Certificate in Tribal Relations

Certificate in Tribal Relations

Program Overview

The Certificate in Tribal Relations is offered by the Institute for Tribal Government and Center for Public Service in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government. It is designed for local, state, and federal government agencies, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and trade associations that work regularly with tribal nations and native communities. The program seeks to:

  • Foster understanding of tribal perspectives
  • Increase staff effectiveness and accountability when working in Indian Country
  • Improve working relationships between participants and the tribal communities with whom they work

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

A Cohort Learning Experience – As part of a cohort, students benefit from the rich and varied experiences of their peers.

Friday Class Sessions – End of week classes make it convenient for working professionals to attend.

Selection of a Case Partner Tribe - Each student develops a relationship with one tribal government to compare course material with that tribe’s lived experiences.

Three Immersive Field Experiences – Each cohort meets with leaders and senior staff at the federal, state, and tribal levels of government. This year all field experiences will be offered in-person.

Mentorship – Each cohort has mentor-facilitators to provide guidance through the program and coordinate content delivery. Course content is delivered by a cadre of tribal leaders, elders, and other experts.

Capstone – Each student completes a Capstone project pertaining to their particular organization and goals.

Hybrid Learning – While participants are encouraged to attend the classroom sessions in-person, the program is offered in hybrid format (in-person & virtual). The university will continue to follow state and local government's health and safety guidelines. 

DESIRED OUTCOMES

  • Students successfully completing the program will develop skills in:
  • Cultural awareness and sensitivity;
  • Trust and relationship building;
  • Understanding and respecting tribal beliefs, interests, and priorities;
  • Collaborative governance; and
  • Represent agency programs and priorities to the tribal governments and native communities with which they work.

PARTICIPANT PROFILE

Mid-career professionals employed by local, state, federal, and regional government agencies, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and trade associations who work regularly with tribal nations and native communities.

Members of tribal governments and other native communities interested in collaborative governance.

SCHEDULE

Sessions meet on the following dates from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm:

  • Friday, December 6, 2024
  • Friday, January 10, 2025
  • February 10-14 : NCAI (Washington, DC)
  • Friday, March 7
  • Friday, April 11
  • Monday, May 19-22: ATNI
  • Friday, June 13
  • August 11-15  (Travel Sunday, August 10): Tribal Nations Trip
  • Friday, Aug 9
  • Friday, Aug 29: Capstone & Graduation

* Schedule is subject to change.

REGISTRATION & COST

Registration Deadline: Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Program Fee: $9,250 (*)

  • Six all-day classroom sessions on campus;
  • Capstone presentation in August;
  • Three field trips (see SCHEDULE above);
  • Books and handouts;
  • Selected group meals during field trips;
  • Certificate of completion (Must meet program requirements)

Late Fee: Registration after the November 6 deadline will incur a $250 late fee.

(*) Fee does not include travel expenses, such as airfare, lodging, transportation/parking on campus, and meals other than group-meals.

MENTOR-FACILITATORS

Direlle R. Calica, J.D.

ITG Director & CTR Co-Facilitator
Institute for Tribal Government

Citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Mrs. Direlle R. Calica. J.D. has over 20 years of experience as a legislative, policy, planning, and regulatory advisor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office-District of Oregon, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Intertribal Organizations, and various Indian Tribes. Mrs. Calica has extensive professional experience in intergovernmental affairs, hydro-system planning, tribal economic development, tribal energy infrastructure policy, and tribal water policy. She has also served as a White House Intern and Mark O. Hatfield Congressional Fellow in the U.S. Senate. Her professional background includes a Juris Doctorate with a focus on Business and Natural Resource policy. Mrs. Calica was an Adjunct Professor of Law at Lewis & Clark Law School in the Indian Law Program. Mrs. Calica also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Northwest Energy Coalition, the Oregon Native American Chamber, and a Council Member for the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council. She is also a Bonneville Environmental Foundation (B-E-F) Board of Directors, Emeritus. Mrs. Calica is the Managing Partner of Kanim Associates, LLC a Native American, women and veteran-owned company based in Portland, Oregon. Finally, she is a member of the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) and the WSBA Environmental Law Section.

