Mel Willie is the Chief Officer of Strategic Partnerships at Oweesta, where he provides executive leadership for programmatic strategy, policy, advocacy, and impact-focused partnerships. A proud member of the Navajo Nation who was born and raised on the reservation in northeast Arizona, Mel is dedicated to ensuring that Oweesta’s work delivers meaningful outcomes for Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and communities, while continually strengthening the organization’s national presence and coalition leadership.

A recognized national leader in Indian Country, Mel brings over 26 years of experience spanning nonprofit management, government, and public affairs. Throughout his career, he has successfully represented tribal interests at the local, state, tribal, and national levels. He is intimately familiar with the complexities of highly regulated federal programs, particularly in affordable housing. Mel previously served as the executive director of the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) and as a special advisor to one of the nation’s largest public housing authorities. Before joining Oweesta, he also built a national program at NeighborWorks America—a congressionally chartered nonprofit—designed specifically to leverage its resources and expand its impact within Native communities.

Beyond his executive leadership in the nonprofit sector, Mel has made historic contributions to political advocacy. From 2012 to 2022, he served as the principal of Chee Consulting, a boutique public affairs and political consulting firm dedicated to advancing initiatives that strengthen tribal communities. Recognizing the need for greater Indigenous representation in government, he founded 7Gen Leaders, the nation’s only Native American SuperPAC. Through this organization, he played a pivotal role in helping to elect the first two Native American women to the U.S. Congress in 2018.

Mel’s commitment to advocacy extends deeply into community leadership and academia. He currently serves as treasurer on the board of the Housing Assistance Council, a national nonprofit supporting affordable housing in rural America, and sits on the board of the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation. A passionate voice for intersectional representation, he also served as the International Two-Spirit Ambassador from 2024 to 2026, amplifying the voices and interests of Two‑Spirit people worldwide. In the academic sphere, Mel has shared his expertise by teaching “Native Politics and Grassroots Organizing” at George Washington University and has served on advisory boards for major institutions, including Harvard University and American University.

Mel holds a graduate degree in Political Management from the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and earned his bachelor’s degree with honors in Political Science from Southern Utah University.