Alicia Mitchell (Cherokee Nation)
Director of Tribal and Government Relations
Alicia Mitchell joined the AISES staff in July 2019 and serves as the Director of Tribal and Government Relatons. She brings to the team experience gained with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) in advancing Indigenous people in STEM, empowering youth, and cultivating collaboration. Alicia is an enthusiastic advocate for Indigenous STEM talent, dedicated to fostering connections between diverse 
partners and the vibrant Indigenous community. With a background in Native non-profits, she has spent 15 years working at the intersection of education, workforce development and cultural empowerment.  In her current role as the Director of Tribal and Government Relations at AISES- Advancing Indigenous 
People in STEM, Alicia leads collaborative initiatives aimed at bridging the gap between Indigenous students/communities and industry professionals. As the staff liaison for the Tribal Nations Advisory Council and the Government Relations Council, she facilitates engagement between both federal partners and tribal leaders; assessing the educational pathway needs and workforce development trends to connect them to the countless opportunities AISES offers through events and programs.  Prior to joining the staff, Alicia served on the AISES Board of Directors and was elected vice chair. During her time on the board, she was instrumental in forming the EBCI AISES Tribal Chapter — one of two 
tribal chapters initiated in 2019. In 2016 she was honored with the inaugural AISES Tribal Partner Service Award.   As a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Alicia hopes to make a generational impact by fostering strong leadership across Tribal nations.  She is a certified Native Life Skills Trainer who is enthusiasastic about 
building stronger Indigenous communities. Her national Native non-profit experience includes advocating for Indigenous youth on Capitol Hill, inaugural member of the Qualla Education Collaborative board, and served on the Denver Indian Family Resource Center board. She currently serves on the American Indian Cancer Foundation Board of Directors. As a cancer survivor she finds it incredibly 
rewarding and an honor to serve the Cancer Foundation.  Alicia received a BS in Sociology at Western Carolina University with a concentration in Native American 
Health. She grew up in Oklahoma and Arizona, then spent 23 years on the Qualla Boundary, the homelands of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Alicia resides in Chandler, Arizona, living near her children and will soon be a first-time grandma. She is a member of the Phoenix Desert Dragons Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Team, Arizona’s only breast cancer survivor team that competes internationally. Alicia values time with her family and friends, cooking healthy and living an active 
lifestyle appreciating all that the beautiful sunshine state has to offer.