Insight in Indian Country Podcast
Trusted Expertise to Serve Tribal Nations
The Tribal Leadership Council is a board-governed not-for-profit business that proudly supports tribal leaders and executives with continuing education and provides tools to better their organizations. Intent on building capacity in Indian Country, the council’s primary focus is empowering leadership and promoting economic growth and prosperity for tribal communities. This episode, REDW National Tribal Practice Leader Wes Benally sits down with the organization’s Chairman and Co-Founder Justin Barrett (Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma) to talk about the council’s vision, accelerating growth, and upcoming conference. Tribal leaders won’t want to miss the conference taking place July 15-18! WONDR NATION and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation have created a grant funding opportunity for five Tribal Leaders to attend the conference. Listen in for details.
Chapters
- 00:00 – Introductions
- 04:22 – The Importance of Tools and Knowledge for Tribal Leaders
- 07:42 – Creating a Collaborative Network for Tribal Leaders
- 10:04 – Tribal Leadership Conference Dates and Registration
- 13:54 – Opportunities for Younger Leaders to Get Involved
- 15:36 – Collaborating with Companies like Amazon and AT&T
Takeaways
- The Tribal Leadership Council Conference aims to accelerate the growth of tribal leaders and provide them with the tools and knowledge to make the most of their time in office.
- The conference will cover topics such as energy sovereignty, economic development, and finance, with a focus on sharing ideas and best practices among tribal leaders.
- Networking and collaboration are essential for tribal leaders to learn from each other and build capacity in Indian Country.
- The conference dates are July 15th-18th, 2024, at the Morongo Casino Resort in Palm Springs. There are still seats available, and sponsorship opportunities are also available.
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References
- Register for the Tribal Leadership Conference 2024 | July 15 – 18, Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa
- Learn more about the Tribal Leadership Council
- Learn more about Tribal Leadership Council Chairman and Co-Founder, Justin Barrett
- Learn more about the Oklahoma Native Impact Report
Meet Your Host
Wesley Ryan Benally, CPA
REDW Principal and National Tribal Practice Leader
As the leader of REDW’s National Tribal Practice, Wes is committed to improving financial literacy throughout Indian Country and hosts the Insight in Indian Country Podcast. He oversees audits of a wide range for Native American communities, state and local government agencies, and non-profits nationwide, is a member of the Arizona State Board of Accountancy’s Peer Review Oversight Advisory Committee, and serves as an instructor with Arizona State University’s American Indian Policy Institute. In addition, as a Board member for a tribal gaming entity that operates in two states, Wes keeps up with regulatory issues important to tribal gaming operations. Wes is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
More from Insight in Indian Country
- “We’re all fighting for our people.” Economic Growth, Diversification, and the Future of Indian Country with Chris JamesChris speaks candidly about the role gaming has played as a transformational economic driver — and why Tribes are increasingly looking beyond it to federal contracting, technology, agriculture, tourism, and citizen entrepreneurship.
- Spring 2026 Single Audit ReadinessIf your organization receives federal funding — whether you’re a Tribal government, local government, or nonprofit — 2026 is a year to pay close attention to your Single Audit readiness.
- NAFOA 44th Annual ConferenceREDW is proud to return as a Gold Sponsor of NAFOA’s Spring Conference, taking place April 27–28 at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, NV. Join us as we connect with tribal leaders and industry experts to discuss the economic issues shaping Indian Country — and don’t miss REDW Principal and Cybersecurity expert John W. Graham’s session, “What Could Go Wrong? Cybersecurity Essentials for Tribal Governments,” on April 28.
- “We’ve got to generate revenue for the nation.” How DDC Is Winning in Federal IT for the Navajo Nation with Austin TsosieWhat does it look like when a Tribally-owned enterprise deliberately goes off the reservation to generate economic returns for its Nation? Austin Tsosie, CEO of DinĂ© Development Corporation (DDC) — the Navajo Nation’s 8A federal contracting arm — joins host Wes Benally to answer exactly that.
- REDW Advisors & CPAs Welcomes Soaring Bird Solutions, Expanding Advisory Services to Tribal Nations and EnterprisesSoaring Bird Solutions, LLC has joined the firm through a strategic acquisition, integrating its operations into REDW’s national advisory platform. Through this partnership, REDW will expand its capabilities in supporting Tribal Nations and Tribal enterprises, particularly in the areas of human resources strategy, leadership development, and organizational consulting.
