June 2009 -

Michael E. Roberts, '91

Michael E. Roberts
Anil Kapahi Photo
As president of the First Nations Development Institute, Michael E. Roberts, '91, heads a national organization that is working to ensure the long-term viability of Native communities. A native of Ketchikan, Alaska, he is a member of the Tlingit Nation and was the only Native American enrolled in the UW Foster School of Business when he earned his M.B.A. After working in high finance, he spent some time in the nonprofit world before joining First Nations, where, he says, "Not enough people know about business and finance. I want to change the world."