Wabanaki Leadership Institute

The Wabanaki Leadership Institute (WLI) is a two-year fellowship program that provides intergenerational leadership training for Indigenous Peoples living and working within Wabanaki Territory. This program is run in partnership with the University of Maine’s Native Studies Program. The WLI provides existing and emerging Indigenous leaders with an opportunity to gain skills and resources needed to provide competent and culturally grounded leadership for their Nations. Whether they are spiritual leaders, government leaders, policy makers, academics, health professionals, artists, or public media makers, the WLI provides valuable tools and resources that support the development and
potential of our fellows.

WLI Fellows receive training in the following areas: Traditional Wabanaki Governance Structures, Core Cultural Values, Native Nation Building, and Culturally Relevant Economic Development. The teachers for these course are experts in their respective fields. They include Tribal Historians, Traditional Wisdom Keepers, Elected Tribal Chiefs and Representatives, Attorneys, Educators, and Economic Development Directors from across Indian Country, who have noted experience and demonstrated success in their individual areas of service.