Native American Professional Associations by Industry

This article was originally published on CareerExploration.com.

Professional associations are groups of professionals dedicated to topics in specific fields. Professional associations provide a wealth of online resources, some of which are geared specifically towards students. These organizations typically also host conferences and events, providing great opportunities for learning and networking across your field of interest. 

You may want to become involved with one or more of these organizations to grow your network in the field, to be connected to job and internship opportunities, to utilize their library of resources to learn more about the field, and to participate in conferences and events sponsored by the association.

Arts and Entertainment

• Indian Arts and Crafts Association works to support the effective protection, ethical promotion of authentic Native American art, and preservation of material culture has helped to instill confidence in the consumer marketplace.
• Native Arts and Culture Foundation advances equity and cultural knowledge, focusing on the power of arts and collaboration to strengthen Native communities and promote positive social change with American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native peoples in the United States.

Business

• American Indian Business Leaders (AIBL) mission of AIBL is to increase the representation of American Indians and Alaska Natives in business and entrepreneurial ventures through education and leadership development opportunities.
• The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) works to expand the American Indian private sector, increase the number of tribal businesses, and positively impact reservation communities by creating relationships between Indian enterprises and private industry.
• American Indian Business Alliance designed to provide Native American-owned businesses with a way to market their products and services to prospective buyers, including other American Indian-owned firms, government agencies, tribes, corporations and foundations.
• Native American Capital committed to actively promoting economic development in Native American communities by providing consulting services that help tribes overcome regulatory. Financing, logistical, and other barriers to starting and growing successful businesses.
• Native American Financial Official Association (NAFOA) Through its work in growing tribal economies and strengthening tribal finance NAFOA supports the advancement of independent and culturally vibrant American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
• Native American Financial Services Association Mission is to advocate for tribal sovereignty, promote responsible financial services, and provide better economic opportunity in Indian Country for the benefit of tribal communities.
• Native Americans in Philanthropy The mission is to promote equitable and effective philanthropy in Native communities.

Communication

• Native American Journalists Association serves and empowers Native American journalists through programs and actions designed to enrich journalism and promote Native cultures.
• Native American Public Telecommunications founded in 1976 to advance Native media that represents the values, experiences, histories and cultures of Tribal Nations, communities and peoples.
• Native Public Media provides services that encourage the expansion and strengthening of Native media through platforms that are community-based, local, and democratic.

Education

• National Indian Education Association brings Native educators together with hopes to improve schools and the education of children. 
  American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) works to help ensure that the principle of tribal sovereignty is recognized and respected and that TCUs are equitably included in this nation’s higher education system.
• National Indian Childcare Association The mission of the National Indian Child Care Association is to promote high quality culturally relevant child care and development and to unify tribes and tribal organizations by providing leadership, support and advocacy on behalf of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.

Environment/Agriculture

• Indian Nations Conservation Alliance fosters Native Agriculture by helping tribal farmers and ranchers to care for and strengthen the circle of life.
• Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals at Northern Arizona University strengthens tribal capacity and sovereignty in environmental and natural resource management through culturally relevant education, research, partnerships and policy-based services.
• Native American Fish and Wildlife Society mission is to assist Native American and Alaska Native Tribes with the conservation, protection, and enhancement of their fish and wildlife resources.
• Native American Water Association founded to provide Tribal water and wastewater operators, managers, utility commissions and Tribal leadership with continued training and technical assistance in their goals to strengthen tribal sovereignty and Self-determination and protect health and environment in Indian Country.
• National Tribal Air Association mission of the NTAA is to advance air quality management policies and programs, consistent with the needs, interests, and unique legal status of American Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives.
• Traditional Native American Farmers Association mission is to revitalize traditional agriculture for spiritual and human need, by creating awareness and support for Native environmental issues.
• Intertribal Agriculture Council was founded to pursue and promote the conservation, development and use of our agricultural resources for the betterment of our people.

Government

• National Caucus of Native American State Legislators works to promote a better understanding of state-tribal issues among policymakers and the public at large.
• Society of American Indian Government Employees (SAIGE) the first national non-profit organization representing American Indian and Alaska Native Federal, Tribal, State, and local government employees to promote recruitment, retention, and advancement of American Indian and Alaska Native Government Employees, and work to ensure equal treatment under the law

Healthcare

• National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association (NANAINA) unites American Indian/Alaska Native nurses and those who care for AN/AI people to improve the health and well-being of American Indian/Alaska Native people.
• Association of American Indian Physicians aims to increase the number of Native American medical practitioners, and improve the overall health of the community.

Law, Law Enforcement, Public Service

• National Native American Bar Association (NNABA) serves as the national association for Native American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students.
• National Native American Law Enforcement Association (NNALEA) promotes and foster mutual cooperation between Native American law enforcement officers, agents and personnel, their agencies, tribes, private industry and public.
• National Native American Law Students Association founded to support law students who are interested in the study of Federal Indian Law, Tribal Law, and traditional forms of governance.

Science and Engineering

• American Indian Science and Engineering Society is a national nonprofit organization focused on substantially increasing the representation of Indigenous peoples of North America and the Pacific Islands in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and careers.
• National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering offers scholarships, career support, and institutional partnerships to help Black, Native, and Latinx Americans launch successful careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
• SACNAS – Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science an inclusive organization of 6,000+ members dedicated to fostering the success of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans, from college students to professionals, in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM.

Technology

• American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing representation of American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, First Nations, and other indigenous peoples of North America in STEM studies and careers.
• Natives in Tech Mission is to build a collective of Native technologists crafting free and open source technology for Native peoples.
• Sisterhood of Native American Coders creates access and exposure to the field of computer science (CS) to address the disparities in opportunities to learn for underrepresented Native American girls.
• Wonder Women Tech Mission is to highlight, celebrate, educate, and amplify Women, BIPOC, and the Underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, Math (STEAM) and Innovation.

Miscellaneous

• Native American Contractors Association mission is to enrich self-determination through preservation of government contracting participation based on the unique relationship between Native Americans and the federal government.

The following associations are less professional associations by industry and more advocacy associations for Latinx rights and equity. They may be valuable for information and participation, as well as for leadership training, legal information, knowledge of opportunities, and career assistance.

• Americans for Indian Opportunity advances, from an Indigenous worldview, the cultural, political and economic rights of Indigenous peoples in the United States and around the world.
• American Indian/Alaska Native Employees Association for the Natural Resources Conservation Service to strengthen the NRCS mission by fostering the recruitment, retention, professional development, and career advancement of American Indians and Alaska Natives within NRCS and other federal agencies.
• Council for Tribal Employment Rights represents the interests of over 300 Tribal and Alaska Native Villages that are covered by employment rights ordinances.
• Intertribal Transportation Association promotes training, advocacy, inform and facilitate meetings between Tribes and local, state and federal agencies to enhance Transportation Infrastructure throughout Tribal Nations

Women Empowering Women for Indian Nations – WEWIN Mission to strengthen and sustain tribal cultures for the benefit and destiny of the children; educate about tribal cultures, the history of native people, the inherent rights we exercise for the good of our people and others, and of current issues that affect our well-being.