Albuquerque, New Mexico – Native Forward, a leading Native scholarship provider in the United States, commences the new fiscal year by welcoming Amber Garrison (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) to its Board of Directors.
Garrison is senior vice president and Global general manager for the prestige hair care brand, Bumble and bumble. For more than eight years, Garrison has worked for the Estée Lauder Companies, the parent company of Bumble and bumble, where she has held roles of increasing responsibility with a focus on strategy, growth and business development.
Native Forward is dedicated to empowering the next generation of Native leaders across all sectors. Since inception, the organization has awarded more than $350 million in scholarships to over 16,000 Native scholars representing over 500 Tribes in all 50 states.
“It is my absolute honor to welcome Amber Garrison to American Indian Graduate Center’s Board of Directors,” said Angelique Albert (Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes), American Indian Graduate Center CEO. “Amber brings a track record of success and expertise in developing strategies to ignite growth. Her collaborative leadership style and commitment to our organization’s mission and vision make her an incredible addition to our Board leadership.”
“Joining Native Forward’s Board of Directors is an extraordinary opportunity. I am honored to serve an organization that has made such an immense contribution to Native education, especially as we prepare to expand our impact,” Garrison said.
About Amber Garrison
Garrison began her career 20 years ago at BCG, supporting and leading transformation and growth strategies for corporate clients. Prior to her current role, Garrison held the position of vice president, corporate strategy where she successfully led the development and deployment of the Estée Lauder Companies’ Corporate Strategy and 10-Year Strategic Compass. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History, Policy Studies and French Studies from Rice University and a Master of Science in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
“Coming from a family of educators, American Indian Graduate Center’s mission resonates deeply with me. I am especially passionate about the transformational power of education for Native students, their families and communities,” Garrison said.
With the addition of Garrison on the board, Native Forward looks to continue increasing its impact on Native scholars through partnerships. “With Amber’s guidance and vast knowledge of the corporate sector, our organization plans to enhance our partnerships and continue our longstanding goal to fulfill the unmet need of all Native students pursuing undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees,” Albert said.
“American Indian Graduate Center is proud to impact so many students in pursuit of higher education, yet we are only able to fund 18% of scholars who apply for scholarships annually. We are committed to continuing this work until we empower all Native students with a desire to pursue higher education,” Albert said.
To bolster their efforts, Native Forward has increased scholarship opportunities for Native scholars across the United States by building multi-million-dollar programs like the Empowering Scholars Initiative and the Investing in Native CPAs Program.
About Native Forward
Native Forward is a national private 501(c)(3) non-profit providing scholarships to American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate, graduate and professional students throughout the United States. Native Forward and its scholars have awarded more than $350 million in scholarships since inception and is proud to empower Native students from over 500 Tribes in all 50 states with educational funding and academic support services. For more information, please visit NativeForward.org.
