Studying Indigenous Leadership

About the 2026 SIL Conference

This annual convening supports San Carlos Apache College’s ARROW mission by fostering critical dialogue, community engagement, and scholarly inquiry into the complex and diverse traditions of Indigenous leadership.

This year’s theme, Echoes of the Ancestors: Reclaiming Leadership Through Indigenous Knowledge Systems, seeks to center Indigenous epistemologies, governance practices, and cultural foundations in the exploration of leadership theory and praxis. We encourage proposals that address leadership from within Indigenous frameworks, including—but not limited to—historical, cultural, political, educational, and community-based perspectives.

The conference is guided by an esteemed group of Indigenous scholars and leaders whose collective contributions to Indian Country have shaped the field of Indigenous leadership studies:

• Dr. Cynthia Lindquist (Spirit Lake Dakota)
• Dr. John W. Tippeconnic III (Comanche)
• Dr. Linda Sue Warner (Comanche)
• Dr. Mary Jo Tippeconnic Fox (Comanche)

Their decades of service and scholarship provide a foundation for continued dialogue, critical analysis, and intellectual advancement in the study of Indigenous leadership.

We welcome proposals from scholars, practitioners, knowledge holders, and community leaders who seek to contribute to this ongoing discourse. Please share this call with colleagues and communities who may be interested.