Meet the Guest Speakers: 2023 Indigenous Leadership Summit

Get to know the guest speakers for this year’s Indigenous Leadership Summit! Meet Native Forward Alumnus Alex Mendoza.

Alex Mendoza (Makah) is the Director of Structured Finance at IFF, a nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) that serves nonprofits and communities throughout the Midwest. In addition to his professional role, Alex serves as a member of IFF’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Transformation Team and Co-Chair of IFF’s LGBTQ+ Affinity Group. Before joining IFF, Alex was a senior tax consultant at Deloitte Tax LLP in Chicago and a compliance officer and portfolio manager at the CDFI Fund, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C. Throughout his career, Alex has been dedicated to directing programs, services, and support to Native communities and Native-led organizations.

Alex is a Gates Millennium Scholars alumnus and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration from the University of Washington and a Master of Science degree in accountancy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Alex enjoys traveling, playing volleyball, and volunteering with Native- and/or LGBTQ-focused organizations.

At this year’s summit, Alex will share his knowledge on harnessing the power of your relationships, building rapport, and maximizing your success in academia and beyond.