NAFOA, an organization focused on strengthening Native economies and supporting Tribal leadership, has selected Chief J. Allan, chairman of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, and Leonard Forsman, chairman of the Suquamish Tribe, as recipients of its Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is NAFOA’s highest distinction and honors Native American leaders who have dedicated their careers to strengthening their Nations and advancing Indian Country.
Chief J. Allan
Chief J. Allan has served on the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council for 23 years, including 20 years as chairman.
Raised on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation in Idaho, Allan was the first member of his family to graduate from college. He earned a degree in political science from Eastern Washington University, where his education helped shape his commitment to education, economic development, healthy lifestyles, human rights and environmental protection.
During Allan’s tenure as chairman, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe has reached significant milestones, including multiple expansions of the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort and the rapid development of health care and wellness facilities throughout the Reservation.
Those investments have helped make the Coeur d’Alene Tribe one of the most significant economic engines in the Idaho Panhandle.
Allan has represented the Tribe in negotiations with local, state and federal governments and has frequently testified before Congress on issues including federal funding for Tribal health care, Bureau of Indian Education initiatives and natural resource protection.
Beyond his role as chairman, Allan serves on the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee, co-chairs the Idaho Council on Indian Affairs and chairs the Board of Sqwiy Holdings, Inc., a Section 17 corporation owned by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.
NAFOA recognized Allan for his longstanding commitment to education, economic development, environmental protection and the advancement of Indian Country.
Leonard Forsman
Leonard Forsman has served as chairman of the Suquamish Tribe and has championed Tribal sovereignty across the Pacific Northwest for more than four decades.
Raised in Suquamish on the Port Madison Indian Reservation, Forsman grew up in a family of public servants who instilled in him a commitment to community service and cultural preservation.
As chairman, Forsman has led efforts to advance economic development, environmental protection, climate change resilience and educational opportunities for the Suquamish Tribe.
He also has held leadership positions with regional and national organizations, including serving as president of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and as Northwest Area Delegate to the National Congress of American Indians.
In 2013, President Barack Obama appointed Forsman to the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. He served as vice chair from 2016 to 2019.
Forsman also became the first American Indian appointed to the University of Washington Board of Regents. He earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the university.
His public service has been recognized with the Charles E. Odegaard Award and the Potlatch Fund’s Fran James Cultural Preservation Award.
NAFOA honored Forsman for his dedication to protecting treaty rights, promoting cultural values and strengthening opportunities for future generations.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the decades of leadership both Allan and Forsman have devoted to their Tribal Nations and to the broader advancement of Indian Country.
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