American Indian Tribes in the United States of America: Honoring Nations Program

Website: http://www.hks.harvard.edu/hpaied/hn_main.htm

Established in 1998, Honoring Contributions in the Governance of American Indian Nations (Honoring Nations) seeks to identify, celebrate, and share outstanding examples of tribal governance. By shining a bright light on success, Honoring Nations is contributing to the expanding professionalism of Native nation builders and allowing Native leaders and decision makers to learn from their peers. The founding principle is the idea that Native nations benefit from having greater access to innovative ideas and effective governing approaches. Honorees demonstrate commitment to fortifying sovereignty, cultural identity, and good governance. They also serve as models of inspiration, innovation, and pragmatism, eliminating the need for many other growing communities to “reinvent the wheel.”

Honoring Nations is administered by the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and is a proud member of a worldwide family of "governmental best practices" programs in Brazil, Chile, China, East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda), Mexico, the Philippines, Peru, South Africa, and the United States.

Director: Amy Besaw Medford
Honoring Nations Program
The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development
John F. Kennedy School of Government
79 John F. Kennedy Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
USA

Phone: 617-496-1759
E-mail: amy_besaw@harvard.edu

Amy Besaw Medford is director of the Honoring Nations Program at the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development. Ms. Medford serves on the Board of Directors for the Northwest Indian College Foundation. Previously, she was a research associate at the Harvard Project in the area of family strengthening in Indian Country, and an administrative fellow at the Harvard University Native American Program.

Ms. Medford holds a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Washington; a master’s in organizational leadership from Chapman University; and, a master’s in education on human development and psychology from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.