Larry Wright Jr.

Larry Wright Jr. is the Executive Director for the National Congress of American Indians. He priorly served as the Director of Leadership Engagement for NCAI. He served as Tribal Chairman of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska for eleven years, and was a member of the Tribal Council for four years prior to that service. During his time as Tribal Chairman, his Tribal Nation saw a period of important growth of their economic development ventures and health care facilities. While in office, Wright also served in the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Association, representing his Tribe. He was also elected to represent the Great Plains Region as the NCAI Area Vice President for the NCAI Executive Committee, which is comprised of Tribal leaders from twelve separate regions across the nation.

Wright is a recognized national Tribal leader and advocate, familiar to many on Capitol Hill as well as many in every corner of Indian Country. He has testified before Congress on four occasions. In addition, Wright served on the Board of Directors of the National Indian Health Board, as Chairman of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs Board of Directors, and as Chairman of the Nebraska Inter-Tribal Coalition. He also previously served as Co-Chair of the NCAI Taxation Subcommittee and the NCAI Trust Lands, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Subcommittee during his prior service on the Executive Committee of NCAI.

Wright is a military veteran and is dedicated to national advocacy on behalf of Tribal veterans, having served in the United States Army National Guard. He also has a diverse background in education, management, and entrepreneurship. For six years, he served as a Secondary Social Studies teacher in Lincoln Public Schools. He also owned and operated his own general contractor business.

Raised in Nebraska, Wright is the first member of his family elected to the leadership of his Tribal Nation. He was graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney with a BA in Secondary Social Studies and Political Science, and from the University of Nebraska Wesleyan with a MA in Historical Studies