NAU’s College of Education: Indigenous Educational Futures Summit
September 4-5, 2025 @ NAU Flagstaff Campus
NAU’s Institute for Native-serving Educators (INE) and Preparing Indigenous Teachers for Arizona Schools (PITAS) are hosting this inaugural event to discuss the future of Indigenous PK-12 education. Tribal education leaders, Native-serving educators, and all COE students, faculty, and staff are invited
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Leilani Sabzalian (Alutiiq/Sugpiaq)
University of Oregon
Building Indigenous Futures in Education through Presence, Practice, and Collective Struggle
Dr. Leilani Sabzalian (Alutiiq/Sugpiaq) is an Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies in Education and Co-Director of the Sapsik’ʷałá Teacher Education Program at the University of Oregon. Her work focuses on supporting the next generation of Indigenous educators to become teachers within their communities and creating more just and affirming spaces for Indigenous students in public schools. She is the author of several books, including Indigenous Children’s Survivance in Public Schools and the forthcoming co-authored text, Teaching Indigenous Studies: An Introduction for K-12 Educators.
Purpose of Summit Accordion Open
The goals for this summit include:
1) Convene community partners, tribal education leaders, NAU’s COE faculty and students, and allies to contribute to the conversation of how to sustain current programs and develop future PK-12 initiatives to meet NAU’s “Commitment to Indigenous Peoples”;
2) Center the role of culturally sustaining and responsive educational practices in supporting the recruitment, retention, and development of Native-serving educators in our region;
3) Identify current priorities, challenges, and needs for PK-12 education among Indigenous tribal communities in Arizona;
4) Showcase and elevate the success of the PITAS, INE, and TIIC programming for educator training and professional development;
5) Encourage NAU’s College of Education faculty and students to elevate their understanding of key issues and consider their role in advancing Indigenous educational success and sovereignty.
Agenda Accordion Closed
Thursday, September 4th, 2025
4:00pm-5:15pm Networking Reception and Meal (Ashurst Hall)
5:15pm-6:30pm Tribal Education Leaders Panel (Ashurst Hall)
6:30pm-7:00pm Closing and agenda for Day 2
Friday, September 5th, 2025
9:00-9:20am Welcome, blessing, and introduction of keynote (Ashurst Hall)
9:20-10:20am Keynote by Dr. Leilani Sabzalian: Building Indigenous Futures in Education through Presence, Practice, and Collective Struggle (Ashurst Hall)
10:20-10:30am Break
10:30-11:00am Educator Program Overview: Institute for Native-serving Educators (INE), Preparing Indigenous Teachers for Arizona Schools (PITAS), Teaching in Indigenous Communities (TIIC) Certificate (Ashurst Hall)
11:00am-12:00pm INE, PITAS, and TIIC Educator Panel (Ashurst Hall)
12:00-1:00pm Lunch (College of Education (COE) Rm. 190)
1:00-3:00pm Breakout Rooms (College of Education (COE))
