Kalle Benallie
ICT
The Institute of American Indian Arts announced Wednesday that its new president will be Shelly C. Lowe, Navajo.
She succeeds longtime president, Robert Martin, Cherokee Nation, who plans to retire. The IAIA Board of Trustees appointed Lowe, who will begin her duties August 1.
“IAIA is an extraordinary institution dedicated to nurturing creativity, innovation, and leadership within Indigenous communities,” Lowe said in a statement. “I am deeply honored to join this vibrant community and look forward to building upon the visionary work of my predecessors and the board of trustees to further IAIA’s mission, support student success and programs, and strengthen its national and international presence.”
Founded in 1962 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, IAIA is open to any student, though its educational programs focus on Native arts and culture.
Lowe has decades-long experience in higher education and Indigenous student success. She served as chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal agency that funds the humanities and also spearheads initiatives on Indigenous education and representation at the national level. She was also executive director of the Harvard University Native American Program and held administrative and teaching positions at Yale University and the University of Arizona, where she earned her doctorate in educational policy studies and practice.
“Dr. Lowe’s distinguished career, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment to Indigenous education and the arts make her uniquely suited to lead IAIA into its next era of excellence. We eagerly welcome her expertise and passion as we continue to advance our institution’s transformative impact,” said IAIA Board of Trustees Chairperson Beverly Morris, Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska.
The American Indian Higher Education Consortium praised Martin for his dedicated service to IAIA, the consortium and the tribal college movement.
“We are excited to work with Dr. Lowe and look forward to supporting her in her new role as the next president of the Institute of American Indian Arts,” said Ahniwake Rose, president and CEO of the consortium.
