ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) leads in the pursuit of understanding and addressing the ongoing trauma created by U.S. Indian Boarding School policies, grounded in the principles of Truth, Justice, and Healing with Indigenous teachings and traditional gatherings.

Incorporated in 2012 following a national symposium inspired by the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, NABS was created to develop and implement a national strategy to increase public awareness and cultivate healing for individuals, families, communities, and Tribal Nations impacted by the U.S. Boarding School Policy of 1869. Since inception, NABS has grown to include 28 staff, an annual budget of $5.6 million, and $6 million in total assets.

NABS is Indigenous led with 100% of the Board of Directors and Officers being Native American and Alaska Native. We are a coalition of 1,900+ members and growing, including Tribal Nations, Tribal enrolled individuals, allies, and organizations.

NABS PRIORITIES

EDUCATION:

This is every American's history. We make the truth known through education and research focused on the history and impact of Indian boarding schools. We honor the sovereign right of Native people to tell and protect our own stories. We make resources available to raise awareness and support healing from the intergenerational trauma Native people still experience.

PRESERVATION:

Right now, boarding school survivors across Indian Country are ready to share their truths — many for the first time. But each week, elders pass, and with them, irreplaceable pieces of our history. Once lost, these stories can never be recovered. We are protecting truths that empower survivors, families, Tribes, and our entire country. We are ensuring preservation and public access through the National Indian Boarding School Digital Archives.

HEALING:

Healing moves from the individual to the community

to policy. This is intergenerational healing – bridging past, present, and future. Uplifting our truth serves as medicine for our families and communities. Healing is active, not passive. Truth-telling leads to justice. Healing is on a generational timeline — it takes as many years to heal as it took to create the harm.

ADVOCACY:

When healing begins and people feel whole, they are empowered to demand systemic change, so this history of genocide, family separation, and cultural erasure is never repeated. The time is now for a U.S. Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding Schools. Together, we can confront this painful past, honor our relatives, and build a future grounded in truth.

The next CEO will be entrusted with:

● Elevating NABS’ national presence and policy influence

● Securing sustainable and diversified funding

● Institutionalizing strategic planning and measurable impact

● Strengthening internal systems and leadership capacity

● Ensuring board school survivor-centered integrity in all aspects of the work

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

National Leadership and Public Voice

● Serve as the principal spokesperson and national representative of NABS.

● Advance federal policy and legislative priorities in bipartisan and Tribal contexts.

● Build and maintain trusted relationships with Tribal leaders, boarding school survivors and their descendants, policymakers, philanthropic partners, and allied organizations.

● Strengthen NABS’ position as the leading national authority on U.S. Indian boarding school policy and its ongoing impacts.

Fundraising and Resource Development

● Lead and personally drive major gift cultivation, foundation partnerships, and public funding strategies.

● Demonstrate a strong track record of securing transformational funding and sustaining long-term donor relationships.

● Inspire confidence and investment among philanthropic, governmental, and Tribal funding partners.

● Ensure responsible stewardship and compliance with federal and philanthropic funding requirements.

Strategic and Institutional Leadership

● Translate long-term vision into multi-year strategic priorities and annual action plans with measurable outcomes.

● Align NABS departments around shared goals and clear performance expectations.

● Establish systems that demonstrate impact and accountability to boarding school survivors and descendants, coalition members, funders, and policymakers.

● Guide organizational growth responsibly while protecting mission integrity.

Survivor-Centered and Trauma-Informed Leadership

● Embed trauma-informed practices across internal culture and external engagement.

● Ensure communications, advocacy, and programming honor survivor dignity and lived experience.

● Lead with emotional steadiness in high-visibility, politically sensitive, and complex environments.

Organizational Leadership

● Effectively lead and develop a geographically distributed team.

● Empower senior leaders with clear delegation and accountability.

● Foster a culture of responsiveness, collaboration, inclusion, and trust across teams.

● Ensure strong cross-functional coordination, particularly between policy, communications, research, and healing initiatives.

Governance Partnership

● Partner closely with the Board of Directors to advance strategy, ensure fiduciary responsibility, and strengthen governance practices.

● Provide transparent reporting and strategic counsel to the Board.

● Support board development and engagement in fundraising and national advocacy efforts.

Demonstrated Executive Leadership

● Minimum of 10 years in senior leadership roles within a national nonprofit, Tribal, advocacy, or policy-driven organization.

● Proven ability to lead organizations through growth, transition, and increased national visibility.

● A documented track record of measurable organizational impact.

Fundraising Excellence

● Demonstrated success securing major gifts, foundation grants, and/or public funding.

● Personal credibility and presence that inspires donor confidence and investment.

● Experience stewarding complex funding portfolios.

Federal Policy and Advocacy Experience

● Deep familiarity with federal legislative and regulatory processes.

● Experience engaging effectively with Congressional offices, federal agencies, and Tribal governments.

● Ability to navigate politically dynamic environments while maintaining mission alignment.

Cultural Fluency and Community Credibility

● Deep knowledge of the history and enduring impacts of U.S. Indian Boarding School policies.

● Demonstrated experience working in and with Native communities in culturally grounded and respectful ways.

● High levels of trust and credibility across Tribal Nations and Indian Country.

The successful candidate must demonstrate profound cultural humility, relational accountability, and an authentic commitment to Indigenous values, sovereignty, and healing. Lived experience within Native communities may significantly strengthen their ability to lead in this role.

Organizational and Operation Acumen

● Experience building strategic plans and translating them into disciplined execution.

● Strong financial literacy and experience ensuring compliance and risk management.

● Ability to assess systems, identify gaps, and strengthen operational infrastructure.

Remote Leadership Capability

● Demonstrated success leading senior teams in remote or hybrid environments.

● Clear communication style and consistent leadership presence across time zones.

● Experience fostering cohesion, accountability, and inclusion in distributed teams.

LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES

The next CEO of NABS will be:

● Respected and credible — capable of representing the organization at the highest national levels.

● Humble and service-oriented — placing boarding school survivors and community above personal recognition.

● Strategic and disciplined — able to move from vision to measurable results.

● Emotionally intelligent — steady, self-aware, and capable of leading in high-trauma contexts.

● Relationally skilled — adept at building trust across diverse communities, political perspectives, and organizational roles.

● A mentor and team builder — committed to developing leaders within the organization and strengthening long-term institutional capacity.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is a nationally respected leader who combines policy sophistication, fundraising excellence, and deep cultural grounding. They will honor the foundation built by NABS’ leadership while guiding the organization into its next era of strategic clarity, financial sustainability, and national impact.

They will understand that this role is both deeply human and highly strategic — requiring the ability to hold space for survivor stories while securing the structural change necessary to ensure those stories lead to justice and healing for generations to come.

HOW TO APPLY Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Submit your application by the priority deadline: May 4, 2026, by 5pm Eastern via the Movement Talent Opportunity Board application portal:

https://recruitcrm.io/apply/17744811508940060944nWM

Applications must include the following in a single PDF

●Cover letter (no more than 1 page) answering the following questions:

●Why are you interested in this position?

●What values or lived experiences do you have that connect to our missi...