Serina Fast Horse

CTR Co-Facilitator

Serina Fast Horse (Lakota & Blackfeet) is a lifelong member and emerging leader of the Indigenous community of Portland. She is a Portland State University graduate where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in both Community Development and Indigenous Nations Studies. Before and since graduation, Serina has been involved in guiding collaborative partnerships between Indigenous community members and agencies such as the City of Portland, Metro, Clean Water Services, Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District, Portland State University, and Portland Community College. Serina is the owner of Kimimela Consulting, a business focused on cultivating transformative relationships that address social and ecological needs. She has been called on to support thecoordination and facilitation of multiple regional gatherings such as the Changing Currents Tribal Water Summit, ATNI Climate Camp, and the Indigenous Land Conservation Summit. Serina has also served as the program coordinator for the Institute for Tribal Government at Portland State University for over three years where she has supported the delivery of Tribal relations programming that works to uplifts Tribal sovereignty. Additionally, she serves as a co-chair for the local Native American Community Advisory Council and is a part of the Portland Indian Leaders Roundtable group. In all her work, Serina uses practices that prioritize community well-being and stem from a relational worldview. She is driven by her passion to embrace Indigenous cultural knowledge and empower Indigenous voices to help create a holistic path to healing our ecological and social communities for our future generations.

Dr. Rebecca Hawk

CTR Co-Facilitator

Dr. Hawk is a co-facilitator of the Certificate in Tribal Relations Program. She is a Senior Fellow for the Center for Public Service in the Hatfield School of Government at PSU and brings a wealth of interdisciplinary experience and research to serve tribes. A descendant of the Haudenosaunee people, She has represented tribal governments of the Pacific Northwest as an air quality specialist and served on regional, national, and international work groups, managed and coordinated multi-stakeholder
projects, written numerous testimonies to bring Traditional Ecological and Cultural Knowledge before governing bodies, and testified on behalf of Indigenous people before the United Nations. She has also served in Massachusetts as a tribal community liaison in higher education. Her research and work include vexing social and environmental justice issues on Earth and in outer space. Raised in the Portland area, she recently retired from her East Coast career, wherein she earned Director Emerita status at
Framingham State University in Massachusetts, to return to her beloved northwest “most home place.” Her life’s work has centered on deepening cultural understandings between people and societies for the purpose of strengthening representation in governance so that communities thrive in health and well-- being for the benefit of all. Dr. Hawk holds a doctorate in law and policy from Northeastern University, a master's in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and a bachelor of arts from Portland State University in communications, with an emphasis on intercultural communication. She has
also completed master-level coursework in environmental policies and management, Tribal Nations in the 21st Century, and environmental conflict resolution facilitation.

 

CPS Course Withdrawl Policy:

100% tuition refund

Written request to drop/withdraw from a course received by the Program Coordinator by 5 pm, 7 business days prior to the first class (Minus any applicable non-refundable fees and $100 administration charge)

40% tuition refund

Written request to drop/withdraw from a course received by the Program Coordinator prior to the participant attending the second class: (Minus any applicable non-refundable fees and $100 administration charge)

0% tuition refund

Written request to drop/withdraw from a course received by the Program Coordinator after a participant has attended the second class

"This course has covered virtually all the areas I would want someone new to working with tribes and Native Americans in Indian Country to be familiar with. It has challenged me to rethink what I know, what is important to know, and I have learned to be an even better tribal liaison for both my agency and for the tribes."

J.R. Inglis
Tribal Liaison
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

"This program has been transformational. The depth of knowledge I've gained over the past year would have normally taken the course of a career to learn. The access to tribal resources, political players and policy makers is outstanding. I've built a new network of contacts that can't help but add value to my Agency, my staff and my own job performance."

Marsha Hoskins
Public Transportation Manager
Oregon Department of Transportation

"The Professional Certificate in Tribal Relations program provides tremendous benefit in understanding Tribal history, culture, issues and priorities. The knowledge and relationships developed through this course will dramatically improve ONDA's ability to partner with tribes on issues of mutual interest as we advocate to protect, defend and restore Oregon's high desert."

Dan Morse
Former Conservation Director
Oregon Natural Desert Association