2020, CBS paid tribute to Crazy Bull, along with six other women, as an example of what it means to challenge and overcome stereotypes and biases in their industries as part of a series of CBS CARES public service announcements in primetime on the CBS Television Network. Working Mother Media named her their Legacy Awardee at their Multicultural Women’s Conference in July of 2020.

In 2021 the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in Evanston, Illinois honored Crazy Bull with its Elizabeth Seabury Mitchell Awardee for exemplary service and philanthropic giving in promoting American Indian culture and Global MindED, a non-profit organization dedicated to closing the equity gap by creating a diverse talent pipeline through role models, mentors, and internships, named her as its 2021 Inclusive Leader Awardee.

For her work with student access to higher education and with tribal communities, Cheryl was recognized by the Bank of America as one of six Neighborhood Builders Social Equality Awardees in 2023.

From the President

Read important updates from the President’s blogs.

American Indian College Fund Says New Proclamation Undermines Significance of Native People

American Indian College Fund Says New Proclamation Undermines Significance of Native People

Since 1990, November has been designated as Native American Heritage Month to celebrate Native people and their contributions to society. However, leaders with the American Indian College Fund are concerned that President Trump’s newly formed proclamation that November will also be considered National American History and Founders Month may divert attention from Native issues and undermine the experiences and role of Native populations in this country’s history.