Angelique Albert
CEO, Native Forward Scholars Fund
Angelique Albert is the CEO of Native Forward Scholars Fund, the largest provider of direct scholarships to Native students in the United States. She is a mission-driven leader with expertise in public service, philanthropy, social justice and ensuring that Native students have the resources and support to fulfill their academic and professional aspirations.
Since assuming leadership in 2017, Angelique has transformed Native Forward into a national force, surpassing $400 million in total scholarships to over 22,000 students from over 500 Tribes in all 50 states. Both Native Forward and Angelique have garnered notable acclaim, exemplified by the 2024 RealLeaders Impact Award which honors global companies catalyzing transformative change for the greater good. Angelique has also earned a spot on the 2023 NonProfit Times’ Power and Influence Top 50 CEO list, and a recognition as a Woman Worth Watching in Leadership by Profiles in Diversity Journal 2023.
Beyond her role at Native Forward, Angelique is an award-winning artist celebrated for her innovative approach to cultural preservation through traditional native arts. Angelique has earned the Best of Show award at the Southwestern Association of American Indian Art (SWAIA) Indian Market and has showcased her work at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian Art Juried Art Exhibition.
Raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Angelique is a proud member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Her leadership is grounded in over 25 years of experience spanning nonprofit, philanthropy, business, and government sectors. Prior to her tenure at Native Forward, she served as the Executive Director of the Salish Kootenai College Foundation and Associate Director of the National American Indigenous Business Leaders Organization. She has also forged enduring work in the philanthropic realm, notably with the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, the Case Foundation, and the Beaumont Foundation of America.
Angelique is a first-generation college student and graduate of Salish Kootenai College where she received three degrees in Native American Studies, Liberal Arts, and Human Services. She received her MBA with a concentration in American Indian Entrepreneurship from Gonzaga University, where she now serves as an Advisory Council Member of Gonzaga University’s MBA-AIE Program. Angelique was the 2024 Gonzaga University Graduate Commencement Speaker and awarded and honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Angelique also lends her expertise to the Obama Foundation’s MBK Alliance Advisory Council and serves on the board of directors for the Johnson Scholarship Foundation.