Jordan Dresser is a citizen of the Northern Arapaho Tribe and a leader in cultural preservation, Indigenous advocacy, and community storytelling. Appointed to the Fort Lewis College Board of Trustees in 2025, Dresser brings deep experience in tribal governance, museum curation, and storytelling to support its mission and nationally recognized commitment to Native American education.
Dresser served as Chairman of the Northern Arapaho Tribe from 2020 to 2022, where he led initiatives focused on renewable energy development, missing and murdered Indigenous persons (MMIP), and natural resource policy. He has also served on national advisory bodies, including the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Not Invisible Act Commission and the Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee.
The curator of Collections at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Dresser works to expand and reframe museum narratives to reflect inclusive, community-driven storytelling. His prior roles include collections manager for the Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Office and public relations officer at the Wind River Hotel and Casino.
An award-winning filmmaker and journalist, Dresser has co-produced acclaimed documentaries such as What Was Ours and Home from School: The Children of Carlisle, and directed Who She Is, which highlights the MMIP crisis. He holds a master’s degree in museum studies from the University of San Francisco and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wyoming.
Dresser believes deeply in the power of higher education to uplift Native students and communities. As a trustee, he is committed to strengthening connections with tribal nations and championing culturally responsive academic pathways.