Denver, Colo., July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The American Indian College Fund has appointed two tribal colleges presidents and two private sector professionals to the governing board of trustees. Two student representatives have also been selected.
The incoming board members are:
Dr. Brad Hall, President of Blackfeet Community College (BFCC) since October 1, 2022, is a Blackfeet educational leader, historian, and researcher who was raised on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation on his family’s ranch outside of Browning, Montana. A graduate of Montana State University in Bozeman with a bachelor’s of history, master’s of education, and a Doctorate of Educational Leadership, he brings a wealth of experience in education and community leadership to his position, bringing a broader view of higher education to ensure that the college operates and serves the Blackfeet community and ever-expanding service area.
After working as a teacher and administrator in K-12 schools in Heart Butte and Browning, Dr. Hall served as the institutional researcher at BFCC from 2013-2019 and was Chair of the Blackfeet Nation Institutional Review Board from 2017-2023, a regulatory body that ensures research conducted on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation is beneficial to the land, resources, and people. Dr. Hall, over most of his career, has remained a trusted resource to tribal college faculty, administrators and educators alike working to enhance culturally based programs and practices in pre-K through higher education settings on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, around Montana, and beyond.
From 2019-2022, he served as the Tribal Outreach Specialist in the Office of the President at the University of Montana in Missoula, providing Native students access to four-year degrees in collaboration with Montana tribal colleges and high schools.
Dr. Elmer J. Guy has served as the President of Navajo Technical University (NTU) since 2006 after serving as NTU’s Vice President of Academic and Student Services and Dean of Instruction. Under his leadership, NTU was listed as one of the top three best higher education institutions in New Mexico according to BestColleges.com in 2018 and one of the top 120 community colleges in the United States by the Aspen Institute College of Excellence Program in 2011-12.
Before joining NTU, Dr. Guy was appointed by the Navajo Nation president to serve as both Executive Director and Deputy Director of the Navajo Nations Department of Education. During his tenure, several programs were successfully developed and implemented, including trusts for the handicapped and vocational education and a comprehensive teacher education program, all of which are in full operation. Dr. Guy also directed the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services for the Navajo Nation.
He serves as Chair of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), Co-Chair of the Education Subcommittee for the National Congress of American Indians and a Trustee of the Higher Learning Commission. He co-chaired the World Indigenous Higher Education Consortium for three years; was appointed by the President of the United States to serve on the National Board of Education Sciences for four years; and is a former Trustee of the College Board. Dr. Guy earned his bachelor’s of special education and Doctorate of Rehabilitation and Special Education Leadership from the University of Arizona, and a master’s of rehabilitation administration from the University of San Francisco.
John Hueston, founding partner of Hueston Hennigan LLP, is a leading national trial lawyer who has long worked to promote Native American scholarship, educational opportunities, and Native American legal rights. He has conducted pro bono legal work including litigation against the Kerr McGee Corporation for environmental liabilities, including extensive uranium contamination on the Navajo Nation.
Together with his wife Mabelle, a member of the Navajo Nation, Hueston established the Hueston Distinguished Professorship in Native American Studies at Dartmouth College, an endowed faculty position, to advance research and teaching in Native American and Indigenous Studies. He is also a founding donor for the Tribal Leadership Academy at Dartmouth, which hosts a specialized, week-long program for up to 25 newly elected or appointed Native American governmental leaders to strengthen tribal governance. The Huestons also founded Nihizaad Nizhoni (“our language is beautiful”), a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving Navajo language through intergenerational use.
Hueston’s other credentials include service as a board member for the California Indian Legal Services, Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of Directors for the Social Justice Legal Foundation, and Chair of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla’s Judicial Commission. He also served as board member for Equal Justice Works and for the Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr. Institute.
VJ Smith leads tribal government affairs for Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s (MPC), which operates across 18 tribal nations in the United States. Prior to joining MPC, he served as President of the Albuquerque and El Paso Divisions, Clear Channel Outdoor. While at Clear Channel, Smith was awarded the American Advertising Federation’s Silver Medal Award recognizing people who have made outstanding contributions in advertising and their community while furthering the industry’s standards, creative excellence, and social responsibility. Smith played a key role in passing regulations for off-premises digital display technology for the states of New Mexico and Texas. He also co-owned and operated a commercial construction company serving west Texas and New Mexico.
Smith currently serves on the Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College CTE Council, The USO Global Advisory Council, Co-Chair of New Mexico Oil & Gas Association Tribal Affairs, Texas Tech School of Dentistry Board, Chairman of El Paso Community College Foundation Board, UTEP College of Engineering Board, the El Paso Chamber Foundation Board. He previously served as chair for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Ysleta Independent School District CTE Advisory Board, and the Brain Dance Institute Board. He is a graduate of Fort Lewis College in Colorado and holds a degree in geology.
The incoming student representatives are:
Alton Byrd, Student Ambassador Student Representative, is an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation and Navajo and Creek from White Swan, Wash. Byrd earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Chemical Dependency from Northwest Indian College (NWIC) and is pursuing a bachelor’s of human services at NWIC to support his career goals in the Indian health field. Byrd serves as Vice President of Extended Sites for the Student Executive Board at NWIC and is currently an intern at Never2Late Recovery in Lakewood, Wash., where he hopes to support and uplift some of the community’s most at-risk members.
Samatha Antone, American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) Student Congress Student Representative, is an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation and Navajo from Crownpoint, N.M. and Coldfields, Ariz. She is currently attending Tohono O’odham Community College pursuing her associate degree in early childhood education. Her academic goals are to teach young children and pave a path for future generations. She has served as an ambassador, as a member of student council, and as an active participant and leader in education and cultural preservation. She plans to earn a master’s degree in educational leadership and special education. Antone wants to rewrite and design new curricula that ensure equal opportunities are available for students who receive special education and have differing abilities. She was recently named AIHEC Student Congress President.
About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 37 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided more than $23 million in scholarships and other student support for higher education in 2024-25. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $391 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of programs at the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators. It earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (Guidestar), and the “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from the Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named as one of the nation’s top 100 charities to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit collegefund.org.
Journalists—The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.
