The University of Arizona Indigenous Governance Program is pleased to announce that Karen R. Diver (Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) has been appointed Director, Business Development, Native American Initiatives. Her role will serve to support the goals of the University of Arizona’s Strategic Plan by securing the financial resources and partnerships necessary to support the achievement, sustainability, and expansion of Native American advancement at the University. To that end, she will be working with tribes throughout the US to increase Native American student recruitment and retention.

Karen expressed enthusiasm for her new role, recently stating “It’s exciting to join a team from across the University to grow our relationships and service to Indian Country. The new Master of Professional Studies in Indigenous Governance is a natural extension of the Certificate program and January in Tucson initiative that allows Tribes to strategically focus on growing their current and future leaders.”

Karen served under President Obama’s Administration as Special Assistant to the President for Native American Affairs from November 2015 through the end of the Administration. As part of the Domestic Policy Council, she assisted with inter-agency efforts, policy and regulatory changes to benefit 567 Native American Tribes.

Karen also served as Chairwoman of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa from 2007 –2015. Her duties included acting as CEO of the reservation’s corporate boards and stewarding the 2nd largest employer in northern Minnesota with over 2,200 employees. Karen also served as Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Vice-President from 2009 – 2015. Most recently, Karen served as the inaugural Faculty Fellow for Inclusive Excellence for Native American Affairs at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota.

First published by the Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Program