By Shawn Bitsui, Program Associate – College Success, American Indian College Fund
The Native American Financial Leaders Fellowship Program shares a pair of blogs reflecting on the professional development activities fellows participated in during the spring 2026 semester.
Next Leaders in Native American Finance – College Fund Fellows Attend Reservation Economic Summit
The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) established the Native American Financial Leaders Fellowship Program (NAFLFP) in 2024. This initiative provides extensive support and professional development opportunities for up-and-coming finance and business scholars developing Native communities.
Reservation Economic Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada in March 2026.
Fellows attended the Reservation Economic Summit in Las Vegas, Nev. in March. This gathering of business leaders is the epicenter for economic conversation in Indian Country. The fellows attended along with their program lead, Shawn Bitsui. Over the course of the three-day summit, fellows were exposed to breakout sessions, networking, vendor tradeshows, and speakers, including an informative speech from the College Fund’s own president and CEO, Cheryl Crazy Bull.
Jordan Dean (Ninlichik Village), a junior at Westmont College, said, “This professional development motivated Fellows more than ever coming out of the summit.”
“I was able to talk about my own goals and plans for the future, and they gave really helpful feedback on things I should focus on, skills to keep building, and different career paths I hadn’t fully considered before. It made everything feel more real for me. Instead of just learning in the classroom, I was able to connect with people actually doing the work I want to be part of. That experience definitely gave me more confidence and motivation moving forward,” said Amy Byrd (Cherokee), a senior at Northern Montana State University.
Emma DeGennaro (Choctaw), a senior at Tulane University, said, “My favorite interaction was meeting Cheryl Crazy Bull from the College Fund. Though I loved just getting to say hello and talking to her, I also really enjoyed her speaking event during the general session. Her commitment to encouraging and instilling education among youth and ensuring equal access to education for indigenous students is amazing.”
Finance Fellows Attend Center for Indian Country Development
Two American Indian College Fund (College Fund) Native American Financial Leaders Fellows (NAFLFP) ended the Spring 2026 semester with a professional development opportunity. Jordan Dean (Ninilchik Village), a junior at Westmont College, and Braden Allery (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa), a senior at United Tribes Technical College, were able to attend and present at the Center for Indian Country Development (CICD) in Minneapolis, Minn. this past May.
Center for Indian Country Development (CICD) in Minneapolis, Minnesota in May, 2026.
The fellows and their program lead, Shawn Bitsui toured the Federal Reserve facility, for networking and deep-dive sessions reviewing the CICD Survey of Native Nations and economic development. The team at CICD gave both fellows a chance to present on their fellowship projects and provided valuable feedback. CICD offered suggestions on resources, contacts, and other data that could strengthen the fellows’ projects.
Both fellows developed projects based upon their passions: Allery is considering incorporating equine therapy as part of the larger rehabilitation program he runs for his community and Dean is researching how to utilize emerging renewable energies, such as wave power technology, to help cut down energy costs in Alaska Native communities.
Allery said, “Being at CICD and hearing different viewpoints made me think more about how healing, culture, community, and economic development can all work together. I realized the benefits of sharing my vision with others and connecting and also the value of strengthening my public speaking skills to help me with my future goals”
